The Mercer Island City Council decided to reduce the scope of the Healthy Ways to School Lakeridge Elementary construction project from $456,500 to $360,000 on May 4, bringing the recently inflated total back to the original amount discussed in January at the Council Planning Session. The project, which aims to increase pedestrian and biker safety around Lakeridge Elementary, received $200,000 in WSDOT grant funds last year.

Councilmembers decided to cut the cost, which will be used in seeking construction bids, based on the city’s thinning budget. The money will go toward revamping the streets, paths and sidewalks outside Lakeridge in order to make them safer for children to bike and walk to school.

“We’re scraping the bottom of the barrel within our Transportation Improvement Plan budget. It’s essential that we show fiscal discipline,” said Councilmember Dan Grausz at the May 4 meeting.

The majority of the Council, having listened to a project presentation by Mercer Island Street Engineer Clint Morris, agreed that construction plans had become a “gold-plated project” with “whistles and bells” that were not necessary given the current economic climate. Morris’ Healthy Ways to School project presentation included: $225,000 in sidewalk improvements; $40,000 in drainage plans; $24,000 in “radar feedback” speeding signs; and $55,000 for repaving a portion of S.E. 78th Street, among other construction costs.

“I have an overriding concern with the program as it stands right now. We’re spending a ton of money to change the behavior of hundreds of parents and kids by making the streets nicer. I’m not sure if this is effective,” Councilmember Mike Cero said, referring to the project’s aim — to encourage more Lakeridge children to walk and bike to school.

The City Council decided to remove the S.E. 78th Street resurfacing project from the plan, saving $55,000. The flashy “radar-feedback” signs, which show the legal speed limit below a digital reading of drivers’ speeds in order to draw attention to speeding within school zones, may be scratched from the project as well, unless paid for as “additive alternatives.” Sidewalk and crosswalk improvements — turning the neighborhood’s sloped sidewalks into actual curb sidewalks, among other improvements — were kept. Developing an efficient drainage system was also deemed a necessary priority.

After much discussion on the subject, the Council directed city staff to redesign the project to bring it within a budget of $320,000, plus $40,000 for storm drainage work on S.E. 78th Street. The motion was approved, five to two. The Council then authorized staff to advertise for construction bids.

The Healthy Ways to School project was initiated in 2007 by a committee of Lakeridge Elementary School parents, Principal Ralph Allen, and MISD Transportation Director Todd Kelsay.

In May of 2008, the committee submitted a grant application to the Washington State Safe Routes to School Grant Program for the project. Less than a year later, WSDOT informed the committee that its project ranked 11th out of 112 applications submitted statewide for the 2009-2011 program period, earning $220,000 in grant funds. Other funding includes $100,000 from the city’s Safe Routes to School program.