City of Port Townsend
Washington Street and Walker Street Improvements
Washington St and Gaines St to Walker St and Jefferson St
TIB Award Amount
$198,600
Region: West   |   Legislative District: 24   |   Length: 600.00 ft. FY 2025 Urban Active Transportation Program (ATP)

Existing Conditions

The City of Port Townsends Non-Motorized Plan identifies both Washington Street and Walker Street as Neighborhood Connectors and identifies the need for sidewalk. The project area represents a critical gap in the sidewalk network leaving pedestrians and wheelchairs walk in the street. Due to the topographical constrains of a bluff, Washington is one of few streets that connect the elevated residential neighborhoods to the lower commercial district leading to the port, jobs, shopping, recreation and tourist attractions. Walker Street intersects Washington Street at the top of the hill and borders the Jefferson County Courthouse and the Courthouse County Park with amenities such as open space plus basketball and pickleball courts. The lack of sidewalk today discourages residents and visitors to walk and fosters vehicle dependency. Those unable to drive are forced to navigate a narrow shoulder adjacent to traffic on a steep grade.

Project Funding

  TIB Funds Local Funds Total Costs
Design 23,764 4,236 28,000
Right of Way 0 0 0
Construction 174,836 31,164 206,000
Project Totals $198,600 $35,400 $234,000

Local Match

TIB Participation Local Match Minimum Local Match
84.9% 15.1% 15%

Summary of Improvements

  • Improves pedestrian safety;
  • Completes gap;
  • Removes ADA barriers

Description of Improvements

Closing this sidewalk gap will improve community quality of life, reduce vehicle dependency and better connect people to community commercial and jobs. Steep cut slopes force the Washington sidewalk to be attached to the curb and will require gravity block walls and regrading. The ADA ramps across the Port Townsend Inn will be replaced to remove ADA barriers. Detached sidewalk along the park on Walker Street will terminate at Jefferson Street with a curb bulb out to reduce the crossing distance and increase pedestrian comfort and safety.