Downtown Olympia road closures, parking restrictions start soon. Don’t get towed
Street closures will affect traffic at and around Fourth Avenue and Plum Street in downtown Olympia starting next week.
A city contractor plans to perform roadway grinding, paving, striping and more from Monday, July 6, to Thursday, July 9, according to a city news release.
The city is advising the public to anticipate temporary parking restrictions, lane closures and roadway closures during the construction period. All this work is part of a $1.6 million project intended to make the intersection safer for pedestrians and cyclists, The Olympian previously reported. Several collisions involving pedestrians prompted the city to identify the intersection as an area of concern in its Street Safety Plan, according to the project website.
Here’s what to expect:
On Monday, July 6, contractors will conduct “asphalt grinding and planning.”
- Contractor work will start at 6 p.m. but preparation activities may start as early as 5 p.m.
- The city is asking drivers to remove their vehicles from on-street parking by 4 p.m. on Fourth Avenue between Chestnut Street and Plum Street.
- One eastbound lane on Fourth Avenue will be closed from east of Cherry Street to Pear Street.
On Tuesday, July 7, contractors will conduct “roadway preparation work.”
- Contractor work will start at 4 p.m.
- The city is asking drivers to remove their vehicles from on-street parking by 4 p.m. on Fourth Avenue between Chestnut Street and Plum Street.
On Wednesday, July 8, contractors will work on the concrete sidewalk.
- Contractor work will start at 2 p.m.
- Vehicles must be removed from three on-street parking stalls adjacent to the Samaritan Press Building.
On Thursday, July 9, contractors will conduct paving and striping operations.
- Contractor work will start at 8 p.m. and continue overnight until about 5 a.m. Friday, July 10.
- Vehicles must be removed from all affected on-street parking by 4 p.m.
- Fourth Avenue will be fully closed between Chestnut Street and Pear Street.
- Plum Street will be fully closed between Fifth Avenue and State Avenue.
Travelers are advised to follow signed detour routes as well as directions from flaggers at the closure locations.
“Thank you for your cooperation as these improvements are completed,” the release states. “Every effort will be made to minimize disruptions while improving safety and accessibility for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit users in the area.”
Anyone who fails to remove their vehicle from affected on-street parking areas by the listed times may face delays in accessing their vehicle and “potential towing.”
The new changes, some of which have already been implemented, include a separated bike lane, curb bulb-outs, sidewalk repairs, new street markings, upgraded curb ramps, accessible pedestrian signals and a hardened centerline on the nearby East Bay Drive.
To accommodate these changes, the city has removed the right turn lane from Fourth Avenue. The city has admitted this change may worsen traffic congestion at the intersection during peak travel times.
“In making these changes, we are prioritizing safety, especially of pedestrians and bicyclists, and accepting an increase in congestion,” the project website says.
The city is using a nearly $1.3 million Pedestrian and Bicycle Program grant from the Washington State Department of Transportation to pay for a majority of the $1.6 million project, per the project website.
The project is supported with funding from the state’s Climate Commitment Act, a 2021 law that created a greenhouse gas emission cap-and-invest program.
This act is intended to reduce such emissions while raising revenue for projects that improve clean transportation options, according to the Washington State Department of Ecology’s website.
