The Washington State Division of Transportation plans to decrease the velocity restrict on a part of Battle Floor’s West Principal Avenue to 30 mph.
The division introduced its plans for the highway, also referred to as state Freeway 502, to the Battle Floor Metropolis Council on Monday.
Council member Cherish DesRochers mentioned the world round Northwest twenty ninth Avenue has been problematic for town — a hotbed for crashes as individuals flip east from the neighborhood there onto Principal Avenue.
“We were hoping you would extend the 30 mph farther west,” DesRochers mentioned.
The council member mentioned she thinks reducing the velocity restrict round Northwest twenty ninth Avenue would assist lower the variety of crashes.
“I hope that you will reconsider that,” she mentioned.
The present velocity restrict within the space goes from 40 mph from state Freeway 503, or tenth Avenue, west to round Northwest thirtieth Avenue, which is when it transitions to 50 mph.
The transportation division plans to alter the velocity restrict to 30 mph from tenth Avenue by way of a lot of the developed space, then switching to 40 mph simply east of Southwest twenty seventh Avenue. The velocity restrict would then transition to 50 mph simply west of Northwest thirtieth Avenue.
The division additionally confirmed its objective for reducing the velocity restrict farther west of that space as developments and highway enhancements are made alongside the hall.
Deputy Mayor Shane Bowman mentioned he didn’t perceive why WSDOT isn’t reducing the velocity limits additional.
“People are going to be upset whether we lower this or we leave it where it is,” he mentioned.
The deputy mayor mentioned regulation enforcement officers instructed him that rushing vehicles lead to extra lethal crashes.
“We had a death right there earlier this year,” Bowman mentioned.
Michael Southwick, Southwest area hall operations supervisor for WSDOT, mentioned the company’s objective is to decrease speeds within the space additional.
“We just need a gradual step to get there,” Southwick mentioned.
He mentioned highway enhancements and improvement alongside the hall will encourage individuals to drive slower there, facilitating a velocity change that may be extra prone to be adopted. However that’s not the quick plan.
Town council will contemplate an ordinance later this month, basically requesting the transportation division decrease the velocity limits on West Principal Avenue to Northeast 92nd Avenue, a step the division must finally decrease the velocity restrict alongside the hall.
The transportation division plans to return again to town council to debate state Freeway 503 velocity restrict adjustments, as effectively.
WSDOT is chargeable for setting the velocity limits on Freeway 502 and 503. However whereas town can cross an ordinance reducing the velocity limits inside the metropolis, the restrict must be accepted by the Washington Secretary of Transportation.
