City of Lakewood

City Manager's Weekly Info Bulletin 2/11/2011

Details

Category: Weekly Info Bulletins

Published on Friday, 11 February 2011 17:10

February 11, 2011
WEEKLY INFO BULLETIN
To: Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Andrew Neiditz, City Manager

• Lakewood Collaboration and Washington State Military Kids and Families Partnership conduct joint meeting: The Lakewood Community Collaboration invited the Washington State Military Kids and Families Partnership to a joint meeting initiating what should become a quarterly event. The Lakewood Community Collaboration, which convenes monthly, draws human service providers together to network, develop strategies and work together to better serve kids and families. The Washington State Military Kids and Families Partnership is committed to meeting those same needs on and off Joint Base Lewis McChord. Bringing the groups together allowed a cross-representation of service providers to network and bridge service gaps.
• Traffic Signal Improvement project: All but 15 of the City's 70+ traffic signals have now been retrofitted with new controllers. The 15 remaining traffic signals are primarily the outlying stand-alone intersections. As a result, with the new controllers and other related improvements, the traffic signals along Gravelly Drive from 112th Street to Bridgeport Way have been coordinated for smoother PM traffic flow. Similarly (except for the queue associated with the construction work on Bridgeport Way between Steilacoom Blvd and 83rd Street), Bridgeport Way traffic signals from I-5 to the signals in the Wal-Mart area are also coordinated for the smoother PM peak traffic flow.
• Bridgeport Way - Steilacoom Blvd to 83rd - Lane Reduction: Bridgeport Way --between Steilacoom Blvd and 83rd-- will be reduced to one lane in each direction to facilitate construction of new roadway improvements. Starting February 10th, vehicles will travel on the west half of Bridgeport Way for approximately two months. Once the east side of the roadway is completed, vehicles will be shifted to the east side in order to complete the west side of the roadway (starting mid-April). The roadway improvements include adding a continuous 2-way left turn lane; curb, gutter, and sidewalks; wider outside shared vehicle/bicycle lane (sharrow); street lights; storm drainage; and a new traffic signal at Bridgeport Way and 86th Street.
• Agencies conduct bar sweep: Lakewood Police, Lakewood Community Development (building and licensing), State Liquor Control Board and the Lakewood Fire Department joined together on February 5th to conduct a bar sweep on several local establishments between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. Some violations of liquor laws, city codes and building codes were identified, but nothing to cause a shutdown of any business. The sweep provides an opportunity to educate businesses on violations.Tillicum/
• Woodbrook Sanitary Sewer projects: Starting next week, February 14-18, the project contractor with Pierce County will be testing the generators at all three sewer pump stations associated with the project. These pump station are located at Boundary Street and Portland Avenue; Portland Avenue and Spruce Street and 146th Street and Spring Avenue. In addition to testing the generators, they will be run continuously over a 6-hour period for breaking purposes. Flyers will be handed out to residents adjacent to the pump stations, making them aware that the generators will be running. This will occur during business hours, and the noise level should be reasonable.
• Disabled Parking Enforcement Program: The Lakewood Police Department's Disabled Parking Enforcement Program (DPE) was reviewed in an article in the February issue of "The Senior Scene". Highlighted was DPE volunteer Bob Pack, but the news piece primarily focused on the program.
• Tyee Park After-School Program: The Tacoma/Pierce County Health Department (TPCHD) awarded a grant to Tyee Park Elementary to increase the amount of physical activity that students engage in each week, which has resulted in a new after- school program. Several community agencies are engaged to improve the health and fitness of our young people. Lakewood Parks, Recreation and Community Services is providing staffing, planning and implementation of the program; Clover Park School District is providing the facility, support and students; and the TPCHD and the Franciscan Health System are providing technical assistance. The program runs Monday and Tuesday of each week. A typical day includes a healthy snack, a warm-up activity utilizing the Wii, stretching, at least two games or activities, more stretching and journaling to keep track of their progress. This program is the result of partner organizations created through the Healthy Start Task Force of Lakewood's Promise.
• Apartment garbage issue improved: A garbage issue at a local apartment complex that had been a chronic problem for months has improved. Recently, their garbage service had been terminated for lack of payment, which resulted in large piles of garbage accumulating by the compactor. With coordination by Public Works and CSRT, the owner replaced the compactor with dumpsters with regularly scheduled service, and the oil spill was cleaned up.