EVERETT — For months, Everett people have shared their ideas for the future of Evergreen Way.
The city is putting together a plan for the the north-south corridor. Here are just a few ideas up for consideration:
Adding more crosswalks.
Fixing diagonal crossings, such as at Fourth Avenue W., that are so long they’re difficult to walk across before the light changes.
Changing zoning in some areas to allow mixed-use developments such as street-level shops with apartments above.
Adding bicycle connections from neighborhoods to Evergreen Way to allow commuters to get to transit buses.
Slowing speeding traffic in some areas by narrowing lane widths and adding landscaping.
The city, along with a consulting firm, continues to gather ideas, refine them and bring them back to Everett neighbors, said Gerry Ervine, a city land-use manager. The process is expected to last until 2011.
If you want to have a say, the next gathering is 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Evergreen Middle School.
Officials plan to present new “revitalization concepts” that address a half-dozen issues, including pedestrian safety, land use and landscaping.
They’ll share ideas, including the ones above, and ask for comments, Ervine said.
The city is zeroing in on a stretch of Evergreen Way from 41st Street to Gibson Road, the farthest south the city plans to grow. An additional $120,000 federal grant also will allow the city to have a say in planning beyond city limits, all the way to 148th Street SW.
The city eventually plans to make big changes, such as improving pedestrian and bike access; forming connections with surrounding neighborhoods; and making aesthetic improvements, such as trees.
Any major construction projects wouldn’t happen overnight. The corridor would evolve slowly as new projects are built. Big projects, such as a median, don’t have funding now. Grants for such projects are limited, and the city would eventually have to find a way to pay.
If dollars do become available, the projects can be implemented more quickly, Ervine said.
“These do take years and years to implement,” he said.
Meeting Tuesday
A public meeting to talk about the future of Evergreen Way is planned for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Evergreen Middle School, 7621 Beverly Lane. For more information, call 425-257-8731.
Debra Smith: 425-339-3197, dsmith@heraldnet.com.
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