Shovels hit the dirt last week as Monroe city officials took a few moments to celebrate the fact that the Tjerne Place S.E. Extension Project is finally underway.
After holding its position on the docket for over a decade, the highly-anticipated project will construct a new 1,000-foot segment of roadway that extends Tjerne Place S.E. from Chain Lake Road to Woods Creek Road. The new thoroughfare will begin southeast of the Emerald City Athletic Club (14925 Chain Lake Road), travel behind Ben Franklin Crafts and Frame Shop (19505 U.S. 2) and Safeway (19651 U.S. 2), and connect with Woods Creek Road west of Oaks Street.
Currently, Tjerne Place, which is located north of U.S. 2, begins at Fred Meyer and travels in an east-west direction until it comes to an end directly east of Chain Lake Road. The Tjerne Place extension project was targeted as a way to improve east-west traffic flow and alleviate congestion on U.S. 2.
The contract was awarded in June to Trimaxx Construction.
Construction on the project will be ongoing throughout the summer, suspend during the rainy months, with completion tentatively expected sometime next spring or summer. The new section of roadway will include two drive lanes, a center turn-lane, curbs and gutters. Additionally, a 7-foot landscaped strip and sidewalk will be constructed on both sides of the roadway, along with a new storm drainage system, LED lighting and a stoplight at Woods Creek Road.
The stoplight, not a part of the project initially, will help to control traffic at the confluence of Tjerne Place S.E., Woods Creek Road and Oaks Street. Modifications will also be made to the intersection at Chain Lake Road and Tjerne Place S.E., to better accommodate turning traffic.
It is estimated that once completed, the new roadway will carry roughly 10,000 vehicle trips per day.
"That's 10,000 vehicles per day that will not be on Highway 2; that will not be driving through the Ben Franklin and Safeway parking lot,GÇ¥ said Monroe Mayor Geoffrey Thomas. "And the way that the project worked out financially, not only will it be a road, but it will also be a signal down at Woods Creek and Tjerne Place extended.GÇ¥
The project is largely being funded via a grant from the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB), a state-funded agency that awards grants to communities across the state. The total cost of the project is being estimated at $4.7 million, with just over $3 million coming from the TIB and approximately $701,000 coming from the city's capital improvement fund.
Additionally, the Snohomish County Public Utility District (PUD) has agreed to fund up to $1 million in construction costs, since the project will serve as an enhancement to a future PUD facility that will be located to the north of the new roadway. It is anticipated that the PUD will break ground in 2020, constructing a new facility that will take the place of the PUD office located downtown.
"So what this project does is provides wonderful access to and from our facility,GÇ¥ said PUD Commissioner Toni Olson. "It's going to be a larger facility with a larger store-house, a larger area for our crews, which will probably increase the number of crews that you'll have in your community.GÇ¥
The PUD is hopeful that the new, larger facility will streamline processes, resulting in a more efficient level of customer service.
Tjerne Place was named after Gordon Tjerne, a highly-respected member of the Monroe Community. A pharmacist by trade, Tjerne moved to Monroe in 1949 with his wife Elsie, purchasing the Camp-Riley drug store with two business partners. Upon his retirement, Tjerne made the decision to enter into politics, serving on the Monroe City Council for one term before to being elected as mayor in 1982, at the age of 70.
Tjerne's daughter, Lynn Bloss, attended the groundbreaking ceremony and said a few words on her father's behalf.
"It's a real privilege to be here today and to have my father's memory continued on,GÇ¥ Bloss said. "He loved the city of Monroe, he just loved it, and he was always looking for ways to give back.GÇ¥
Tjerne served as the Mayor of Monroe for 14 years before a bicycle accident caused him to resign in 1996. At 84 years of age, Tjerne was one of the oldest mayors in the state at that time. He passed away on July 18, 2002 at the age of 89.
"Serving on the council and as the mayor was, for him, an absolute delight. He enjoyed it so much,GÇ¥ Bloss said. "We're thrilled that this has finally happened and we're so pleased with the way you've honored my father's name.GÇ¥
For more information on the Tjerne Place extension project, please visit: http://www.monroewa.gov/index.aspx?NID=534.
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