Pateros mayor promoting installation of two roundabouts

PATEROS – Resident Gary Odgen appeared before the city council at its regular monthly meeting Monday, June 19, to lobby for a reduction of the speed limit on U.S. Highway 97 passing through the Pateros city limits from 45 miles per hour to 40 mph.
Odgen argued that reducing the speed by five mph would reduce crosswalk hazards and promote pedestrian safety.
Mayor Carlene Anders said she is promoting the installation of two roundabouts on U.S. 97 at four-way cross streets on both ends of town, but does not yet know “what kind of time frame that is going to take.”
Anders said a proposal to lower the speed limit from 50 to 40 mph eight years ago resulted in the current 45 mph limit.
“I would recommend community-wide that if people see this as a need to go ahead and write some letters that express their safety concerns,” said Anders, “If we could start collecting some of those pieces then that is what I could move forward with.”
In his report to the council, city administrator, Jord Wilson, who participated by cell phone, recommended that the mayor and council send a formal letter to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) requesting beacons at the Lakeshore crossing on U.S. 97.
Wilson also wrote in his report that the city should soon be in receipt of Re-Light Washington contract from the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB). The project will reduce the cost of street lighting by replacing existing 200-watt bulbs with less expensive and longer-lasting 70-watt light-emitting electrodes (LED) in the downtown area and 40-watt LEDs in residential areas.
Under water system improvements, Wilson wrote that both the reservoir and wells projects are out for bid.
DJB Construction, LLC, of Wenatchee is progressing with the Ives Landing expansion, Wilson wrote. The lab building has been removed and crews are finalizing cleanup of the site.
Anders said the Long Term Recovery Group is moving into Phase Three of residential rebuilds.
“We have three homes left in Phase Two and anticipate that work will go on to next year,” Anders said.
The group has already raised about $400,000 for Phase Three work.
“All the rebuilds from here on out are north,” Anders said.