City Watch

The city has major plans to revitalize two areas in north Renton – and use state funds to help do so. At Monday’s City Council meeting (Aug. 10), the public will have a chance to testify about establishing “revitalization areas” so it can use the state funds for those multimillion-dollar projects. I’ll let city officials explain the details of how all that would work. The meeting is at 7 p.m. in council chambers, seventh floor, City Hall, 1055 S. Grady Way. This is what the city has planned for two areas, with preliminary costs:

SOUTH LAKE WASHINGTON
• Extend Park Avenue north from The Landing to the Southport development, $5 million
• channelization and other improvements on Garden Avenue South at Park Avenue, $3 million
• Highlands to The Landing Trail, $2 million
• Lake Washington Boulevard Corridor improvements, $5 million
• Water and sewer system upgrades, $2.5 million
• Bus Rapid Transit facilities and $700-stall, transit-related parking garage, $35 million

PORT QUENDALL
• Reconstruction and improving signals on Lake Washington Boulevard and Northeast 44th Street, $7 million
• Frontage improvements along Seahawks Way and Lake Washington Boulevard, including an extension of the May Creek Trail, $5 million
• New reservoir and water and sewer system improvements, $9 million
• Reclaimed water facility, $6 million
• Public amenities, including waterfront habitat restoration, public open space, trails and potential plazas, along with maintenance, $40 million.

These state dollars are only one source of money to pay for these public improvements. Other sources are project developers, grants and other public and private sources. Of course, all of these projects could take years or decades to complete.
Later in the meeting, the council will consider the two revitalization areas in what’s known as a first reading. Typically, such ordinances require a second and final reading at a later meeting.