Some local officials started compiling a wish list back in November. Others were still getting theirs in order last week.
But by now, just about every government in Pierce County – from Fircrest to Fife, from Puyallup to Pierce Transit – has a list of projects it would like to see funded through a federal stimulus plan likely to top $800 billion.
As the U.S. Senate prepares to vote on its version of the bill and work toward agreement with the House, it’s clear not all local projects will make the cut.
Of the $800 million-plus that state officials predict the federal plan could give Washington for local infrastructure spending, Pierce County governments would like to claim all of it, and more.
Requests from Pierce County jurisdictions alone top $900 million, according to project lists. (An additional $49 million in requests is coming out of Federal Way.)
Local officials say they’re not expecting to see all their wishes come true. They’re just trying to make the most of the federal money.
Each city has a different strategy to do that.
Some, including Lakewood, are shooting for the moon just to see what the answer will be. As one city official says: “We’ll see what sticks to the wall.”
Lakewood has sent Gov. Chris Gregoire’s office a list of 37 projects it would like considered for stimulus funding, including a request for $1.7 million to remodel a historic barn at Fort Steilacoom Park.
Others, such as Tacoma and a few smaller Pierce County cities, drew up a shorter list of road and infrastructure projects they think have the best chance to win money.
For Tacoma, that means $143 million for street and sidewalk improvements throughout the city, $120 million to replace the ailing Puyallup River Bridge, and $13 million to fix the Murray Morgan and Hylebos bridges.
Meanwhile, municipalities such as Bonney Lake, Eatonville and University Place want money to revamp their town centers.
Eatonville Mayor Tom Smallwood said his town’s request for $2 million to reconstruct the main drag would significantly boost business downtown. The town also is asking for $960,000 to go toward a plaza – a small park with restrooms, a grassy area and a tower with a view of Mount Rainier.
Town officials say they’d like to complete the plaza in time for Eatonville’s centennial celebration in October.
Another important goal is job creation, which is how they interpreted the intent of the stimulus plan.
“If we could create this town center and redo Mashell Avenue, we would actually create new jobs that wouldn’t have been there before, because we weren’t going to do these projects,” Smallwood said.
‘VERY INFLEXIBLE’
But ideas like the town plaza might be less likely to get stimulus funding under the proposals now moving through Congress, said Dick Thompson, a special assistant to Gregoire who’s coordinating the state’s role in the federal stimulus plan.
Both the plan passed by the House Jan. 28 and the bill now before the Senate focus on local sewer, drinking water, road and school improvements, Thompson said.
That means projects such as the City Hall portion of the University Place Town Center and Lakewood’s barn remodel could be passed over.
“Right now there is no money coming in a category that could fund something like that,” Thompson said.
“This whole stimulus project is very inflexible and very transparent,” he added, contrasting it with Congress’ bailout of the U.S. financial system in October.
As of today, it looks like only about $25 billion of the massive stimulus package will be distributed to states to spend on “critical needs,” Thompson said.
Members of Congress have taken some steps to define what they’ll pay for.
“No funding provided in this bill may be used to fund casinos, gaming institutions, aquariums, zoos, golf courses or swimming pools,” a House version of the bill states.
Other strings that might be attached to the money are still unknown.
Not so with the roughly $1 billion in infrastructure funding that Washington state expects to award local governments, Thompson said.
BIG ROLE FOR PLANNING COUNCILS
As a whole, the Evergreen State expects to receive between $3.5 billion and $5 billion in stimulus money. A big chunk would go to the Medicaid program, as well as highways and other statewide ventures.
At least $1 billion of the total is targeted for more localized needs, mostly school construction and other community infrastructure projects.
The House version of the stimulus bill would invest about $315 million in K-12 and higher-education capital projects in Washington.
Governments around the state would fight over the remaining $834 million the House bill would set aside for transit, transportation, sewer and drinking water projects.
Pierce County jurisdictions alone are requesting $917 million for infrastructure needs.
Money for local drinking water improvements and sewer projects would most likely pass through the state department of Health or Ecology, Thompson said. Those departments would most likely have a competitive process for awarding the money, using the lists the cities have sent to the governor’s office.
Regional planning councils, including the Puget Sound Regional Council, would probably distribute a large part of the money for transportation.
Rick Olson, spokesman for the Puget Sound Regional Council, said that under the House version of the stimulus bill, his group would receive about $60 million in Federal Highway Administration funds to distribute to local agencies in Pierce, King, Snohomish and Kitsap counties. The regional council would also distribute roughly $120 million from the Federal Transit Administration.
That wouldn’t go far in funding the $3.8 billion list of transportation projects the regional council had compiled as of Jan. 20. The group hasn’t prioritized or ranked them yet, Olson said.
Instead, the council is asking cities and counties to scale back their requests and make priorities.
Olson said it was amazing how quickly governments were able to compile lists of ready-to-go transportation projects in preparation for the stimulus package.
