It should be safer for pedestrians to cross Kent-Kangley Road next year under improvements planned by the city and state.

Kent received a $416,000 grant from the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to help fund an estimated $850,000 project to add one crosswalk and upgrade other crossings between 104th Avenue Southeast and 124th Avenue Southeast.

“Lots of people walk up and down that corridor,” said city design engineer Kelly Casteel during a presentation about the proposal to the City Council’s Public Works Committee on Dec. 7. “There are several multifamily units and people rely on public transportation. This is a high pedestrian use area with a higher than average number of accidents.”

Public Works staff recommended using about $440,000 from city business and occupation (B&O) taxes to fund the remainder of the project. Committee members quickly shot down that idea but promised to find another way to pay for the work.

“I am uncomfortable with using B&O funds,” Council President Dana Ralph said. “It’s an important project or we would not have received a grant of this size if there were not value to improving the safety up there. I struggle that it fits the definition of what we put the B&O funds in place for. I am hopeful to have additional conversation figuring out where to fill that gap.”

The council has continued to clash with the Kent Chamber of Commerce about how B&O funds are used. Chamber members say they signed off on the council adopting the tax in 2012 with the plan that all funds would go to arterial street repairs, such as repaving roads and not for pedestrian projects.

“I will work with you to come up with a way to fund the project,” Councilman Dennis Higgins said to Public Works Director Tim LaPorte. “I disagree with the staff recommendation to use B&O funds. I am confident we can find another way to do it.”

The committee expects to have a new funding option when it votes on the project at its Jan. 4 meeting. If approved, the project will go to the full council for a vote on Jan. 5. Work on the pedestrian improvements are expected to start in the spring.

“I think this is a very important project and I don’t like the idea of not proceeding with it,” Higgins said. “I am going to work very hard to find a way to make it happen. There is a problem we have along that road. There is a community of people that deserve to be safe along that road.”

A new crosswalk would be installed at about 106th Avenue Southeast. The crossing will include median refuge islands and flashing beacons. Many people illegally cross the road daily in that area, Casteel said.

Changes to existing crosswalks at five intersections will include restriping, upgrades to curb ramps to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, countdown displays and new push buttons that meet ADA standards.

The grant also includes funds for education and enforcement about vehicle and pedestrian laws.

Councilwoman Brenda Fincher supports the improvements.

“There are a lot of apartments in that area and with a school (Kent Phoenix Academy) there and lots of businesses, there is traffic at all hours of the day and night,” Fincher said. “I am willing to work with the council to come up with a (funding) solution.”