PROJECT COMPLETED

Months after construction crews began reshaping High- way 395 through downtown Chewelah, city and state officials gathered on Sept. 22 to mark the project’s completion. The city of Chewelah and Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) held a ribbon cutting and “Boot Stomp” event celebrating the completion of the Highway 395 renovation project, which repaved the highway through town while adding new pedestrian, bicycle, and traffic-safety improvements.

The event also gave residents an opportunity to ask questions of the project team and learn more about WSDOT’s Complete Streets program. Chewelah Mayor Lindsay Baxter said the project’s biggest benefit is “by far, increased safety for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists.” The roughly $6.1 million state-funded project repaved U.S. Highway 395 from Hafer Road through Chewelah to the north city limits, while making a number of changes to the roadway through the downtown corridor. According to WSDOT officials, those changes include Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant curb ramps, pedestrian crossings, dedicated bicycle lanes, curb extensions commonly known as “bump outs,” and other improvements intended to reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety. Baxter said the bicycle lanes provide a designated space for cyclists, while the bump outs shorten the distance pedestrians are exposed to vehicle traffic while crossing the highway. Lighted crosswalks were also incorporated into the project.

At the north and south entrances to the community, Baxter said roadway chicanes were added with the intention of encouraging motorists to reduce their speed as they enter Chewelah. The finished project has received a mixture of positive feedback and concerns from the community, Baxter said. He elaborated that residents and businesses have praised the fresh pavement and the appearance of the renovated downtown corridor, but concerns remain about the loss of parking and how larger vehicles maneuver around some of the new curb extensions. During planning and construction, however, parking was among the most frequently raised concerns by business es along the Highway 395 corridor. The Complete Streets design eliminated highway parking in portions of downtown to accommodate other roadway changes, including bicycle lanes.

Several business owners previously told the Statesman-Examiner they supported improvements to pedestrian safety but worried the loss of nearby parking could make accessing downtown businesses more difficult, particularly for elderly customers and people with limited mobility. Business owners also expressed concerns about how trucks and recreational vehicles would navigate the redesigned intersections and roadway. Those concerns have not disappeared with the completion of construction. Baxter said city officials continue to monitor how trucks and recreational vehicles maneuver around the new bump outs. WSDOT has agreed to remain attentive to the issue and consider feasible modifications if problems become apparent. “We’ve asked for a couple of small but important issues to be addressed, but the project is considered complete,” Baxter said.

Construction itself created another challenge for the community. Traffic was reduced and redirected at various points during the work, creating delays along one of the primary routes through Chewelah and affecting access to businesses along the corridor. Baxter said communication became an important part of managing those disruptions. He credited subcontractor Cameron Reilly and the WSDOT project team with providing frequent updates as work progressed.