May 19, 2009

WAL-MART'S CONNECTOR TO 103RD NOW LONG OVERDUE

This marks 6 months after the land use approval and MDNS required the Wal-Mart to 103rd connector be constructed.

As I reported here on November 19, 2008, 6 months ago:

On Friday, July 20, 2008 the Nisqually Valley News reported about Yelm's new Wal-Mart opening and noted the official opening on July 18, 2007. The City of Yelm said then about the store's requirements to mitigate traffic,
"Wal-Mart will also pave 103rd Avenue from Creek Street to the new connection, which must be built within 10 months of the store's opening."

That 10 months was up on May 19, 2008...

Not seeing any connector, this writer wrote to Yelm's Community and Government Relations Coordinator
Cindy Teixeira for an update for Yelm Community blog readers.

Here is her response (November, 2008):

"The land use approval and MDNS required the connector be constructed within 18 months of the purchase of the right of way. The State DOT closed on the property June 22, 2007, with the deadline being November 22, 2008. Wal-Mart contributed nearly $220,000 to the purchase of the right-of-way and the construction plans are in for review.

Wal-Mart has also submitted a letter of credit toward construction of the connector road."

That was November 19, 2008!
November 19, 2008 came and went and still there still is no connector.

Now, this marks 6 months after the land use approval and MDNS required the connector be constructed.

So, again, I wrote to Mrs. Teixeira to get an update. Here is her April 30, 2009 response:
"Final approvals for the 103rd connector road project are in the works. Timeline for bids and construction is dependent on the weather and all the usual factors which play a part in road construction. I do not have any definite timeline information at this time."


Final approvals still in the works?
No timelines?
"The land use approval and MDNS required the connector be constructed by November 22, 2008."

Is another large commercial project getting a "bye" from the city? HMMM!


To reiterate, the Yelm Wal-Mart was ONLY permitted to be built by using the Yelm Bypass to mitigate its traffic, an unfunded and unbuilt Bypass to handle Wal-Mart's traffic?!.
The connector to 103rd was supposed to assist in that until the Bypass was built. As has been reported here ad nauseum, the Bypass was unfunded then and now the city has asked to divide the Bypass into two Phases, leaving the Wal-Mart Phase 2 end to the 2021-2023 biennium for the Legislature to next consider funding for that area of road.
That means Wal-Mart may not see a Bypass at their door until almost 20 years AFTER they opened, if at all!

THANK YOU AGAIN, CITY OF YELM OFFICIALS FOR TAKING CARE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS SO APTLY BY THUMBING YOUR NOSES AT THEM AND THROWING YOUR BAGS IN WITH LARGE DEVELOPMENTS AND COMMERCIAL INTERESTS!

YELM COMMUNITY BLOG READERS HAVE TO ASK YOURSELVES:
HAS THE BEST INTEREST OF THE ENTIRE CITY BEEN SERVED?

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1 Comments

James Zukowski said:

Methinks a replay from the not-at-all-distant past (13-May-2009) is in order here:

The WA State Auditor's website has a citizen's hotline, where you can submit an electronic form, or call an anonymous ph# to express your concern.

https://www.sao.wa.gov/Hotline/default.htm

https://www.sao.wa.gov/Hotline/Hotline_FAQs_0707.pdf

Also:
1. Are there any penalties for not completing the project requirements?

2. According to your post:
"...Timeline for bids and construction is dependent on the weather and all the usual factors which play a part in road construction..."
Excuse me...? What's needed for the process to get going is simple:
a. Write the notice. (The city does it for bids all the time, and I'm sure Wal-Mart does it for their construction projects as well.)
b. Post the notice. (The NVN Legal Notices section of the paper is pretty big, and has LOTS of postings from around the state.)

That doesn't depend on the weather. If procrastination is one of "the usual factors", then I guess they're covered.

If they want to blame the weather, then ask how they ever got the Stevens Street connector done!

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About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Steve published on May 19, 2009 6:29 AM.

PUTTING THE HIGHLANDS' MARKETING CLAIMS INTO PERSPECTIVE was the previous entry in this blog.

YELM BYPASS FUNDING UPDATE - YOU WON'T HEAR ABOUT THIS FROM MAYOR HARDING OR THE NVN! is the next entry in this blog.

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