City proposes transportation plan

Improving the city's Western Gateway on West Railroad Avenue and building two roundabouts on Wallace Kneeland Boulevard, are the top three priorities on the City of Shelton's proposed Six-Year Transportation Improvement Plan.

The Shelton City Council on Tuesday evening hosted its first public hearing on the proposed plan. The council is scheduled to vote on the document at its July 19 meeting.

No one from the public offered comments Tuesday.

The city's code states that the plan is designed "to assure that each city and town shall perpetually have available advanced plans looking to the future for not less than six years as a guide in carrying out a coordinated transportation."

The state Department of Transportation requires the city to formulate the plan; to list projects that are anticipated; list projects that have secured state or federal money, and those that have not; and allow WSDOT to create a list of projects for the statewide Transportation Improvement Plan.

Federally funded projects must be incorporated into the state TIP before money will be disbursed to the city.

Once the council passes the plan, the city has 30 days to submit it to the state transportation agency.

In the proposed plan, the city lists improvements to its Western Gateway on West Railroad Avenue from Seventh Street to the city limits at Pacific Court as its top priority. The improvements include replacing pavement and water mains and adding storm drainage, lights, sidewalks and Americans with Disabilities Act access. The estimated cost of the improvements is $4.35 million, with the city anticipating paying almost $3.8 million.

Priority number two is a roundabout at the intersection of Wallace Kneeland Boulevard and Shelton Springs Road. The estimated cost is just over $3 million, with the city footing the entire bill.

A roundabout at Wallace Kneeland Boulevard and North 13th Street is priority number three, and the city estimates it would pay for the entire project at $2.7 million.

Rounding out the top 10 are:

■ Priority number four, road improvements that include traffic signals on Seventh Street from Alder to Cota streets, an estimated $750,000.

■ Number five, interchange upgrades at Wallace Kneeland Boulevard and U.S. Highway 101, $3.2 million, with no cost to the city.

■ Number six, improvements that include pavement stabilization and sidewalks on Brockdale Road from Wallace Kneeland Boulevard to the north city limits, $1.5 million.

■ Number seven, Western Gateway phase C in west downtown Shelton, from Seventh to 12th Street, and from Alder to Cota streets, $2 million.

■ Number eight, road improvements that include pavement grinding and overlay on Olympic Highway North from K Street to Wallace Kneeland Boulevard, $1.8 million.

■ Number 9, road improvements on Olympic Highway North from C to K Street, $4 million.

■ Number 10, road improvements that include pavement replacement, American with Disabilities Act access upgrades and intersection improvements on West Railroad Avenue from First to Seventh Street, $4 million.