Ferndale ready to move forward on Second Avenue extension

JARED PABEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

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FERNDALE - Crews will widen and extend Second Avenue this year, and they'll wait until next year to install a roundabout at Interstate 5 and Portal Way, officials said.

City officials said they'll hit their July 1 deadline for advertising for bids for the work. The deadline is because the work is receiving $1.54 million in federal economic stimulus money, and missing the deadline means giving back the money.

"It looks like everything is falling into place," said Greg Young, city administrator.

The roughly $4.5 million project, the largest stimulus-funded street project in Whatcom County, was under a tight deadline for getting permits and necessary land. Officials were previously hoping to get the roundabout done this year, but there won't be enough dry working time before winter weather sets in to finish it, Young said.

In 2009, the city will:

• Widen the existing section of Second Avenue from Washington Street north to Eaton Street, adding bike lanes and sidewalks. Full access will be retained for Willard Street, and drivers will still be able to turn left onto Second from Somerset Street, engineer Bill Henry said. But all other streets north of Washington will have their access to Second closed off.

• Extend Second Avenue north through manufacturing-zoned property to connect at Portal Way near I-5's southbound ramps. Portal Way will connect to Second in a "T" intersection, encouraging drivers to use Second. The city expects the connection to entice commuters off congested Main Street.

• Build a gravel access road from the new Second Avenue segment north to access houses between the freeway and railroad tracks. That'll allow BNSF Railway to close the only access those houses have now: the Thornton Street railroad crossing. The railroad has provided the city $500,000 to build the gravel road.

Right now, freight trains must wait on side tracks in Ferndale for passenger trains to pass, but the freight trains are so long they must block either the Washington or Thornton crossings while waiting, Young said. More passenger trains are expected next year, he said, and this will give freight trains more room to wait. The railroad also will close the steep railroad crossing near City Hall Annex along Second Avenue.

In 2010, the city will:

• Build a roundabout near the freeway's southbound ramps, with one leg of the roundabout connecting to the ramps. Henry estimated it would be finished in June or July of next year.

The gravel access road will have to be moved to connect to the roundabout, and it'll require the city trading land with a landowner, Young said. The access road will open up properties between the tracks and freeway for potential development.