Hoping to draw fewer commuters and more destination traffic downtown, the city is in the process of taking control of Second and Third Avenues South back from the state Department of Transportation.

Currently, the two downtown streets comprise part of state Route 900, which connects Interstate 5 on the west with Interstate 90 in Issaquah. Because of that, decisions about the streets are made by state officials, not those in the city. And as two key components of the city’s downtown core traffic network, Renton is looking to take back that control in an attempt to make the city more walkable.

“Right now, we don’t view (the downtown) as particularly pedestrian-friendly,” Renton Public Works Administrator Gregg Zimmerman said. “Traffic’s going too fast and there’s too much of it and most of it is not destination traffic, but through traffic.

“That’s always working against the effort to make it pedestrian friendly and a destination spot,” he said.

Because of that, Zimmerman said traffic calming is a big piece of the administration’s plans downtown, as is an attempt to make sure the cars downtown are there for the downtown, instead if using it as a cut-through.

But that is not the state’s purpose on what is essentially their highway. The state, Zimmerman said, is invested in moving cars through that route, not getting them to stop downtown and shop.

“So we have conflicting agendas,” Zimmerman said.

One of the possibilities to slow things is to change the one-way streets to two-ways, as traffic tends to move slower on two-way streets, but the problem is that the city does not have control over those roads.

Because of that, Renton is looking into what is called a “turnback agreement” with WSDOT that would re-route SR900 around downtown and give control over Second and Third back to the city, which could then change the roadway’s status.

“This is one possible option we can use,” Mayor Denis Law said.

Law called the possibility of a turnback a “win-win for us” and said the use of downtown as a “commuter bypass” has been an issue for decades.

“They’re just passing and they’re going so fast they’re not paying attention to what’s there,” said Renton Chamber of Commerce CEO Vicky Baxter, adding that she is “thrilled at the prospect” of Third Avenue coming back under city control.

Baxter said slower destination traffic could help create the right atmosphere downtown to draw more shoppers and diners.

While it would mean more control over the roadways, it would also mean that the cost of maintenance and repairs of those roads would revert to the city, instead of staying with the state.

According to Zimmerman, WSDOT is “very interested” in the arrangement and a final decision on the issue could come by November with an effective date of early next year.

“This segment of 900 … operates more as a city street as part of the city grid,” said WSDOT King Area Traffic Engineer Rob Brown, calling the turnback “mutually beneficial.”

Zimmerman said if the agreement currently under consideration is approved, the new SR900 would come into Renton from the west at the same spot, but make a right turn and head south down Rainier Avenue South, also known as state Route 167, make its way to I-405 and then resume on surface streets at Exit 5, heading up the hill and out to Issaquah on Sunset, as it does today.

All of the surface streets that currently comprise the path of SR900 would revert to the city.

In addition, WSDOT wants to also turn over to the city the portion of SR515 – which comes down Benson and then Talbot into Renton – that runs north of I-405 and through city streets.

If that arrangement is approved, the city would become responsible for all of the maintenance of those streets, with the exception of the Bronson Bridge over the Cedar River, which WSDOT would continue to maintain.

“We’re taking on some expense, we know that,” Zimmerman said.

However, Zimmerman said part of the discussions with the state are in regard to $2 million in maintenance planned for the roads in the next few years. Under current negotiations, that money designated for Renton would still come this way, even if the roads are turned back over to the city.

Reach Editor Brian Beckley at 425-255-3484, ext. 5050.