EVERETT — Sound Transit awarded $8.5 million to six projects in Snohomish County to improve pedestrian and bike connections to public transit.
The 2016 voter-approved Sound Transit 3 plan included a new $100 million fund to build or enhance sidewalks, bike lanes and bus transfer areas. More than $40 million was allocated to 27 jurisdictions during the first round of funding the Sound Transit board approved in late September.
The agency was looking for projects surrounding stations that would make it easier for riders to catch buses and trains, said John Gallagher, a spokesperson for Sound Transit.
The largest award in Snohomish County, $2.5 million, went to the city of Lynnwood to redevelop a portion of the 1.5 mile Scriber Creek Trail, which links Wilcox Park at 196th Street SW with the transit center to the south.
That funding will upgrade and widen about 2,000 feet of the path starting at the western edge of the transit hub and extending to Sprague’s Pond Mini Park. Where necessary the path will be elevated to cross wetlands and floodplains.
In its current condition, the trail is frequently flooded and impassable, according to the city’s application.
The city is planning a second phase, not included in this round of funding, to extend improvements north to Wilcox Park. And part of Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Link Extension project includes upgrades to the portion of the trail that runs south of the transit center and connects to the Interurban Trail.
As the city studied ways to better connect passengers to the transit center, redeveloping Scriber Creek Trail was one of three projects rated as the highest priority, said Sarah Olson, Lynnwood’s deputy director of parks.
Everett received nearly $2 million to improve connections between Everett Station and the area around Angel of the Winds Arena. This includes installing lighting, connecting sidewalks and adding marked bikeways.
The goal is “to create a safe and comfortable walking and biking route with clear wayfinding,” said Tim Miller, a traffic engineer for the city.
The project was a top priority in Everett’s Bicycle Master Plan.
More than $1.8 million was awarded to Edmonds to add bike lanes and sharrows — pavement markings indicating that the travel lane is being shared with bicycles — along several roads. The goal is to improve bike connections between key destinations in Edmonds and the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center.
Snohomish County was awarded $1 million for a project to add roundabouts, bike lanes, sidewalks and planter strips on Ash Way between 18th Avenue West and Gibson Road. The goal is to reduce traffic and bus delays, and improve safety for bikers and walkers.
Mukilteo received $760,000 to design bike lanes and a shared-use path on Fifth Street from Lincoln Avenue to the eastern city limits.
A half-million dollars went to Mountlake Terrace to design and build an illuminated pedestrian pathway, which runs through Veterans Memorial Park and connects to the transit center.
Lizz Giordano: 425-374-4165; egiordano@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @lizzgior.
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