The City of Woodland is moving ahead on the next step to improve the city’s southern interchange with Interstate 5, as the council approved a firm for engineering services that already has familiarity with the overall project.
During its Aug. 7 meeting, Woodland City Council unanimously approved hiring Kittelson and Associates for professional engineering services on the I-5 Exit 21 project. The firm will handle design and assistance of construction management for the project, which has been years in the making.
Congestion during peak times leaves the northbound off-ramp backed up clear to the interstate proper. In 2019, the Woodland City Council voted to approve Kittelson for the planning portion of the process.
During that stage, the firm brought forth two approaches to fixing the interchange — one using roundabouts and one using traffic signals. The City Council previously voted on a preference for traffic signals in late 2020, although at the time, councilors questioned whether the Washington State Department of Transportation would override the city’s choice.
The project’s next phase will have the firm advancing both roundabout and traffic signal concepts through design processes with WSDOT, according to Kittelson’s project proposal. The firm will then put the final plan into documents ready to bid out for construction and will also provide support during the construction itself.
Kittelson’s timeline has permitting and public engagement beginning soon after the council’s approval, with a completed project going out to bid and construction beginning in mid-2026, according to the firm’s proposal.
The firm anticipated completion of the project by the end of 2027 in their proposal.
The city will put $1 million toward the next phase of the Exit 21 project, according to a staff report. Paying for the $1 million price tag is some of the $2.6 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding Cowlitz County has earmarked for the Exit 21 project, Woodland Mayor Will Finn noted.
At this phase in the project, Kittelson does not have a total cost for completed construction. The city, with help from WSDOT, Clark and Cowlitz counties, the Port of Woodland and the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments, will be seeking a federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant for funds, the staff report stated.
It will be Kittelson’s job to secure grants at both state and federal levels including the RAISE grant, the staff report stated. In its proposal, the firm noted several recent grant successes nationwide, with funding as much as $25 million through a RAISE grant awarded this year.
Councilor Aaron Alderman said Kittelson’s familiarity with the project so far made them an obvious hire for the Exit 21 improvements in the construction phase.
“I think it only makes sense, as they have knowledge of the whole project, that we go ahead and stay with them,” Alderman said.
Councilor Carol Rounds noted it has been a long time coming to get to the point where the city is looking at a final design for the project.
“It’s just nice that something is falling into place at Exit 21,” Rounds said.
Councilor Terry Hall recalled that during his time on Kelso City Council, Kittelson provided services for that city’s replacement of the Allen Street Bridge.
“It’s a good firm,” he said.
