Three Kent neighborhood traffic calming projects are expected to finally get going this fall after problems with city contractors to do the work.
Residents along Southeast 223rd Drive, 42nd Avenue South and 100th Avenue Southeast have continued to wonder when crews will hit their streets after the City Council approved funding of $250,000 in the spring for the projects. Crews will install speed bumps and traffic circles to slow traffic.
When bids were open in June, the city received just one bid.
“That bid was rendered non-responsive due to missing information,” said Kelly Peterson, Public Works special projects manager, in an email. “That put us back about two months.”
City officials re-bid the projects in August when the apparent low bidder, T. Miller Construction, of Auburn, withdrew its bid due to arithmetic errors.
“T. Miller Construction had a math error in their calculations that was not shared with the city,” Peterson said.
The council approved on Sept. 16 a $236,000 contract with RW Scott, of Auburn, the second low bidder.
“Work will begin in October, but not all three locations will begin at the same time,” said Peterson, who added the projects are expected to be completed this winter. “The city looks forward to completing the projects.”
Councilman Dennis Higgins said at a recent Publics Work Committee meeting that residents are ready for the projects to start.
“I’ve heard from the community out there and they are very eager to see us proceed,” Higgins said. “I’m sorry to hear the report about the flaky contractor. But I’m glad to hear we’re moving as quickly as we can to get a responsive contractor in there.”
Peterson told Higgins the speed bumps are easier to install and will get done first. The traffic circles take longer to put in.
Councilwoman Brenda Fincher, who lives on the West Hill, said neighbors look forward to the speed bumps going in along 42nd Avenue South between South 252nd Place and South 250th Street.
“We are very anxious to get this taken care of,” Fincher said. “This is great news that the speed bumps are coming through. It’s a safety issue for the neighborhood.”
The projects will be paid for through the city’s street operating fund, which receives money from the state gas tax and other dedicated resources. Construction was initially delayed when the council had decided to fund the projects from the city’s business and occupation tax but later decided the money should come from a different fund.
Peterson told the Public Works Committee that the price for the project will go up to $280,000 because of higher project bids than expected. He said the street operating fund will cover the extra costs.
The $236,000 contract with RW Scott doesn’t cover engineering inspections and a landscaping contract for two traffic circles. City staff split off that work under a separate bid.
The projects to slow traffic include nine speed bumps, four traffic circles and four chicanes, an artificial feature that creates extra turns in a road.
Neighborhood traffic projects
(designed to slow vehicles)
• Southeast 223rd Drive (116th Ave SE to 132 Ave SE)
Traffic circles
• 42nd Avenue South (S. 252nd Place to S. 250th St.)
Speed bumps
• 100th Avenue Southeast (SE 208th St. to SE 216th St.)
Speed bumps
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