Kent garbage tax to pay for four residential street projects

Streets in four Kent residential areas will receive new pavement this year with funds from the city’s increased solid waste utility tax.

Crews will put down asphalt overlays on the streets this summer to smooth out the pavement and get rid of the numerous potholes. The Kent City Council approved the projects on Feb. 3.

The street projects are:

• 109th Avenue Southeast from SE 256th Street to SE 248th Street

• 118th Place Southeast from SE 256th Street to SE 251st Street

• Lake Fenwick Road from Reith Road to SE 259th Place

• South 254th Street from Lake Fenwick Road to S 256th St; S. 253rd Street from S. 254th St. to S. 252nd Pl; 43rd Place South, entire length; and 42nd Place South, entire length

“I drove all four of these over the weekend and I’m not disagreeing with any of them,” Council President Dana Ralph said at a recent Public Works Committee meeting about the city staff choices for the initial street projects.

The council last year approved a garbage tax increase in 2015 to 18.3 percent from 7.8 percent on each bill. The increase will bring in about $3 million per year for street maintenance in neighborhoods. City staff has budgeted about $1.5 million in 2015 for the four projects. City officials rationalized the tax increase because of the damage garbage and recycling trucks cause to roads.

“Living on West Hill I am pulling very strongly for Lake Fenwick Road,” Councilwoman Brenda Fincher said. “But I’m just glad to see we’re making advancements to get these roads back into good order so people driving along them don’t have any damage to their cars.”

Kent has nearly 320 miles of city streets, with about 70 percent of those considered residential streets. A residential street lasts about 25 years before it needs an asphalt overlay.

At least 19 Kent neighborhoods have cracked roads that need to be repaired, according to city staff. The cost to repair all of those streets is estimated at $35 million.