Washington Blvd/2600 N. Intersection
Widening Project Status Update
$7 Million+ in Grants Obtained!
We continue to work on a large-scale road project to improve the Washington Blvd/2600 N. intersection and all legs of this intersection. Whether we wish it or not, our city is growing as private property owners exercise their right to sell and develop their land. There are nearly 40,000 cars per day that pass through this intersection and that number is growing as more commercial and residential projects happen in the city. Congestion is increasing, especially because the two five-lane state highways turn into two-lane city roads at the north and east legs of the intersection. There will be an article in tomorrow's Standard Examiner that is an excellent summary of where the project stands (e-version attached).
I stress to everyone: the plans are a work in progress and "tentative," but as you know, I believe firmly in letting citizens know what is happening during the planning phase, and not just after decisions have been reached. This is because I want your input to be part of the process, but please remember that these plans are subject to change as we coordinate with UDOT.
The total cost of the project will be approximately $10.5 million, and I have worked for several years to successfully line up over $7 million in federal, state, and county grants towards that amount. I GREATLY appreciate UDOT, Weber County, and the Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC) who are all supporting this project with funding. We could never do this project without each of them. Rep. Justin Fawson has provided invaluable support as we have pursued state funding and support.
We are almost there to fully funding this project and have one final grant application pending. When I laid out this plan for road improvements in 2014, I asked the citizens and City Council to support implementation of a Transportation Utility Fee ($3 per month per utility bill) and a Transportation Impact Fee on new homes. We promised that these funds would go 100% towards needed road projects, and that we would be able to leverage these city funds to gain much larger grants. I am happy to report to you that this is exactly what is happening, as we are turning $2 million in city funds into over $9 million by leveraging our local tax dollars to obtain grants.
What is Next? We are working with UDOT to finalize the timeline and draft plans for this project. There will then an open house about this project a few months down the road to get your input on our proposals and options. We hope to begin construction in Spring 2019.
For now, please post any questions you have in the comments below and I will answer all of them.
Progress: Speed Limit Change on Washington Blvd.
2300 N. to 2600 N. to change to 40 MPH
UDOT Working with North Ogden City
After review of our request, UDOT has agreed to reduce the speed limit of Washington Blvd. between 2575 N (in front of Walgreens) and 2300 N. to 40 MPH in both directions. The change will be posted in the next month or two. Chief Warren and our Public Works Director Dave Espinoza requested this change based on accident data and safety concerns. We are also working with UDOT to make changes to the alignment of lanes on 2550 N. approaching Washington Blvd. More to follow on this soon. . . .
