Submitted by The City of Olypmia
What’s Happening
Beginning August 31, the City’s contractor, KBH Construction Company, will start construction of the State Avenue Pedestrian Access Improvements Project in downtown Olympia. The existing sidewalk is broken and uneven and the access ramp does not meet current safety standards. Making it easier and safer for pedestrians to get where they are going is one of the City’s highest priorities. This project will remove the old sidewalk and construct new sidewalk with a pedestrian access ramp and curb bulbout at the southeast corner of State Avenue at Columbia Street. Construction is expected to be complete by early October 2015.
Tree Impacts
Additional work includes the removal and replacement of the existing trees along the sidewalk on the south side of State Avenue between Capitol Way and Columbia Street. The project team worked with the City’s Urban Forester to determine if it would be better to try to save the existing trees or remove and replace them. We decided to replace them because it was not certain that the trees would survive construction. The removed trees will be replaced with Paperbark Maple trees.
Parking & Traffic Impacts
Street parking on the south side of State Avenue between Capital Way and Columbia Street will not be available during construction. In addition, some of the parking spots located in the two parking lots adjacent to the sidewalk along State Avenue will also not be available at times during construction.
State Avenue between Capital Way and Columbia Street will be reduced to one lane during construction. Motorists should expect delays. The sidewalk on the south side of State Avenue between Capital Way and Columbia Street will also be closed. Signs will be in place to direct pedestrians to alternate routes. Flaggers will be on site to assist pedestrians that need to cross State Avenue.
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