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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: June 22, 2020 <br />TOPIC: Baker Road Construction Traffic <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direct Temporary Road Closure <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Mark R. Cook <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Direct staff temporarily close Baker Road to Suncadia construction traffic. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• Suncadia construction traffic is using Baker Road as primary access. <br />• Evergreen Valley residents are aggravated over the traffic. <br />• Suncadia maintains a locked access at Highway 903. <br />• Suncadia has consistently stated concern over access to the resort via <br />Baker Road as being problematic for the resort. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />For the past several years, Suncadia construction traffic has used Baker Road supporting <br />significant Suncadia construction. This access avoids having to traverse the development <br />from the main entrance on Bullfrog Road. Numerous attempts to get the locked gate <br />open at Highway 903 have failed. Increasing frustration on the part of Evergreen Valley <br />residents may likely end up with a law enforcement response at some point if left <br />unmanaged. Last year, Public Works (PW) placed jersey barriers in the roadway <br />thwarting construction access. This action was taken without Board coordination and <br />was removed a short time later. <br />DISCUSSION: <br />Suncadia has attempted on several occasions to engage PW on vacating Winston Creek <br />Road. This roadway is the old access road over Cle Elum River and remains in public <br />ownership. PW has reached out to Suncadia requesting that construction traffic be <br />allowed to utilize Swiftwater Drive at Highway 903 without success. Closing Baker <br />Road to construction traffic is expected to result in complaints from the construction <br />industry. Access will shift to the main entrance of the resort on Bullfrog Road. PW <br />proposes placing barriers in a manner allowing recreational access to Winston Creek <br />Road while thwarting use of the road by construction vehicles. In a recent communication <br />from Mr. Steve Lathrop (representing Suncadia interest in the matter), he states that <br />Suncadia has no objection to and supports the temporary closure of Baker Road to all <br />Page 1 of 4 <br />PUBLIC WORKS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />