Edmonds Parks and Public Works Committee Meeting – February 18, 2026

The Parks and Public Works (PPW) Committee of the Edmonds City Council met on February 18, 2026, at 3:00 PM (agenda date February 17, 2026; per meeting instruction, the official date is February 18, 2026). Chair Vivian Olson presided, joined by Councilmember Chris Eck and city staff. The committee heard first‑reading presentations on three items: a Community Transit contract for the Highway 99 Revitalization Project, a professional services agreement for the Water Comprehensive Plan update, and options for the wayside horn at the Dayton Street railroad crossing.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public provided testimony during this meeting.

Discussion Items

• Community Transit Contract (Hwy 99 Revitalization Stage 3) – City Engineer Bertrand presented the first reading. The project includes a five‑foot planner strip, bike lane, sidewalk, and reduced SWIFT platform widths (from 16‑ft to 12‑ft‑8‑in) at the 238th Street stations. Existing QCT‑installed platforms will be modified; a new contract with OTAC (architectural sub‑consultant) is being negotiated with Community Transit. Total cost is still under negotiation. Staff confirmed grant funding will cover all costs. Councilmember Eck raised minor scheduling concerns (final design start in March 2026) and noted a discrepancy in the agenda memo regarding platform width. Staff agreed to revise the memo before it goes to full council. The committee supports sending this item to the full council consent agenda.

• Professional Services Agreement – Water Comprehensive Plan Update – City Engineer Mike Dalila presented the first reading. The plan is required every ten years by the Growth Management Act and Washington Department of Health. After a request for qualifications, only one qualified firm (UMSour, formerly Murray Smith & Associates) submitted a complete proposal; they have prepared the city’s last two water plans. The contract uses a blended rate for multi‑year work to minimize future supplements. Staff will include the schedule of hourly rates in the next submittal. The committee unanimously supports forwarding this item to the full council consent agenda.

• Options for Wayside Horn at Dayton Street Railroad Crossing – Transportation Engineer Bertrand presented four options: (1) replace the failing QCT system with a Rio Grande system ($55,000); (2) remove the Dayton Street wayside horn only; (3) remove both the Dayton Street and Main Street wayside horns; or (4) continue responding to service failures (average $4,000/year in staff time, with 125 after‑hours calls since installation). The existing Main Street system is fully functional, but the Dayton Street system fails frequently (20‑25 times per year), mostly during heavy rain. The original manufacturer is out of business. Councilmember Eck and Councilmember Payne discussed funding options, including a Local Improvement District (LID). Staff indicated no safety preference; any funding would likely come from the general fund. The committee agreed to remove option 3 (remove both horns) from consideration, as it would eliminate a fully operating system. The remaining options will be presented to the full council with the recommendation that the LID discussion be included but without a specific staff preference.

Key Outcomes

• Community Transit Contract and Water Comprehensive Plan PSA – Both items will be placed on the full council consent agenda after agenda memoranda are revised (platform width for Hwy 99; hourly rates for the water plan).
• Wayside Horn Options – The committee voted to remove option 3 (remove both wayside horns) from the list of alternatives. The remaining three options will be forwarded to the full council for a decision within the next month. Staff will provide additional details on annual maintenance costs and the feasibility of a Local Improvement District.
• Staffing Update – At Councilmember Eck’s request, the committee agreed to receive a staffing update at each future PPW meeting, including the status of open positions and any risk of losing grant funding due to understaffing.