Crews will start work in July in Kent to replace deteriorated asphalt pavement with concrete along a portion of East James Street.

Crews will put 8 inches of concrete down along James Street between Central Avenue North and Clark/Jason Avenue North. The City Council awarded the low bid on June 5 to Kiewit Infrastructure West, of Federal Way, for $1.89 million. Money from the city’s business and occupation tax will pay for the work.

”Concrete takes longer to put down, but it will last all of our lifetimes,” Public Works Director Tim LaPorte said to the council. “It will last at least 50 years. If you look at pavement on I-5, that was put down in 1961 or 1962 and it’s still mostly there. It’s a very superior product to use when you have a high water table.”

That high water table and a clogged-up Mill Creek causes flooding on James Street during rainstorms. A new pump station helped reduce flooding but until the city dredges Mill Creek water will reach the street, LaPorte said.

City staff looked at doing part of the section of James Street in asphalt but the council asked for it all to be concrete, which added about $100,000 to the project.

Crews will replace some of the existing pedestrian curbs and new ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant pedestrian push buttons will be installed at the east corners of the intersection. City staff expects the work to be completed in September.

Two years ago crews installed new asphalt overlay on the upper part of the James Street hill.

132nd Avenue walking path

The council also approved a bid of $511, 616 to Axum General Construction, of Maple Valley, to build a walkway along the west side of 132nd Avenue Southeast between Southeast 240th Street and Southeast 248th Street.

Kent installed a new pedestrian pathway last year between Southeast 248tht Street and Kent Kangley Road. A state Transportation Improvement Board grant will help pay for the project.

“It’s not a great place to walk in the present, so this basically adds a walking path,” LaPorte said.