“That speaks to the idea that there are a whole lot of identified local transportation needs in our region that are going unmet,” he said.
THEY WANT IT ALL IN LAKEWOOD
Lakewood is a prime example of a city that has unmet infrastructure needs, city officials say.
They put the ones they identified – 37 in all – on a list to be considered for stimulus funding, said David Bugher, the city’s community development director.
The city first developed a list of “shovel-ready” projects in November, when word started circulating that a stimulus plan might soon go through Congress. Officials also solicited ideas from the Clover Park School District, the Lakewood Fire District and the Lakewood Water District.
“We basically identified deficits in our capital budget, and picked out all the ones we thought could be done in one year,” Bugher said. “We’ll see what sticks to the wall.”
Most of Lakewood’s proposals focus on roads and sewers. Others – such as the historic barn remodel and public access improvements at two city parks – don’t fit neatly into the categories in the congressional package.
Unlike other jurisdictions, Lakewood is requesting enough money to fund each project in full.
Other cities asked for partial amounts on most projects.
“I don’t think we’ll get all of the money for everything,” Bugher said, “But it certainly doesn’t hurt to ask.”
Other governments have been adding items to their lists based on what they see as priorities in working drafts of the stimulus bill. As of Saturday, it was still a moving target.
‘WE JUST WANT TO BE AT THE TABLE’
Pierce County, which has a list of requests totaling $296 million, included a pitch for $1.15 million to fight a pandemic flu outbreak, a spending provision included in the House bill.
County officials are also ready in case the final bill includes money for nontraditional population education programs. The county listed $1.75 million for the Crystal Judson Family Justice Center as a top priority based on some ideas under discussion in Congress, said Denise Dyer, Pierce County’s economic development manager.
County officials finalized their list of priorities last week.
“We actually re-solicited project ideas from the department directors based on the pots of money we saw,” Dyer said. “Will all these things eventually fit? Absolutely not. Our whole thing is we just want to be at the table. We can only react to the latest information we have.”
SINGLE-MINDED FOCUS
From the beginning, Tacoma’s requests have been all transportation, all the way.
Every project in a stimulus funding proposal the city wrote in December is a bridge, a road or a sidewalk.
The city attached a supplemental list of school district and parks requests, but mentioned them only as an afterthought.
“There all along has been a feeling that things like infrastructure and roads and bridges would be a priority,” said Tacoma spokesman Rob McNair-Huff. “That’s why they’re at the top of the list.”
Pierce Transit focused on “green” improvement projects, which President Barack Obama initially indicated should rate highly in the stimulus package.
The transit agency’s three priorities include adding hybrid buses and building a natural gas fuel station to increase fueling capacity.
“We’ve had a commitment to increasing our efficiency, and it sort of falls in line” with the stimulus package, said Lars Erickson, Pierce Transit’s spokesman.
Some jurisdictions took an even narrower approach when deciding which projects to throw into the pool.
University Place has only one goal: its long-delayed Town Center, on the drawing board since 2003.
UP is requesting $7 million to $10 million. With the federal money, the city would have the means to build the City Hall portion of the civic-retail complex, as well as complete a major parking garage.
Alone, the city might get only as far as completing a public library on the site in the near future, said City Manager Bob Jean.
“For us, the Town Center is everything,” he said. “I think this process is about setting priorities at the federal, state and local level. So we put in our top priority.”
That’s what every city needs to do now as the stimulus package gets closer to the finish line, and regional councils and the state start planning how to dole out the infrastructure money, said Olson, the Puget Sound Regional Council spokesman.
One factor could be whether projects would truly be ready for bid in 90 days, he said.
“There are ‘use it or lose it’ provisions in this legislation that make it really important that we choose the right projects,” Olson said. “The cities and counties now are meeting together to ask tough questions about the projects to see if they are, in fact, ready.”
Melissa Santos: 253-552-7058
PROJECTS
TACOMA
Puyallup River bridge replacement: $106 million, Federal assistance requested; $120 million, total project cost
• City officials say the ailing bridge must be replaced due to safety concerns. They’ve invested $14 million of city funds in the project so far. Historic barn remodel at Fort Steilacoom park Federal assistance requested Total project cost
LAKEWOOD
Historic barn remodel at Fort Steilacoom park: $1.7 Million, Federal assistance requested; $1.7 million, total project cost
• Lakewood officials want to save one of several historic barns in Fort Steilacoom Park. They say they could preserve it and turn it into a facility that could hold weddings and other events in the park. Sprinker Recreation Center renovation Federal assistance requested Total project cost
PIERCE COUNTY
Sprinker Recreation Center renovation: $30 Million, Federal assistance requested; $30 million, total project cost
• County officials have listed renovation of the 33-year-old facility as one of their top priorities for the federal stimulus package. The renovated facility would be a “green” building, built to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating of silver.
