DOT Rejects association proposal

Neighborhood Association I-5 sound wall plans rejected, board members dissatisfied


The York Neighborhood Association board members were disappointed after the proposed I-5 sound wall was rejected by the City Council. The association met with the City Council on Thursday April 22, to discuss the construction proposal, which has been in the works for several months.

The proposal requested that construction be delayed unless it includes a safety and sound wall similar to that at the southbound I-5 exit to Lakeway. The association suggested the Department of Transportation install an Ontario Tall Wall, which is a taller, more secure wall than the DOT plans to build, said association Treasurer Lisa Anderson.

The plan also requested other safety measures, including planting full-sized evergreen trees to be added along the new on-ramp lane to reduce impact, noise and to improve air quality.

Instead, the DOT plans to install a Jersey concrete barrier, which is much shorter, and its sole purpose is for safety, not sound insulation.

Many members of the association have been directly affected by the danger of the current on-ramp, including Chris Wolf. Wolf lives on the 1100 block of Humboldt Street, and said a pickup truck rolled down an embankment off of I-5 and into her front yard in February 2008.

What the DOT plans for construction

According to the DOT, “the improved ramps will make it safer and easier to merge into traffic along I-5 through Bellingham.” Specific benefits of the project include congestion relief, safety from collisions and environment benefits, upgrading old fixtures to help minimize erosion. The construction project will cost approximately $14 million.

The construction project is one of many to take place between Exit 252 and Exit 255, all of which include on-ramp improvement and lengthening.
Nowhere on this plan does it state the improvement of noise safety or the safety of innocent bystanders, like Wolf.

What the York association proposed

The proposed Ontario Tall Wall measures to at least 54 inches, which would prevent future noise and cars from going over the on-ramp into neighbors’ yards, while the Jersey concrete barrier only measures to, at most, 36 inches.

The association brought 165 signatures supporting the proposal, which were collected at Nelson’s Market. Although the association collected much support from the community, Mayor Dan Pike flat-out refused to meet with the association to further the goals of the proposal, said Anderson.

Won’t be the last time we see neighborhood association help fix traffic problems

Construction of the new on-ramp will begin early July 2010, with or without the support of the association. However, the voices of the board members have been heard regarding other future traffic construction.

While the association may not have been lucky with this proposal, the request for a new bus stop on the south side of Lakeway was approved. Instead of the two bus stops between Ellis Street and the I-5 on-ramp, these stops will be taken out and one will but placed on the corner of Ellis and Lakeway.

“This will hopefully prevent those crazy college kids from running across the street,” association President Annie Mackie said with a smile.