The Pullman City Council approved a bid for a pathway project on Terre View and Crestview at their meeting on Tuesday.

The project will oversee the construction of 12-foot wide, multi-use asphalt paths along both the streets of Terre View and Crestview, designed to improve upon or replace pre-existing pathways. The project will also oversee the implementation of new concrete curbs and gutters, as well as sidewalks, along the designated paths.

A new retaining wall will be established along the designated path on Terre View, and new roadway asphalt will be laid on Crestview. The project was bid on by Motley-Motley Inc. as well as Granite Construction Company. Motley-Motley gave the lowest bid at $1.2 million, a $300,000 difference from the engineer’s initial cost estimate.

The resolution to accept the Motley-Motley Inc. bid was unanimously approved by the members of the City Council, which will award the company a contract for the construction project. The cost difference was attributed to underestimated costs on mobilization and landscape and restoration costs, as well as an estimated $140,000 cost for pedestrian railings.

The project timeline is set to begin in the summer, with construction on Crestview starting in mid-June and ending around late August while the Pullman School District is out of session. Construction on the Terre View path is still to be determined by the contractor, and an allowed timeframe spans from May to late October.

The 2023 Annual Fiscal Update was presented at the city council meeting by Jeff Elbracht, Pullman finance and administrative services director. The full update showcased budget revenues for various areas of city function, including Pullman’s general fund, Pullman law enforcement and fire and ambulance services.

An overview presentation shown by Elbracht showcased generally strong revenues in 2023, an increase in costs and expenditures post-COVID, inflation impacts on the budget that will need continued monitoring and large cash outlays that Pullman will soon be able to utilize.

City council members also raised concern based on Elbracht’s presentation regarding the 2023 fiscal expenditures on fire and ambulance services, as well as law enforcement.

Council members suggested a potential future budget reconfiguration or recollection of funds as current need for emergency services is exceeding budgeted costs.

Finding additional revenue sources for street funding was also suggested by council members, as street infrastructure has the lowest amount of allocated funding, and streets are not up to par.

The city council also overheard citizen comments regarding the downtown Pullman project and Pine Street Plaza. Lisa Carloye, a Pullman resident involved with the Pullman Civic Trust, asked the council to make the extension cost time-neutral, as the trust is offering to pay for additional costs above what is already required by the project.

Carloye said the council should consider getting more detailed information regarding factors that might slow the project down, and options to mitigate these factors. Based on current building plans, the sidewalk area will include eight isolated patches of clay brick with either concrete or pavers in between.

“Pine Street Plaza is near and dear to the hearts of Pullman Civic Trust because we were instrumental in the creation of the plaza and in designing the look and the feel of the space,” Carloye said. “We are requesting council revisit comment eight on the Welch Comer recommend don’t recommend list that you talked about last council meeting and to continue extending the paver design to the edge of the bike lane or, our preferred option, all the way to the new curb to preserve the flow or the ambiance.”

Given the detail work involved in laying the brick sections, it’s possible that continuing the circular P paver pattern could be more time-efficient, and could potentially offset factors that would slow the project down, she said. The council should ask Welch Comer for more detailed information regarding how extending the circular pavers will impact the downtown Project timeline.