Parkway still in the running for federal stimulus funding
March 9, 2009
By J.B. Wogan
Puget Sound Regional Council set to decide March 12, Sammamish could get $3.5 million
Feb. 27 could have signaled the death knell for Sammamish’s hopes of receiving federal funding for any of its proposed road projects. It wasn’t.
“It’s nice to see it go a little further in the process,” said Laura Philpot, city engineer.
A subcommittee of the Puget Sound Regional Council narrowed down the list of projects Feb. 27, and Sammamish’s parkway project made the cut.
By March 12, the Puget Sound Regional Council will have a recommended list of projects from across King, Pierce, Kitsap, and Snohomish counties, which would use money from President Barack Obama’s economic recovery package.
Between the Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway Administration, the combined four counties are due to receive about $214 million for “shovel ready” projects.
King County submitted nine preferred road projects for consideration, including the East Lake Sammamish Parkway renovation in Sammamish, which would receive $3.5 million if approved by the regional council. The parkway project was last on the county’s list.
The regional council anticipates having about $78 million to disseminate to county and city roads projects through funding from the Federal Highway Administration. The East Lake Sammamish Parkway funding would come from that funding source.
Spanning about a mile from Northeast Inglewood Road to Northeast 28th Place, the revamped piece of East Lake Sammamish Parkway would have an additional a third lane, alternating between a median and a left-turn lane depending on the section, with bike lanes on both sides of the street and a sidewalk on the east side. The project would also add a sand vault to filter and treat stormwater running off the road and into Lake Sammamish.
The added “stimulus” money would not supplant current funding set aside for the parkway project when it was approved by the City Council in December, according to Mayor Don Gerend.
The council approved revisions to a half-mile strip of the parkway for $8.7 million, though the most recent construction cost estimate is now $5.8 million.
The extra federal funding would go toward extending that half-mile project north. The city already has plans to revamp about 2.5 miles of East Lake Sammamish Parkway, from Northeast Inglewood Hill Road to 187th Avenue Northeast, though it has only approved one part of the first planned phase. Another two phases would ensue, assuming the City Council approves them at a later date.
Gerend, a member of the Puget Sound Regional Council’s transportation policy board, said he wasn’t surprised that the parkway project had met the approval of the council.
The parkway project was unusual in that it meets federal environmental protection standards, which makes it a perfect candidate to receive federal funding, Gerend said.
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com. To comment on this story, visit www.SammamishReview.com.
Comments
Got something to say?
Before you comment, please note:
- These comments are moderated.
- Comments should be relevant to the topic at hand and contribute to its discussion.
- Personal attacks and/or excessive profanity will not be tolerated and such comments will not be approved.
- This is not your personal chat room or forum, so please stay on topic.
