Battle Ground city officials describe it as a historic year for roadway and pedestrian infrastructure improvements, with multiple major projects either under construction, nearing completion or preparing to move forward during the late summer construction season.
“This is the first time I've seen this significant of an investment made by the city council for road construction,” said city Communications Manager Alisha Smith, who has worked for Battle Ground for 20 years. “And that's a direct response to what we've heard from the community and our own assessments with the pavement index and making sure that we're taking care of that infrastructure, because that's what connects us all.”
City Engineer Ryan Jeynes said the city’s 2026 Street Preservation Reconstruction Project, which includes work on Northwest 20th Avenue, Southwest 20th Avenue, Northeast Grace Avenue and a section of Scotton Way, represents the largest project the city has undertaken in terms of both cost and the amount of roadway covered.
“In terms of overall lane mileage and then overall cost … (this is) the largest project the city has ever done, both monetarily and size-wise for the lane miles,” Jeynes said.
The combined work encompasses roughly 3.5 miles of roadway on main collectors around the city.
The scale of the projects has also meant significant short-term disruptions for drivers and pedestrians.
On Northeast Grace Avenue, construction was delayed after crews discovered that an existing waterline did not sit where city utility maps indicated it was. The engineering team developed a new connection plan Aug. 10, allowing the contractor to proceed with the waterline work before paving.
Paving is currently forecast to begin Aug. 31, with inspections and other work expected to be completed around Sept. 18. Depending on the construction and inspection schedule, the road could potentially see a partial reopening before all work is finalized.
Jeynes said completing underground utility work before paving is important because failures after a road is paved can require crews to remove the new pavement, causing further delays.
“Everything has to be sound underneath the ground, because if there's a problem, then all that pavement has to be torn up,” he said.
Northwest 20th Avenue, meanwhile, is receiving a major reconstruction after years of deteriorating pavement. The project will largely preserve the existing roadway configuration while replacing aging pavement and bringing older ADA ramps into compliance — standard with most roadway projects in Battle Ground.
A collapsed culvert discovered beneath 20th Avenue has added another complication. The city is working through permitting requirements with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife because water passes through the culvert.
Smith said the city currently anticipates paving on Northwest 20th beginning Sept. 17, with completion expected around Sept. 30. The culvert work will need to be completed and inspected before paving can proceed.
The city also plans to communicate with the Battle Ground Public Schools District and bus transportation providers as the construction schedule overlaps with the start of the school year at Daybreak Middle School.
“We absolutely understand Daybreak school. And school starts on September 1,” Smith said. “So we're going to be reaching out to the school district, and also the bus system.”
The city plans to provide alternate-route information to families in the area, particularly those affected by the closure during school drop-off and pickup.
While Northwest 20th is being reconstructed, the city is also preparing for a separate project at the intersection of Northwest 20th Avenue and Ninth Street, Jeynes said. The project will install a compact roundabout, new ADA ramps, street lighting and rapid rectangular flashing beacons, or RRFBs, to improve pedestrian crossings.
The roundabout project is in its final design stages with the Washington State Department of Transportation. Jeynes estimated the project could go out to bid within the next 30 days, pending final approval.
“That project will have its own webpage,” Smith said. “We'll make sure we do notice things specifically to that project.”
Another pedestrian-focused project is already showing results. Construction of the pathway along Southwest 20th Avenue has been completed, with hydroseeding underway soon. The pathway is usable, although the city has been hesitant to make a formal opening announcement while additional street preservation work continues on Southwest 20th Avenue.
Work on Southwest 20th is anticipated to begin Sept. 21, with paving expected Oct. 29 and project completion targeted for Nov. 13.
Scotton Way is also receiving improvements between state Route 503 and Parkway Avenue, including new ADA ramps and transitions. The ramp and slope work was completed Aug. 10. Additional excavation and paving work is scheduled to begin later this fall, with completion anticipated around Nov. 25.
Other projects are moving toward construction as well, Smith and Jeynes highlighted.
The city expects to put improvements at West 15th Avenue and West Main Street out to bid later this year. The project will add a second southbound-to-eastbound left-turn lane, expanding turn capacity at the intersection heavily trafficked for the shopping center anchored by Fred Meyer.
An improvement project at Parkway Avenue and Main Street is also progressing, with procurement underway for traffic signals and other materials. The intersection will receive new signal equipment, ADA ramps and other upgrades and will be slightly expanded through right-of-way acquisitions, though the layout of the intersection will remain roughly the same, Smith and Jeynes said.
The city is also advancing plans for a roundabout at the intersection of state Route 503 and Onsdorf Road. The project remains in the design phase, currently around 30% to 50% complete, according to Jeynes. The city hopes to hold a public open house once the design reaches roughly 60%.
Smith said the proposed roundabout is expected to include landscaping, trees and potentially public art in its center.
“We do not anticipate anything like that for ours,” Smith said, referring to criticism of the flat center of the Rock Creek roundabout north of Battle Ground on state Route 503. “It will be a bona fide roundabout with a very visible center.”
The city’s extensive construction season is not expected to be a one-year phenomenon. Jeynes said additional roadway work will continue in future years, although projects are expected to become more localized rather than widespread pain for area drivers and pedestrians.
For now, city officials acknowledge that the concentration of construction has created challenges for residents, businesses and commuters.
“Summer season is construction season in Washington,” Jeynes said.
Smith said the city is looking forward to seeing the benefits once the work is complete.
“It's a lot of work, but like you said already, it's that, you know, that work on the front end is going to be something we'll all enjoy on the back end,” she said. “So we are definitely looking forward to the road construction season concluding, but even more so to driving down the road.”
