Second Street Corridor Project

Why

Second Street has the most recorded accidents within City limits in the last ten years. There have been 327 reported crashes, including one fatality, and 88 serious injuries. As the City’s primary east-west roadway and a truck route with a speed limit of 30 mph, it serves local traffic as well as a significant amount of regional pass-through traffic. The City’s 2015 Transportation Master Plan (TMP) traffic model indicates approximately 20% of Second Street traffic is cut-through (primarily to/from the south and west); meaning no stops within the City. The roadway’s current design is primarily focused on facilitating the pass-through traffic and provides few or no elements serving pedestrian safety and bicycle uses.

Because of its accident history, level of service, and sight distance concerns, the TMP identified Second Street for corridor upgrades to improve the roadway for motorized as well as for non-motorized users – pedestrians, cyclists, and bus riders.

Second Street - Historic Setting

Prior to its use as the “Everett-Monroe Highway” and the construction of US 2, Second Street linked the Historic District’s commercial and residential centers. After US 2 was built and Second Street became a truck route, the street became a commercial corridor with varying compatibility with surrounding land uses. Eventually, it became a barrier between the residential and commercial parts of the Historic District.

Encouraging physical activity

Recognizing the growing need for physical activity among citizens, the Washington State Legislature amended the Growth Management Act (GMA) in 2005 with the Healthy Communities Amendment. City Comprehensive plans are directed to address the promotion of Healthy Communities through urban planning and multi-modal transportation approaches. Accordingly, the City’s Comprehensive Plan encourages the built environment to provide a means for physical activity among its residents. It encourages a combination of safe, convenient and comfortable facilities for walking.

Environmental Protection

Second Street was developed for quick, efficient rainwater removal and automotive travel, without consideration to control carbon emissions. Because of damaging effects to soil, water, wildlife, vegetation, human health, the City’s Comprehensive Plan includes Environmental Protection Goals. These goals address minimizing the effects of development on water quality and flooding, maintaining a high level of air quality, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They can be implemented through the use of pervious pavements, stormwater capture and treatment, encouraging non-motorized travel, and additional tree planting.

By making non-motorized uses more attractive options to driving, vehicle emission reductions can be realized by reducing the number of vehicle miles traveled as more people find walking and biking an acceptable alternative to driving on Second Street. This can be accomplished, in part, by making existing pedestrian and bicycle facilities safer and constructing more miles of sidewalks and bike paths.