SNOHOMISH — A Bickford Avenue paving project will begin sometime this month, so expect traffic delays.
“We do not have an exact date and time at this moment,” said city engineer Yosh Monzaki.
It might be wide enough to shift the two lanes to one side, but “most likely traffic will be reduced to one lane,” Monzaki said.
The project consists of grinding, paving, utility adjustments and striping for Bickford Avenue from Weaver Road to the north edge of the state Route 9 overpass, but excludes the overpass itself.
The project is capped at $384,000 and was funded by a Puget Sound Regional Council grant.
The City Council approved a $282,000 bid by Northshore Paving for the job.
The project is weather-dependent. Its completion is anticipated at the end of November. The City Council approved the bid in a unanimous 5-0 vote last month, with councilmembers Steve Dana and Tom Merrill absent.
In other news:
Council approves sheriff’s office contract cost increase intended to retain deputies
SNOHOMISH — A change to the city’s contract for police services with the Sheriff’s Office could help have officers stay in Snohomish for longer stints.
The change was proposed by Police Chief Keith Rogers, who spoke to the council earlier this year about the need to stop a “revolving door” of deputies in the city applying for other assignments in the sheriff’s office. The annual deputy changes aren’t under the chief’s control. Deputies can bid once a year for new assignments across the county.
The change allows Rogers to personally select each of Snohomish’s patrol deputies and, as part of union rules, they’d receive a 3 percent specialty bonus. The commitments are verbal.
The change reclassifies the department from being part of the bidding pool environment.
The council likes the idea. Last month the council approved the agreement in a unanimous 5-0 vote. Council members Steve Dana and Tom Merrill could not attend the meeting.
The vote also continues the city’s agreement with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement in the city for the next two years, including the 3 percent bonuses. Adding bonuses will cost an additional $42,000 a year in 2020 and 2021.
