EDMONDS — As 2012 closes out, downtown Edmonds should begin to have a face-lift. Improvements are in the works for Main Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues.
Main Street itself will be reduced by 4 feet in a traffic-calming measure. Sidewalks will gain 2 feet on each side of the street and a mid-block crossing will be added, emphasizing pedestrians over cars, according to Phil Williams, the city’s public works director.
New sidewalks, curbs and gutters will do away with trip hazards from tree roots and water damage. Trees will be replaced with a more appropriate species better suited for the urban environment.
Aesthetics will be bolstered, Williams said. New themed streetlights are in the plan. They will have energy-efficient elements. Public art, flower basket poles, benches, trash receptacles and bike racks also are included in the plan.
Infrastructure also will be addressed. The aging, leak-prone water line will be replaced. Stormwater runoff from the street and sidewalks will be reduced and treated before it flows directly into Puget Sound.
Power poles and service wires will be removed to improve street-level views and two electric car-charging stations will be added.
The $1.6 million project is funded with $1.56 million in state and federal grants along with $330,000 from storm and water utility funding.
The city council is expected to award construction contracts in July. Construction is slated to begin in mid-September, running through November.
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