UNIVERSITY PLACE
Town Center: $7.5 Million, Federal assistance requested; $50 million, total project cost
• UP officials want to move ahead with building a large parking garage and City Hall as part of their Town Center project. Without federal assistance, officials say they’d be able to complete only the library portion of the pay-as-you go project. The News Tribune contacted officials in cities and other agencies throughout Pierce County (plus Federal Way) to see what projects they’re proposing for the federal stimulus package. Here’s a summary, in descending order of the total amount requested.
REQUESTS FOR STIMULUS MONEY
Pierce County
Requesting $296 million to help with roughly 90 projects
Total cost of projects: $364.4 million
Projects include: Renovating Sprinker Recreation Center, extending the Cushman Trail in Gig Harbor, building a 30- to 50-bed housing project for the homeless, rehabilitating parts of the Chambers Creek Tunnel, $112 million for various transportation projects
Tacoma
Requesting $262 million to help with eight projects
Total cost of projects: $475 million
Projects include: Fixing the Murray Morgan and Hylebos bridges, replacing the Puyallup River Bridge, improving streets and sidewalks throughout the city
Lakewood
Requesting $250.7 million for 37 projects
Total cost of projects: $250.7 million
Projects include: Improving local schools, street improvements along Pacific Highway Southwest and Bridgeport Way, remodeling a historic barn in Fort Steilacoom Park, improving sewer capacity in the Tillicum neighborhood, improving access at two parks
Federal Way
Requesting $49 million to help with seven projects
Total cost of projects: $185.3 million
Projects include: Adding HOV lanes to Pacific Highway South, building a parking garage and preparing a site for a performing arts center, adding turn lanes to two intersections
Puyallup
Requesting $23.7 million to help with 13 projects
Total cost of projects: $51.3 million
Projects include: Shaw Road extension, 15th Street storm-trunk extension, increasing sewer capacity at the Pioneer lift station, building a water storage tank, building a parking garage to serve as the lower level of a privately developed office building for Parametrix
Gig Harbor
Requesting $21.6 million for six projects
Total cost of projects: $35.6 million
Projects include: Expanding wastewater treatment plant, improving roads and sidewalks downtown, improving the intersection of Point Fosdick Drive and 56th Street
Bonney Lake
Requesting $9.89 million for three projects
Total cost of projects: $17 million
Projects: A justice center that would hold a courtroom and City Council meeting chambers, a public works maintenance center, a street overlay project
Steilacoom
Requesting $7.75 million for seven projects
Total cost of projects: $15.5 million
Projects include: Community Center expansion, reconstruction of Lexington Street and Sequalish Street, reconstruction of Rigby Road, replacing sewer lines along Blaine Street and Washington Street
University Place
Requesting $7 to $10 million for one project
Total cost of project: About $40 million in public funds
Project: University Place Town Center
Edgewood
Requesting about $7 million to help with three projects
Total cost of projects: $27 million
Projects include: Building a sewer line to spur development along Meridian Avenue East, building an extension of the Interurban Trail in Edgewood, realigning Jovita Boulevard
DuPont
Requesting $6.2 million for five projects
Total cost of projects: $6.3 million
Projects include: Remodeling the DuPont Community Center, building a canopy to protect the historic dynamite train, construction of a museum in the city’s new Civic Center, road and transit projects of undetermined cost
Orting
Requesting $5.8 million for five projects
Total cost of projects: About $7.2 million
Projects include: Rechannelization of Highway 162, reconnecting Boatman Springs to the municipal water system, building four ballfields and two soccer fields on the Gratzer property behind Orting Middle School
Sumner
Requesting $5.5 million to help with five projects
Total cost of projects: $15.5 million
Projects include: Repairing gussets on the Bridge Street bridge, improving intersection at Main Street and Traffic Avenue, extending the White River Trail
Eatonville
Requesting $5.2 million for eight projects
Total cost of projects: $5.2 million
Projects include: Reconstructing Mashell Avenue, building a town plaza, improving streets and sidewalks throughout the town
FIRCREST
Requesting $4.65 million for three projects
Total cost of projects: $13.65 million
Projects: Relocating failing sewer lines that run beneath roughly 400 residential backyards, replacing deteriorating sewers, rehabilitating 19th Street between Mildred Street and Orchard Street
Pierce Transit
Requesting $4.2 million for two projects, plus an undetermined amount for a project to deploy hybrid buses
Total cost of projects: $4.2 million, plus undetermined amount
Projects include: Hybrid bus procurement, traffic signal upgrades on Pacific Avenue, and an emergency power upgrade and natural gas fueling station at the agency headquarters
Fife
Requesting $4 million for one project
Total cost of project: $20 million
Project: Widening Valley Avenue from two to four lanes, starting at the eastern edge of the city limits and continuing to 70th Street East
Milton
Requesting $700,000 for one project
Total cost of project: $700,000
Project: Relocating the water main along Highway 161 before the state’s widening project of the highway begins
Compiled by Melissa Santos, The News Tribune
