When people tell Russell Brent, the owner of Mill Creek Pub, “I need to get from Battle Ground to Hockinson in the worst way,” his joking answer is “take South Parkway Avenue.”
He’s referring to the bumpy, halfway crumbling 20 blocks or so that people use to navigate south Battle Ground between Main Street and Southwest Eaton Boulevard.
About two years ago my husband and I were shopping for a used car and we made an untold number of trips up and down South Parkway Avenue. We found the road to have the “best” bumps, dips, ruts and potholes around. It was a great tool to test out each car for its rattles, shakes and suspension.
The good news is that with the hard work of city officials, $5.6 million was awarded to Battle Ground in both state and local grants and taxes to fix South Parkway Avenue. Construction is planned to start this summer, with a completion date of spring 2017. More good news is the road will remain open during the nine month construction phase, although drivers are being asked to take alternative routes if possible.
The bad news is we’ll have to find a new road for test driving our next auto purchase.
If memory serves me, I heard at a Battle Ground Chamber meeting that the deep base of South Parkway Avenue is built on top of old timbers from many years ago. Adding to the road’s woes are the scores of trenches cut across the avenue and then filled back in over the years to place utilities.
It’s a mess today, but once completed, it should add to the attractiveness of Battle Ground with new sidewalks, planter strips, bike lanes, lighting, and a center left-turn lane, according to city officials.
If you’re interested in more information, you can go to the city of Battle Ground’s website at www.cityofbg.org. If you want to offer your input and ask questions, an opportunity is coming from 5:30-7 p.m. Monday, May 9 as the city is hosting an open house at Battle Ground City Hall. As the project moves forward, you will also be able to get updates through the city’s Facebook page.
Not everyone will be affected by South Parkway Avenue’s construction, but we are all impacted by construction and distractions. We’ve been living with construction on state Route 502, for example, for several years now. And those distractions can cause real problems.
Two weeks ago I witnessed a truck in front of me not paying attention and he almost hit a kid on a bicycle at the intersection of Main Street and South Parkway Avenue.
We were at a red light and I could see the driver fidgeting around with something in the seat next to him. There was a kid on a bicycle waiting for the signal to switch to WALK. The light turned green and the WALK sign turned white. The kid looked both ways then proceeded across the road in the cross walk. About that time the guy in the truck looked up, saw the green light and quickly stepped on the gas shooting forward. Luckily he stopped just before his front bumper struck the kid.
So, this summer into next spring, when driving through the construction zone or other areas of Clark County being repaired and upgraded, pay attention. Each year pedestrians are struck by cars, and construction workers are hit as well.
This project will undoubtedly cause some inconvenience, but once completed, will be well worth the short-term discomfort.
Laura Venneri
General Manager
The Reflector
