The city council has approved the contract with Active Construction Inc. to begin the first phase of the Johnson Parkway project, which could begin as early as September 2020 or as late as March 2021.

Active Construction will be tasked with creating a roundabout at the intersection of Johnson Road NE and State Route 305, a non-motorized tunel crossing for pedestrians and bicyclists, upgraded transit stops near the traffic circle and new rectangular flashing beacons.

A 14-foot wide shared use path will be built alongside the new Johnson Parkway, which will eventually extend from Lemolo Shore Drive to the intersection of Storhoff and Noll Road; there will also be a replacement of the fish barrier on Bjorgen Creek with a 14-foot wide fish-friendly culvert, which will improve fish passage for a variety of species.

Johnson Parkway will extend the road north of State Route 305, now known as Johnson Road NE and weave through property acquired by the city over the course of a number of years before connecting with Storhoff Road NE.

Active Construction provided the lowest bid out of the nine received by the city at $15,323,323. Bids were opened on May 22.

The city provided potential contractors with a flexibile start date during the bidding process due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Outdoor projects tend to have an easier time dealing with state restrictions and guidelines. Whenever construction starts, two lanes of traffic will be maintained at all times, but motorists should still expect some delays and periods of flagged traffic control.

“It was a very competitive bidding climate,” said city engineer Diane Lenius.

Once all three phases are complete, SR-305 will be connected to Lincoln Road at the north end of the city via one contiguous roadway.