Construction on 12th Affects More than Roads

Residents of the Fairhaven neighborhood would like to see bicycle lanes along 12th Street in the near future, but current construction plans say the road is too narrow for the improvements.
To avoid dangers and heavy traffic some cyclists say they have modified their routes to steer clear of the construction. A more recent problem for cyclists is trying to find a back road that is quick as well as safe, Max Wells, bicycling enthusiast and a mechanic at Fairhaven Bike and Ski said.
“Once construction is over and the road is smoothed out, it will be good for the most part,” Wells said. “I will still be looking out for cross traffic and cars turning onto the main drag though.”
The project on 12th Street began in July. Crews have replaced about two-and-a-half blocks of 100-year-old water pipes said Project Manager Mark Handzlik. Other project accomplishments include minor sewer work as well as repaving the road and painting traffic lines.
“I try to avoid 12th and find some other way,” Wells said. “But it’s hard to navigate when every street has a flagger.”
According to Kim Brown, transportation options coordinator for the City of Bellingham, most new streets with that are under construction are fitted with bicycle lanes. If there is enough room, bicycle lanes may be added to streets during re-striping. While grant funds supply money for extensive construction projects, placement of bicycle lanes relies on the amount of funding, as overall the changes can be expensive.
Gabe Alexander frequently visits Fairhaven by bicycle and finds that though his ride is usually smooth, interruptions in traffic such as construction zones may prove dangerous. Road work on 12th Street has especially changed the way Alexander rides to Lake Samish.
“I have traveled many times on 12th street since reconstruction. The road conditions are very poor and actually dangerous,” Alexander said. “I am always careful when I ride here because if I don't pay attention the wheel can hit something on the road and I could be thrown off the bike.”
According to Handzlik, construction is behind schedule due to contaminated soils and added work. With more work on the project, conditions along 12th Street will persist until the project is finished.
According to Fairhaven Neighbors Association President Larry Kimmett, the Fairhaven Plan update is in the review process. One of the issues within the plan is bicycles in the neighborhood, as ridership is likely to increase in the next 5-10 years, he said.
“We expect bicycle lanes to increase both in Fairhaven and Bellingham in general in response to residents’ demand for transportation alternatives and the likelihood that the cost and availability of gasoline will become more prohibitive in the near future,” Kimmett said.
Many feel that Bellingham has an overall encouraging attitude towards bicyclists, with Fairhaven being no exception.
“It beats buses,” Mike Storm, long time bicycle enthusiast and the repair shop manager at Fairhaven Bike and Ski said. “It’s easier to get around by bike than almost any other way.”
Originally from Charlotte, N.C. and having lived in southern California, Storm says that overall Bellingham has been a better place to ride.
In order for bike lanes to be requested in the city, neighborhood associations, the public and the transportation commission gather data detailing neighborhood need. This data includes the usage of areas with varied traffic frequency. Once neighborhood associations have composed plans, collaboration with city planners and councils takes place to determine the next step in the project.
“The proximity of the buildings to the right of way and the width of the right of way,” Handzlik said, including that the speed of traffic plays a large part in the decision. “Essentially there isn't enough room to add 10 feet of pavement for bike lanes.”
Due to the road sizes, some feel that bicycle lanes are not where future development will be focused. Some secondary goals of the project on 12th Street include improving pedestrian access as well as other methods of transportation, Handzlik said.
Vehicles drive more slowly in downtown Fairhaven as streets have limited available space for parking and two lane roads, Storm said. Many bicyclists agree that riding can still be a challenge as the road still may not be the safest place to ride.
While many bicycle riders feel comfortable riding with vehicle traffic, some riders like Wells feel that, though heavily discouraged by the law against it, riding on the sidewalk is safer.
Overall, Fairhaven is appreciated by many as a bicycle friendly neighborhood with conditions to improve in the future.
“The good news is that the future belongs more to bicycles for short trips than to cars,” Kimmett said.

Planned 85 foot condo building now hotel rooms

 

The Fairhaven Harbor Project would bring 3 new buildings to the area bounded by McKenszie and Harris Avenues and the Eighth and Ninth streets. The height of one building has residents worried about the developments. Picture from Fairhaven Neighbors Association website.

