Fleshman Way/SR 129 Interchange Public Presentations

Aug. 12, 2009

Two public presentations were held on Aug. 12, 2009 to introduce the preferred alternative (#6) to the public and receive their comments and input. Through media coverage, media advertising, Community Advisory Committee assistance, direct mailers and posters, 68 members of the public signed in, 54 for the 4:30 pm presentation and 14 at 6:30 pm.

Of those, 19 filled out and submitted comment forms after the presentation. Three comments forms were received via email/fax/mail before the Aug. 26, 2009 deadline.

Amongst those that submitted comment forms, 50% defined themselves as area property owners; 21% considered themselves regular commuter; 21%, interested community members; and 8%, other.

When asked, on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being very disappointed and 10 being very satisfied), how satisfied they were with the pubic involvement process and opportunities to provide input, respondents indicated an average of 9.6%.

Comments regarding the preferred alternative, public process and presentations were overwhelmingly positive.

CLICK HERE for a complete transcriptions of comment form.

On August 24, the Asotin County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to authorize final design of the preferred alterative.

New, Sixth Alternative Addresses Public Comments
Based on Community Advisory Committee input and comments received at the March 24 Public Open House, the project design team developed a new, sixth alternative to effectively capture those features of Alternatives 1-5 that received positive feedback and eliminate features that received negative feedback. Specifically, the new alternative:

• Contains one, single lane roundabout instead of a two lane or multiple roundabouts.
• Maintains uninterrupted east-west traffic flow on Fleshman Way.
• Maintains access to and from 18th Street.
• Eliminates all cross-traffic, left turning movements.
• Has minimal property impacts.
• Provides easy pedestrian/bicycle movements with minimal crossings and direct access to the greenbelt pathway.

This alternative would require the construction of a new bridge structure over State Route 129. To keep costs down, the roundabout was designed to resemble a peanut shape, which allows for a less-expensive, shorter bridge span.

 

 

 

About the Fleshman Way SR 129 Interchange Safety Improvements
Constructed with federal and local funds, the Fleshman Way – Southway Bridge – Bryden Canyon Road interstate system is essential for the effective movement of traffic in the growing Lewis-Clark Valley of Washington and Idaho. The bridge and its connecting interchanges are used daily for commuting, farming, logging, airport access, port traffic, recreation/tourism, bicycling, jogging and more.

The interchange of Fleshman Way and State Route 129 (5th Street/Riverside Drive) on the western shore of the Snake River near Clarkston, Washington, has been identified as a major bottleneck in the system.

Completed by The Army Corps of Engineers in 1981, the Southway Bridge is co-owned by the city of Clarkston and Asotin County, Washington and the city of Lewiston and Nez Perce County, Idaho.

On the Idaho side, Southway Bridge becomes Bryden Canyon Road and forms an interchange with Snake River Avenue.

In Washington, the Southway Bridge becomes Fleshman Way and immediately forms an interchange with SR 129. The north-south SR 129 route is the primary connection to the Lewis-Clark Valley for Asotin, Anatone and farther south, the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. Recent traffic counts estimate 25,000 vehicles use the interchange daily with approximately 60 percent of those crossing the state line.

The existing interchange includes a number of left-turn, cross traffic movements that not only slow the progression of traffic, but can and have resulted in vehicle collisions. This project, managed by Asotin County, will develop a safer interchange design that minimizes stopping and left-turn movements while incorporating improved bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

J-U-B ENGINEERS, INC. is the consultant for this project. The Langdon Group, a public involvement subsidiary of J-U-B, is managing the community outreach.