City Council to Explore New Donkey Creek Daylighting Option

The once again put off a decision on the roadway considerations for the Donkey Creek Daylighting project at .

The decision came after Wade Perrow of presented an eleventh-hour alternative that appeared to hold out new hope for achieving more of the original goals of the project.

Perrow's proposal centers on fully daylighting Donkey Creek by building a traffic bridge over an open culvert on North Harborview Drive. A pedestrian pathway connecting the estuary and park could be created under the bridge.

North Harborview between the park and the would become one-way as would Austin Street, easing traffic flow at the intersection of North Harborview and Harborview Drive.

In addition, the alternative would preserve the ability to make Austin a two-way street leading to a roundabout at another point in the future. 

Perrow suggested that the bridge could be constructed more cheaply than what had earlier been proposed to the city by its consultant. 

The proposal appeared to have a potentially unifying impact on a council that has been deeply divided between pursuing a plan that met the project's budget and approving a costlier one that could achieve more of the project's stated environmental, traffic and other goals. 

"If we are on the wrong road, there's no use continuing down that road," said Mayor Chuck Hunter in recommending that the city pursue Perrow's proposal further.

Check back for full coverage of this developing story.