Plans for a new hotel and condominium building in downtown Fairhaven will include four buildings of varied height. At 85 feet, one building would become the tallest structure in downtown Fairhaven.
At the initial introduction of the plan, the Fairhaven Harbor project, residents of the Fairhaven neighborhood sought to halt the project due to the height of the proposed buildings.
“A tall building would drastically change the view corridor on McKenzie,” Elinor Pravda, Secretary of the Fairhaven Neighbors Association said.
Concerned have also been raised about the upcoming development and the changes that will alter to the community’s dynamics.
“It’s the city’s and our concern that the function of the buildings have changed,” Larry Kimmett, President of the Fairhaven Neighbors Association said. “It has gone from residential to commercial, and this is something that will affect our local road network.”
The plan was met with much resistance from residents of the neighborhood when initially introduced, as concerns were raised about the structure coinciding with the Fairhaven Neighbors Association’s plan of development.
A lawsuit was filed for the original building, Pravda said. While the settlement of the lawsuit requires the association to not attempt any more blocks on the building, it will act to protect Padden Creek from development.
“We hope it will be a separate case and not a precedent,” Pravda said. “It would be a disaster for more tall buildings to be here.”
Ali Taysi of AVT Consulting and representative for the project introduced the plans at the Fairhaven Neighbors meeting Oct. 6. Though construction will not start for at least six months, a yellow development plan sign was to be placed at the site Oct. 8.
The site covers a block bordered by McKenszie and Harris Avenues and the Eighth and Ninth streets.
Of the three buildings, all have undergone planning changes as they will be shorter than in the second draft of the plan. In the northwest corner, the building will be reduced from 55 to 53 feet; the northeast corner building will be reduced from 90 to 76 feet; the main building has two heights at 53 feet and 116 feet. Factoring in the high water mark at 32 feet, the buildings will look shorter than thought to be, Taysi said.
This is not the first time the building heights were reduced, as the original plan was for a 12 story building to be constructed in the space. Many changes have occurred within the plan, but the most recent details a 100 unit hotel with 11 condominiums, a restaurant and retail shopping.
The development of the block is under ownership of Patrick Uy who also owns Sycamore Square. Michael Abbott who owns his building company Abbott Heys and Associates will design the new project. Abbott has completed many projects in Seattle including restaurants, hotels and residential buildings.
“He originally planned to model the buildings like the ones in Seattle, but decided to use materials such as brick, glass and wood instead,” Taysi said. This will make the new structure more like the existing ones in downtown Fairhaven.
The project is currently in the permit process and building is not likely to start sooner than 6 months, Taysi said. He also said that the date building begins will depend on financing and seasonal conditions.
Residents within 500 feet of the building site received letters notifying them that the area would soon be developed.In original plans a pavilion was centered among the buildings, but it is now located closer to the street so pedestrians who wish to access the trails of Padden Creek may do so. In an effort to further reduce the project’s footprint, planners moved the buildings an additional 30 feet away from the Padden Creek area.
“Pulling all development out of the creek buffer creates a 100 foot space between the creek and buildings,” Taysi said.
At the Oct. 6 neighborhood meeting, many residents voiced their concerns that the updated changes in the plan do not account for storm water treatment.
Plans for the project originally call for outflow into the Padden lagoon, but that is not good for the area Pravda said.
The Planned Development permit for the project will expire in December, but has been renewed until Dec. 7, 2012. The changes to the permit now are amendments to the permit issued at the start of the project in 2005. Another permit was initially granted by the Department of Ecology, and continues to remain active.
A traffic analysis was conducted during the first stages of the project, but an updated analysis will need to be conducted as well, Taysi said. With changes to the overall plan of the site including a speculated restaurant, convention center and brand name hotel, residents wonder if the report will be comprehensive enough.
Plans also include on site parking for condominium residents, hotel visitors and those who visit the proposed restaurant and convention center.
An in depth neighborhood meeting about building plans will be held at the Dome Room in the Fairhaven Ferry Terminal on Oct. 14 from 6-9 p.m. Residents may submit their comments on the project.
“I would hope the process remains open and civil and whatever happens will bring the community together,” Pravda said. “Residents do care about the businesses here and hope they prosper. It’s important that they know that.”

The Fairhaven Fontier Kicks Off

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