11 Pierce County projects get aid
The Port of Tacoma and several East Pierce County communities were the big winners Thursday as the Puget Sound Regional Council doled out about $36 million from the federal stimulus package.
The council’s executive board chose to fund four local road projects and seven local transit projects in Pierce County as part of the package signed by President Barack Obama on Feb. 17.
The group is distributing about $78 million in stimulus money for local road work throughout Pierce, King, Kitsap and Snohomish counties, and $136 million for transit work.
All the projects approved Thursday were reported as ready to start within 90 days. Most carry total costs much higher than the amount they’re receiving from the stimulus package.
Though the Port of Tacoma and Sound Transit will each need to find more money to complete their projects, the stimulus money will provide the remaining funds needed to complete efforts in Puyallup, Orting and Eatonville.
“We’re rolling,” Orting Mayor Cheryl Temple said Thursday, referring to her city’s work on State Route 162.
“We’re going to try to be the first shovels on the ground,” added City Administrator Mark Bethune.
Orting’s project to add left-turn lanes to a busy intersection of the highway should be done by fall, Bethune said.
The selection process began in late 2008 when agencies began submitting lists of potential transit and road projects to the regional council in preparation for a federal stimulus package.
By January, the council had a list of potential road work from the four counties that totaled more than $4 billion.
Each county’s arm of the regional council worked in January and February to narrow their countywide lists.
A council committee approved a list of tentative road projects on Feb. 27. Officials in several Pierce County jurisdictions found it objectionable.
Some didn’t like the idea that the Port of Tacoma would receive $15.8 million of the total $18.65 million for Pierce County. Others were unhappy that a $425,000 paving job in unincorporated Pierce County was recommended for stimulus funding, even though the project didn’t make it past earlier sessions to cut down the wish list.
To resolve the disagreement, Pierce County’s arm of the regional council met Tuesday and eliminated Orville Road from consideration. The Pierce County group also reduced by $400,000 the amount that the port would receive.
The move made room for Eatonville’s town center. Members of the regional council’s executive board approved the new list of project recommendations with little discussion Thursday.
Eatonville Mayor Tom Smallwood said he’d like to see the town center project completed by October, when the community will celebrate its centennial.
“It’s the start of the revitalization of Eatonville’s downtown,” Smallwood said Thursday.
The Port of Tacoma’s Lincoln Avenue grade separation will include an overpass to carry freight traffic over a series of railroad tracks, reducing wait times. Puyallup’s Shaw Road extension also will let traffic cross railroad tracks uninterrupted.
The similarities between the two caused University Place Mayor Linda Bird to raise concerns about a lack of variety in projects. Her city’s Town Center on Bridgeport Way was a contender for stimulus funding but didn’t make the final cut.
“The project list for Pierce County has two railroad crossing overpasses being given 90 percent of the money allocated for our county, and two rural town projects,” Bird said. “I don’t believe our list meets the requirement of having a balance.”
But Bird, who sits on the regional council’s executive board, ultimately voted in favor of the list.
Other Pierce County officials whose projects were passed over said they thought the selections were fair. In Milton, for example, the city lost out on its high-ranking, $700,000 project to relocate a water main before the state widens Highway 161.
“As long as there is integrity in the process, I’m fine,” said Milton Mayor Katrina Asay. “And I think that happened.”
Melissa Santos: 253-552-7058
pierce county Projects receiving stimulus funding
ROADS
Lincoln Avenue grade separation, Port of Tacoma
Funding from stimulus: $15.4 million
Project description: An overpass that would allow freight traffic to cross railroad tracks on the Tacoma Tideflats, reducing traffic congestion into and out of the Port of Tacoma. Port officials say they need an additional $11.6 million to complete the project.
Completing Shaw Road extension, Puyallup
Funding from stimulus: $2 million
Project description: Completing an overpass to allow traffic to cross the BNSF Railways railroad tracks. Puyallup city officials say that with the stimulus funding, they can complete the project in early 2010.
Rural Town Center and Corridor Project, Eatonville
Funding from stimulus: $825,000
Project description: The first stage of Eatonville’s multi-phase plan to revitalize its downtown. Includes a small park with restrooms, a visitor center and a view of Mount Rainier. Sidewalk reconstruction and streetscape improvements are also part of the project. Town officials say they hope to complete it in time for Eatonville’s centennial celebration in October, but it could take an extra few months.
Rechannelization of Highway 162, Orting
Funding from stimulus: $420,000
Project description: Adding left-turn lanes to help ease traffic congestion. Officials say the project would reduce backups for people who use the highway to access South Hill, Graham and Orting. The project includes streetscape and sidewalk improvements. City officials say the project will be done by fall.
TRANSIT
Pierce Transit
Total funding from stimulus: $11.4 million
Project description: $5.4 million to purchase nine hybrid buses; $4.4 million to do preventive maintenance on buses; $1.6 million to build a compressed natural gas fueling station and backup power upgrade at Pierce Transit headquarters.
Sound Transit
Total funding from stimulus: $4.6 million
Project description: Building commuter rail from M Street in Tacoma to Bridgeport Way Southwest in Lakewood. Total project cost is estimated at $101 million. Even with stimulus funding, the project will need an additional $39.4 million to be completed. Sound Transit officials say they hope to complete the project in 2012.
Pierce County Ferry System
Total funding from stimulus: $1.31 million
Project description: $1.27 million to fix the Christine Anderson ferry, which runs between Steilacoom and Anderson Island; $25,000 to preserve the Anderson Island ferry terminal; $15,000 to preserve the Ketron Island ferry terminal.
