Point Wells Corridor Traffic Study Likely to Begin this Summer

The City of Shoreline said today it has reached an agreement with Point Wells developer BSRE Point Wells, LP (BSRE) to provide up to six public meetings for residents potentially affected by traffic increases on the corridor. A traffic study is still being scheduled, but could start in June or July, the city said Tuesday.

The first thing that will happen, Shoreline Public Works Director Mark Relph told Patch, is that Snohomish County will hold a scoping meeting, probably in May, and when that's done the traffic study and public meeting process will get underway. The study will take about two months to complete.

The City of Shoreline and BSRE have executed a memorandum of understanding (Memorandum) to conduct a transportation corridor study (Study) of the Richmond Beach Drive/Road Corridor. Since Snohomish County is legally required to process BSRE’s permit application, due to start this spring, the City was intent on reaching an agreement with BSRE to conduct a more thorough transportation study than what would be required in the permit process. The City said it wanted to provide Shoreline residents with a direct voice in identifying corridor improvements, including those improvements directly impacting individual properties.

"I personally believe this is the right thing for our residents," Relph said of the agreement, that he said goes well beyond minimum requirements under Snohomish County's permitting process.

In a separate news release from BRSE, Gary Huff, land use counsel for BSRE
Point Wells, said: "Transportation considerations to and from the site, including pedestrian safety, are important to both current local residents as well as future residents at Point Wells. Agreeing in advance with Shoreline on the study's parameters and assumptions, and engaging with local residents to understand and address their concerns, will go a long ways towards ensuring a positive outcome for all concerned."

The Memorandum provides for a study that includes an extensive public participation process, a study area that includes more neighborhood streets and intersections than just Richmond Beach Road and Drive, a guaranteed maximum right-of-way width limit of 60 feet for Richmond Beach Road and Drive, and application of Shoreline's traffic standards rather than unincorporated Snohomish County’s. These benefits would not have been guaranteed through any other means than the Memorandum between Shoreline and BSRE, the city said in the release.

The Memorandum grants Shoreline’s most affected residents the ability to participate in up to six (6) public meetings that focus solely on traffic impacts and mitigation. State regulations only require Snohomish County to conduct one environmental scoping meeting to cover all impacts from the development. The City Council found this level of public participation unacceptable and worked to guarantee a better process for Shoreline residents.

A significant concern heard by residents is the traffic volume generated by the planned development. Through the Memorandum, the City has secured a traffic study process that is focused on addressing the concerns of Shoreline residents. The Memorandum assumes a maximum traffic volume of 11,587 average daily automobile trips, which includes the total trips leaving and entering the development once the development is completely built out. This will be the basis for identifying required improvements to the corridor. 

In addition, the Study will measure anticipated traffic volumes and congestion levels along connecting streets and intersections. The intent is to eliminate cut-through traffic in surrounding neighborhoods.

The Memorandum ensures the typical 60 foot right-of-way width on Richmond Beach Road and Drive will remain the maximum width allowed, except where the study concludes that isolated corners at intersections are necessary to accommodate such improvements as turn lanes, sidewalks or curbing.

The City and BSRE are in the process of establishing dates for the Study. The dates will be coordinated with the Snohomish County environmental review process, which will likely begin in May. The City will distribute information once definite dates for the Shoreline public meetings are finalized.

For more information about the Study, please contact Transportation Services Manager Kirk McKinley at kmckinley@shorelinewa.gov or (206) 801-2481. To read the memorandum and to see what streets are included in the Study, visit shorelinewa.gov/pointwells. 

            To keep up to date on the latest Point Wells news and to be contacted about any upcoming meetings, sign up for an ENews account on the City’s website by visiting shorelinewa.gov.

More on the Point Wells Development on Patch

Woodway Proposes Smaller Point Wells Plan

Forgetting Point Wells

Point Wells Victory for Shoreline

The Man Behind Point Wells

Point Wells Plans Move Forward

More on Point Wells here

--Information from the city of Shoreline