Port Townsend civil engineer Laura Parsons shows Kris Nelson, president of the Port Townsend Main Street Program, plans for the Water Street project that will update the street from the ferry landing to Taylor Street. (Cydney McFarland/Peninsula Daily News)

Port Townsend civil engineer Laura Parsons shows Kris Nelson, president of the Port Townsend Main Street Program, plans for the Water Street project that will update the street from the ferry landing to Taylor Street. (Cydney McFarland/Peninsula Daily News)

Gathering Wednesday to update businesses on Water Street project in Port Townsend

PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend Main Street program will host an information session on the Water Street enhancement project to keep business owners updated on the major downtown construction project.

The Main Street program organizes quarterly Merchant Coffee meet-ups in order to build community and share information with city business owners, and Wednesday’s meeting will include a presentation from city staff on the major rehabilitation of Water Street from the ferry landing to Taylor Street.

“It’s just to keep downtown and uptown merchants in the loop,” said Mari Mullen, Port Townsend Main Street Program executive director.

Coffee and bagels will be served at the Cotton Building, 607 Water St., starting at 8:30 a.m. The cost for Main Street members is $5 but non-members are also invited for $7.

City of Port Townsend civil engineer Laura Parsons will present the current plans for the south section of Water Street, which are the culmination of information gathered throughout months using online surveys and two open houses.

The largest part of the project will be underground. The 80-year-old sewer lines running under Water Street are due to be replaced.

The project also will put in infrastructure that will see overhead utilities such as power lines moved underground by 2020.

“People are pretty excited about that,” Parsons said. “Businesses in downtown have had issues, mostly due to the old pipes, and those will go away once the new pipes are in place.”

More visibly, the project will also revamp the sidewalks along Water Street to bring them into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“It’ll be nice to be able to say downtown is accessible and fully code compliant,” Parsons said.

The project is estimated to cost $2.8 million.

The project also will make downtown a more cohesive space, according to Mullen, because the sidewalks will then match those at the north end of Water Street.

The project also will resize parking spaces in downtown to make them more uniform and will transform the small parking lot at the end of Tyler Street into a pedestrian area with beach access. Seating there will be lit with string lights at night.

“We’ve seen mostly positive feedback on the project,” Parsons said. “I think people really see the need.”

The project is still on schedule to break ground in January and will be completed by June 2018, so as to not disturb summer tourism too much.

“Mostly people are concerned with when exactly the project will be in front of their business and that’s not something we can predict just yet,” Mullen said.

The Main Street Program is partnering with the city to create a marking project that is aimed at bringing more people, especially locals, into downtown despite the construction.

“That’ll be a time where we’re really going to ask our locals to come support those local businesses,” Mullen said. “We just really want to keep everyone informed. After it’s all done it’s going to be beautiful and will preserve our town for the next 50 years.”

________

Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Port Angeles teachers’ union votes to honor paraeducators’ picket line on April 8

Members of the Port Angeles Education Association voted overwhelmingly… Continue reading

Funding needed for Port Townsend homeless shelter

Operation at Legion Hall to close April 30

Port of Port Angeles renews lease for Composite Recycling Technology Center

Agreement covers 26,000 square feet at airport business park

Fire district volunteers lauded

Clallam County Fire District No. 3 recently recognized seven members… Continue reading

Clallam to continue providing deputy to Forks

Contract includes wages, mileage and maintenance reimbursement

Maintenance closes section of Olympic Discovery Trail

A portion of the Olympic Discovery Trail is closed… Continue reading

Hanna Paoluccu of Alexander, N.Y., and Rosie Berg of Nevada City, Calif., members of the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group and working with the Jefferson County Noxious Weed Board, remove poisonous hemlock weed from along the Larry Scott Trail in Port Townsend on Monday. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Poison hemlock removal in Port Townsend

Hanna Paoluccu of Alexander, N.Y., and Rosie Berg of Nevada City, Calif.,… Continue reading

YMCA to build childcare facility

$1-2M still needed for $6.7M project

Port Townsend Police Department recognizes award recipients

The Port Townsend Police Department recognized officers, employees, volunteers… Continue reading

Port Angeles High School evacuated due to bomb threat

Nothing suspicious found, principal says

A tree that has grown out of its tree box and shattered a nearby curb and sidewalk in the 100 block of North Oak Street is among those targeted for removal and replacement in downtown Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Port Angeles tree and sidewalk replacement to begin Monday

The Port Angeles downtown tree and sidewalk replacement project… Continue reading

Grant for Forks treatment plant to be discussed

The Clallam County Opportunity Fund Advisory Board will discuss… Continue reading