New pedestrian bridge en route

Pedestrians and cyclists can soon expect a little relief getting back and forth along the I-5 overpass at 196th Street Southwest.

By April 2010, a new pedestrian bridge will save walkers and cyclists from having to take their chances against cars exiting the southbound off-ramp from I-5.

The Lynnwood City Council May 26 approved a $3.2 million contract with Tri-State Construction, Inc. of Bellevue, the lowest bidder, to build the new U-shaped bridge that will lift pedestrians above the fray along the off-ramp so they can more easily get across 196th Street Southwest’s freeway overpass.

Construction is expected to begin in July on the $5.6 million project. Funding for the new bridge includes $1.25 million in federal stimulus money through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. It was the second highest rated project countywide to receive stimulus funds.

“That’s because it was ready to go,” said Jeff Elekes, the city of Lynnwood’s deputy public works director.

The pedestrian bridge is actually the final cog in the wheel of an $80 million interchange project the city started in 1993, Elekes said. It’s part of the same project that realigned freeway exits and entrances near Poplar Way and modified land near Lowe’s Home Improvement store and what became Heritage Park.

Original bids for the pedestrian bridge were as much as $2 million over budget, so the city altered course and opted for a new plan: to widen the overpass instead and build a smaller pedestrian bridge.

This time, the city plan is to widen the north side of 196th Street Southwest and build a smaller bridge over the southbound ramp that ties into the Interurban trail and Alderwood Mall Boulevard, Elekes said.

Changes in the economy have helped push the project ahead. Stimulus funds, plus hungry contractors equals less expensive projects.

“What’s interesting is that two or three years ago, (bids) were running between 10 to 15 percent higher than engineer’s estimates,” he said. “It’s a very cyclical thing that’s happening. We’re also seeing contractors bid work across the board that are more traditionally private sector contractors.”