The widening of a four-block section of Washington Street remained as controversial as at any time in its 50-year history at the fourth public forum on its design, held Thursday evening.

Most of the chairs set up in the former Hughes Junior High gym were filled as Bismarck residents got a clearer idea of what might become of Washington Street between Rosser and Avenue D in Bismarck's Cathedral Area Historic District.

Along with reconstruction of the 30-foot, two-lane section into a 40-foot, three-lane section, water and sewer lines will be improved and upgraded. While the street will be wider, it is designed to make it appear narrower to the driver to slow traffic as it comes from the wider section south of Rosser and down the hill from Boulevard to the north.

A number of aesthetic enhancements are also being proposed by design consultants Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson, Inc., and RDG. Total cost of the project, if built in 2008, will be between $2.8 million and $3 million. A breakdown shows utility improvement costs at $330,000, $1.8 to reconstruct the section with eight inches of concrete and $650,000 to $850,000 for such design elements as 12 piers, 20 pedestrian-level lights, textured and colored pavement and crosswalks, and special signage.

The piers - eight main piers eight feet tall at each entrance to the historic district and four smaller 36-inch piers - would carry 12 stories about the historic district. There are also plans to develop an open space just south of Hughes to act as a community gathering area.

City engineer Mel Bullinger outlined possible funding sources, including the $300,000 from the city's utility fund and $2 million from city sales tax.

"That still would leave us about a half-million short," Bullinger said. "How that would be paid would be a city commission decision."

One possibility could be the creation of a special assessment district. Some of the forum's participants said that the "decorations" should be the responsibility of the neighborhood and specially assessed.

Computer traffic models show that a three-lane section, with center turn lane, and signal lights at Avenue C will improve traffic flow, moving a greater volume of traffic through the four blocks at a greater rate of time, according to KLJ traffic engineer Bob Shannon.

Harley Swenson and other forum participants disputed that the improvement was good enough, coming just short of demanding the question of number of lanes be put to a vote of the people. Commissioner Connie Sprynczynatyk said that the issue could be brought to a vote through petition, but defended the outcome of the design study and that the proposed three lanes not only improved traffic flow, but provided for much greater pedestrian safety. She also said the proposed project will provide adequate service for years to come.

About 14,000 vehicles a day travel through the four-block section. The signed traffic speed through the corridor is 25 mph; plans are to keep it at that speed.

Shannon said he has been in traffic design for over 20 years and that the construction of four through-lanes was a thing of the past.

"I could not recommend a four-lane without a center lane. Nowadays they build three lanes, five lanes, four-lane divided and six-lane divided," Shannon said. "With a two through-lane you have to have a turn lane, otherwise you have rear-end accidents, side-swipe accidents and high-speed speeders."

With schools in the neighborhood, pedestrian safety is important. A four-lane would greatly increase risk.

Sprynczynatyk said the big challenge all along has been to balance the competing interests of improved traffic flow while preserving the neighborhood's character and she believes that the proposed design meets both criteria more than adequately.

Bullinger said that the budget did account for 20 percent inflation if the construction takes place as originally suggested in 2008. But the city engineer added that, should the city commission request it, construction could take place in 2007, saving approximately 10 percent of the total project cost.

Final designs are expected to be provided the city commission in May, at which time commissioners will consider what action to take.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@;bismarcktribune.com.)