Pedestrians will have a much smoother walk by next fall along 132nd Avenue Southeast in Kent.

The city of Kent recently received a $473,784 state grant to help pay for the estimated $1.2 million project to install sidewalks and paved paths along the west side of the street between Southeast 248th Street and Kent Kangley Road, also known as Southeast 272nd Street.

There are a lot of missing sidewalk or paved path sections along the stretch of road from popular destinations such as the Wilson Playfields near Southeast 248th Street to The Marketplace at Lake Meridian near Kent Kangley Road.

“There is a lot of housing and people trying to get to the playfields or the park and ride lot or the shopping center,” said Drew Holcomb, city engineer in charge of the project, in a report on Jan. 9 to the City Council’s Public Works Committee.

Kent received the grant from the state Transportation Improvement Board. The city wants to eventually expand the sidewalks to the southern city limits at Southeast 282nd Street. The city will use a one-time allocation from the council and developer mitigation costs to help pay for the sidewalks and paths.

Kent would like to expand 132nd Avenue Southeast to a five-lane road with new sidewalks, lights, bicycle lanes, curbs and gutters but that work would cost an estimated $50 million. City staff hasn’t identified a funding source for the large-scale project and getting such funds is unlikely for the foreseeable future, according to city documents.

City Public Works Director Tim LaPorte said he expects the pedestrian improvements to 132nd Avenue Southeast to be done by the fall.

Crews will add a flashing beacon at a crosswalk near Southeast 253rd Street to help people get to Wilson Playfields. Pedestrians will be able to push a button to get a flashing light to alert drivers that people want to cross the street.