EVERETT – A busy road with a patchwork of sidewalks and narrow shoulders near Everett Mall is getting a $460,000 fix.
The Everett City Council hired a contractor this week to fill gaps in sidewalks along Seventh Avenue SE from 93rd Street SE to 100th Street SE.
The mostly residential strip that intersects Everett Mall Way is home to a large apartment complex, a day care and a new subdivision.
Dave Davis, Everett’s director of engineering, said it’s part of an ongoing project to bring major roads up to city standards.
The area was first incorporated into the city in 1962 as part of a 1,700-acre annexation.
The contract, awarded Wednesday night to Schwetz Construction Inc. of Sedro-Woolley, includes adding a bicycle lane, installing storm drain improvements and improving a traffic signal.
“Everyone at the city wishes we could do more,” said Davis. “You can do a little bit at a time and this is one of those little bits.”
The funding comes from a combination of a state grant, traffic impact fees charged to developers and other city funds.
The improvement project is similar to another in the works on 100th Street SW west of Holly Drive.
That project was put on hold earlier this year after the city rejected bids from contractors, because they came in much higher than the engineer’s estimates.
“We usually have one or two of these going on annually,” Davis said.
Reporter David Chircop: 425-339-3429 or dchircop@heraldnet.com.