Extends Susie Stephens Trail
By Don Nelson
The Town of Winthrop and Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) have reached an agreement for installation of a long-awaited pedestrian crosswalk for the Susie Stephens Trail where it intersects with Highway 20.
At its meeting last week, the Winthrop Town Council approved a contract with WSDOT to construct a Highway 20 crossing near Pardner’s Mini Mart that will include signs with flashing beacons to alert drivers in both directions that pedestrians are in the crosswalk.
The flashing signs — rectangular and illustrated with a walking figure — will only be activated when pedestrians are using the crosswalk, so will not be constantly in use.
The flashing signs will be solar-powered, and while WSDOT will install the signs and crosswalk, the town will be responsible for future maintenance and upkeep. The installation will be paid for by a state grant to the town.
Town Planner Rocklynn Culp said the solar installation is a less-expensive alternative to “hard-wiring” the signs by extending electrical service to them.
The Susie Stephens Trail is a multi-stage recreational system that has been under construction for several years. It was intended to cross Highway 20, but extension of the trail was delayed while the town negotiated for purchase of a small, privately owned parcel that was necessary to complete the trail’s link to the highway.
Last year, the town was able to purchase the property and avoid eminent domain procedure to acquire it.
In the past, the council had discussed whether a crosswalk could be placed without the use of flashing warning signs, but WSDOT requires the use of such signs for crossing major highways.
Council members also discussed last week whether the speed limit at the crosswalk, currently 35 mph, could be reduced to 25 mph. The limit drops to 25 mph near The Barnyard Cinema, just west of where the crosswalk will be.
Public Works Director Jeff Sarvis said that would require another request to WSDOT and probably a traffic study to determine if reducing the speed limit is justified.
