Cashmere’s six-year transportation plan includes Aplets Way, Evergreen Road improvements

CASHMERE — Road repairs, sidewalks, bike lanes and pedestrian crossings are among the projects Cashmere officials hope to pursue over the next several years under a transportation plan adopted Oct. 26.

The City Council approved the 2027-2032 transportation improvement program following a public hearing that included questions about traffic near Martin’s Market Place and the coordination of road work with underground utility repairs.

The plan is updated annually and identifies projects the city may pursue as funding becomes available. Several of the larger projects depend on grants, and inclusion in the plan does not guarantee construction.

Among the nearer-term projects is pavement preservation on Aplets Way, where the city plans to repair failing portions of the roadway and repave it. The plan lists the work for 2027 at an estimated cost of $250,000 in city funds.

The city also has identified a roughly $4.16 million project on Evergreen Road that would add curb, gutter, sidewalk and lighting on the east side of the road, along with two bike lanes, drainage improvements and a new road surface. The plan lists design work in 2027 and construction in 2028, contingent on grant funding.

A separate project on Tigner Road would add an east-side sidewalk and two bike lanes, improve drainage and lighting, and resurface the roadway. The estimated $933,500 project is listed for construction in 2029 and also depends on a grant.

Later projects include repairs and resurfacing on Fisher Street, where the plan calls for addressing settling above a water line. That work is estimated at $230,000 and listed for construction in 2030.

The plan also includes an estimated $750,000 in pedestrian improvements at the Maple Street railroad crossing, including sidewalks and crossing barricades. Construction is listed for 2031, contingent on grant funding.

Other items on the list include annual pavement and sidewalk maintenance, future sidewalk connections toward parks and schools, and improvements to the East Cashmere entrance from U.S. Highway 2/97. The entrance project is listed at $5 million, with no construction date identified.

During the public hearing, resident Donna Jean Brady suggested changes near Martin’s Market Place to make it easier for vehicles entering Cashmere from the highway to turn left into the store without holding up other traffic.

Director of Operations Steve Croci said the idea would likely require coordination with the Washington State Department of Transportation. The suggestion was raised for consideration; it was not included as an approved construction project.

Cashmere resident Bill Donald asked the city to consider the age of underground pipes before repaving roads, so newly finished streets would not have to be torn up soon afterward.

Croci said the city generally coordinates its road plans with water and sewer projects. He pointed to Vine Street, where the city has held off on road work because water and sewer lines need to be replaced.

The transportation plan is intended to guide future work and help the city pursue funding. Its schedule and project estimates can change as projects are designed and funding becomes available.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media