City awarded Big grant for new roundabout, expected to improve downtown traffic

We told you a couple of weeks ago that North Bend was likely to get a key grant to help with a traffic improvement project. It now looks like it’s official – which means getting out of the QFC parking lot will become much easier in the future.

On August 9, 2017, the City of North Bend announced they were awarded a $1 million grant from Puget Sound Regional Council for a new roundabout at North Bend Way and Park Street. The roundabout is slated to begin installation in the summer of 2018 and is expected to ease traffic congestion in the downtown area, especially near QFC.

Via press release the city said the roundabout “will create better and safer travel through downtown, as well as improved access to businesses and driveways along the downtown corridor.”

The project was listed as the number one priority in the city council’s latest 2018-2023 Transportation Plan, which was approved at the June 21st, 2016 council meeting. That Transportation Plan is used to prioritize funding for city transportation projects.

“This is very exciting news for citizens, tourists and business owners as it means safer and more efficient travel through our downtown,” Mayor Ken Hearing said. “Originally, the roundabout was planned to begin installation in early 2019. However, City Council re-prioritized the project from number four on the list of transportation projects to number one to support our community’s needs.”

The roundabout will feature a landscaped center island, ADA compliant sidewalks and shared use trails and connections. It will also feature a new lighting system, planting of street trees and permanent signage.

In an earlier story about the planned Park Street Roundabout, North Bend Public Works Director Mark Rigos estimated the total project cost to be $3.5-$4 million. In addition to the PSRC grant, other project funding sources include Transportation Impact Fees, Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) Grant, REET funds, Water Fund (as water main replacement is also included in the project).

 

Conceptual drawing of the Park Street Roundabout

 

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Comments

  • Thanks for the info! Just curious, the conceptual drawing looks like there will be a median on NB Way, which will not allow access to the QFC parking lot if you are driving east (toward Les Schwab) but it’s hard to tell from the drawing, as it only goes about a half block past the round about. Wondering if this would mean anyone coming from the west side of town will need to go all the way down to the other round about to access the shopping center.

    1. I think you’d have to enter the roundabout to access the parking lot. Here’s an old story we did on it that has more info: http://livingsnoqualmie.com/city-says-downtown-plaza-project-shovel-ready-new-roundabout-hits-funding-snag/

    2. I’m one of the managers at QFC. As this issue impacts us in a very large way, we have been discussing the project with the city for quite some time. The original plan had the median going all the way to the existing roundabout by Les Schwab. The last plan I saw had a break in the median allowing for left turning traffic to enter the Eastern entrance by Ignite and Subway if one was traveling Eastbound on North Bend Way. All traffic exiting the store will have to turn right and go around the new roundabout if they wish to go East on North Bend Way.

  • I guess it’s too much to ask to fix SE 108th Street, huh… pretty soon there won’t be any solid pavement left.

  • And now the city wants to put roundabouts (two of them) by the truck stop. Stupid idea and a waste of the tax payers money. Looking like North Bend is trying to expand the city limits by expanding East up the Middle Fork River. By adding a roundabout in front of the truck stop entrance where there are two gas stations and then another roundabout at the “T” in the road that either sends you up the river towards the newer middle school or when turning left sends you back towards North Bend, this is a total waste of tax payer money. Seems like the city planners are trying to accommodate the trucking industry rather than the people who actually live on the outskirts of North Bend. Time for a review on the city council members and their performance. Where did they come from because it surely wasn’t North Bend. What about the restructuring of the city waste plant? Are we going to wait until “debris” overflows into the river?

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