Design moves forward for future Martin Street parklet in downtown Blaine

Blaine City Council has given the greenlight to the planning department to move forward on design plans for the Martin Street parklet, which would close vehicle access between the Railway Café and Chada Thai.

Blaine council approved work to continue on the Martin Street parklet, part of the city’s downtown revitalization project that Cascade Engineering Group is designing, in a 6-0 vote with councilmember Eric Davidson absent during its February 12 meeting.

“Public property has been used for that private access,” city manager Mike Harmon told councilmembers during the meeting. “We’re at the point where we have a concept drawing and we’re asking council, ‘Do you want to put a park there and limit access to those two businesses?’”

The city owns property between Railway Café and Chada Thai that is used unofficially for vehicle traffic to the private businesses and has a small grassy area with two picnic tables. Under drawings for the Martin Street parklet, the roadway between the businesses would be turned into a small park with a timber stacks play area, lawn, pavement area, seating and picnic tables. The park would close vehicle access south of Railway Café and north of Chada Thai.

Railway Café does not own the gravel lot next to its restaurant and would need to receive parking access from the property owner, Harmon said. Parking is available in front of the business on Peace Portal Drive.

The city is also considering changing parking near the Martin Street parklet from parallel to back-in angle, which would allow for more spaces. Harmon said the Washington state Department of Transportation prefers that the first movement from a vehicle is forward.

“Imagine heading south on Peace Portal Drive, moving past this space and backing into it, doing your shopping or your eating, and then your first movement is forward, out into the traffic,” Harmon said. “That’s what makes it safe.”

In order to create back-in angle parking, the city would need to work with the Washington state Department of Transportation to move a bike trail that runs near the area from the western to eastern side of Peace Portal Drive. Public works director Harpiar Gandhi said after the council meeting that city staff is looking at design feasibility of moving the bike trail and, once that is finished, could say how much of the bike trail would be impacted.

The city has about $170,000 set aside for the Martin Street parklet. City staff hope to  solicit bids within the next couple of months, with construction ending spring 2025.

The city’s parks board recommended the current design, and city staff supports that recommendation, Harmon told
councilmembers.

“We wanted to come back and show you the reality of closing the public space to those two private businesses,” Harmon said.

The Martin Street parklet and other projects within the downtown revitalization project will be presented during an open house on the downtown revitalization project at 4-5:45 p.m. Monday, February 26 in council chambers, 435 Martin Street, suite 4000.