The Monroe City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday, June 23, to award Trimaxx Construction, Inc. with the contract for the Tjerne Place S.E. Extension Project.
The long-awaited project will construct a new segment of roadway that extends Tjerne Place 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 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 means for improving east-west traffic flow and alleviating congestion on U.S. 2.
Construction on the project will begin this summer, suspend during the rainy months, with completion tentatively expected sometime next spring or summer. The new section of roadway will include two travel lanes, curbs and gutters, with either a two-way left turn lane or a landscaped median with turn pockets. Additionally, a 7-foot landscaped strip and sidewalk will be constructed, along with a new storm drainage system, LED lighting and a stoplight at Woods Creek Road.
The project will largely be funded through a grant from the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB). Total costs for the project, including right-of-way acquisitions, design, construction and construction management, were estimated at approximately $4.7 million, with approximately-á$3,598,800-áof that amount estimated for-áconstruction.
The city received five bids during the bidding process, which began on June 18. Trimaxx Construction provided the lowest bid of the bunch, coming in at $3,548,832.69.
Approximately $3,151,000 is expected from the TIB grant, and the Snohomish County Public Utility District (PUD) has agreed to pay up to $1 million in construction costs.
"They are going to be placing their new city of Monroe office and yard next to that location so it gives them good access to that property,GÇ¥ explained Monroe Public Works Director Brad Feilberg.
The new PUD office is slated for a piece of property on the north side of the proposed roadway.
The city's estimated-áobligation for the project is $551,600, which was budgeted-áin the Streets Capital Improvements Projects-áfund for 2015.
Tjerne Place is named after former Monroe Mayor Gordon Tjerne, who served as the mayor of Monroe for a total of 14 years. One of the oldest mayors in Washington state, Tjerne was 84 years old when he resigned his post.
Mayor Geoffrey Thomas reflected on the fact that the Tjerne Place extension project has been discussed since he sat on the Monroe City Council 10 years ago.
"You all should take a brief moment and just reflect on what you just authorized,GÇ¥ Thomas said. "It's pretty cool.GÇ¥
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