ARLINGTON – Exit I-5 in Smokey Point and you’ll end up on a nondescript road indistinguishable from hundreds of other suburban streets.
Small strip malls, gas stations and fast-food restaurants butt up against 172nd Street NE.
Landscaping and signage varies from business to business. After a few blocks, sidewalks disappear, leaving only a chain of utility poles to line the street.
It’s time for a change.
The Arlington City Council recently decided to start planning a makeover for 172nd Street NE, also known as Highway 531.
City officials envision a wider road with landscaped medians, sidewalks, benches, bike lanes and possibly roundabouts. They want the road engineered to handle the increased traffic flow 172nd Street NE is expected to experience as Arlington grows.
“If they get irritated getting off of (I-5), they’re not going to stop for the businesses,” planning commissioner Jim Cummins said during a recent workshop. “They’re going to go home and drink beer.”
Streetscape renovations will stretch from the I-5 exit to Highway 9, but the majority of work will take place between 43rd Avenue NE and 67th Avenue NE, planning manager Cliff Strong said.
“We’re making 172nd a signature street so when people enter Arlington they have a distinct feel that they’re in Arlington – not Marysville,” he said.
Last week, the City Council unanimously decided to hire Beckwith Consulting Group of La Conner for $22,953 to develop a plan for the street.
Soon, city employees will start interviewing people who own businesses along 172nd Street NE to get their design ideas and priorities. Public hearings on the project are tentatively scheduled for late fall, and the council is expected to vote on a plan in early winter, Strong said.
At this point, the city can’t estimate how much the project will cost, said assistant city administrator Kristin Banfield. She said future businesses along 172nd Street NE will pay for some improvements, while city and state funds may be used for others.
“One of the things the street provides for us is a major entrance to the city,” said economic development manager Vic Ericson.
“It’s really a significant street … So we’re looking at this not only for mobility and the businesses along the street, but also as a branding opportunity for Arlington.”
Reporter Kaitlin Manry: 425-339-3292 or kmanry@heraldnet.com.
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