Input sought on future of Marysville’s State Avenue

MARYSVILLE — The city wants to paint a picture of what State Avenue could look like in 20 years.

A plan is in the works that would lay out rules for land use, placement of buildings and parking areas, open spaces and parks, as well as transit and landscaping.

A workshop is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 1049 State Ave. Planners and consultants will go over what’s been done so far and what’s next. They hope to gather ideas. Participants will be asked to look at architecture types and designs to determine what would be appealing in Marysville.

There are no immediate proposals for major redevelopments along State, according to the city. A plan would ensure that future projects are a good fit.

State Avenue offers a variety of businesses and services, city spokeswoman Connie Mennie said in an email.

“It is a main arterial that carries a high volume of traffic and contributes to the community’s perception of itself and visitors’ first impressions,” she said.

Roadwork on State has been done over the years, including widening. Designs are underway to expand the stretch from 100th to 116th streets NE from one lane in each direction to two lanes.

The goal is to draft a State Avenue plan by late 2018 and present it to the City Council early next year, Mennie said.

A workshop in February 2016 introduced the project. There’s been a public survey and meetings with Community Transit staff. The city has hired Makers Architecture and Urban Design to lead the planning effort.

That effort includes looking at rapid transit service, called Swift by Community Transit. Swift service is not expected to arrive in Marysville for another decade, but the city wants to determine possible locations for stations. For example, employment hubs or multifamily housing near bus stops would help maximize transit access.

Another workshop is tentatively scheduled for July 17, with additional meetings in the fall.

Kari Bray: 425-339-3439; kbray@heraldnet.com