Encouraged by safety concerns, the City of Montesano is considering changes to Marcy Avenue, a narrow downtown street, making it one way, with diagonal parking along one side.

The City Council received a request to do something about safety after an accident at Third Street and Marcy Avenue, where a parked vehicle was struck by a vehicle backing out of a business. At the council’s meeting Jan. 28, officials discussed possible variations to traffic to make the intersection and others along Marcy safer.

Public Works Director Mike Olden gave a presentation describing how Marcy Avenue, which is the street in front of The Vidette, could become one-way westbound from Main Street to Third Street with diagonal parking on the south side.

The work would require a narrowing of sidewalks along the stretch but would add parking spots and, the city believes, improve pedestrian safety. Shortening the sidewalks could cause some problems with roots of Fleet Park trees; however, how much damage it might cause has not been determined.

Olden also mentioned near-misses of pedestrians by vehicles turning right from Marcy onto Main Street. The change to one-way would eliminate right turns onto Main, possibly making that intersection safer for pedestrians.

Other Monte council news

Easements: The council is considering an ordinance that terminates an easement established by a previous ordinance.

The city installed a sewer line about parallel to and south of Broadway. That sewer line is no longer in use. The landowner of a property on the southeast corner of Broadway and Sylvia needs to have the city’s easement, or ownership claim to the land, undone so the property can be developed.

The council seemed receptive to granting the request; however, the easement for a sewer line goes under multiple properties and will require some additional work and research by the city.

Public Works Director Mike Olden said the owner who requested the easement be terminated is considering constructing “a couple of buildings” on the lot.

Samuel said that the city would notify all landowners affected by the change.

Police computers: Police Chief Brett Vance notified the council that it seems his department will not need a new patrol car this year. Each year, the council includes funds in its annual budget to replace vehicles as they age.

“Our mobile data terminals, our computers in our cars, we’re starting to have a few problems with them,” Vance said.

He hopes to “shift” the department’s purchases from a new car to new computers. He said the purchase of eight new computers, one for each vehicle, will cost significantly less than the about $45,000 budgeted for a patrol car. He expects the purchase to occur in May. He hoped the city wouldn’t be surprised when it got the bill.