05.15.09

Fiscal Year 2010 Transportation, Judiciary, Housing and Urban Development

Our state has been particularly hard hit by the economic downturn – unemployment levels have skyrocketed and I’ve heard from many local communities struggling to cover basic services like education, public safety, transportation and health care. As a United States Senator, part of my job is to help critical priorities in our state receive attention from the federal government so that we can help reinvigorate our economy, create new, high-paying jobs, and help our working families stay ahead in these tough economic times.

 

Part of that process at the federal level includes making sure that our state gets our fair share of funding from the federal government. Washington consistently pays more in federal tax dollars than we receive back in federal investment and services.

During the annual budget process, I submit requests to the Senate Appropriations Committee for congressionally directed spending for Washington state (sometimes referred to as “earmarks”) that benefits our state. Some of these include: flood control levees; airport, rail, highway and mass transit improvements; drinking water and wastewater infrastructure; gang crime prevention and intervention programs; workforce training; and, agricultural research. I am working to continue to make this process even more transparent and to ensure that we’re spending taxpayer dollars wisely.

 

Every year, I receive hundreds of requests for assistance from cities, counties, water and utility districts, transportation agencies, and others. I carefully review and evaluate these requests — and choose to submit a selection of these projects to the Committee.  The final outcome for any request will not be known until the bill has been approved by the House and Senate, and signed into law by the President.


I will be posting each request I make to my Web site as they are submitted to the Senate Appropriations Committee. 


Below you will find detailed information about requests I made for the FY 2010 Transportation, Judiciary, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. 

 

Advanced Materials in Transport Aircraft Structures – AMTAS c/o Department of Mechanical Engineering (Seattle, WA)
The Center on Advanced Materials in Transport Aircraft Structures (AMTAS) is an FAA-sponsored Center of Excellence consisting of a consortium of academic institutions, aerospace companies, and government agencies. Founded in 2003, AMTAS seeks solutions to problems associated with existing, near- and long-term applications of composites and other advanced materials in large transport commercial aircraft.  Continued funding of the Center on AMTAS will insure that the state of Washington continues to be a leader in the development of new materials for use in aerospace and other industries.  This is accomplished by researching new ideas in advanced materials, educating and training aviation professionals, and facilitating knowledge transfer among industry, government, and academia.

 

Amount Requested: $1,000,000

 

 

 


Bellevue to Redmond RapidRide Bus Rapid Transit Corridor – King County (King County)
King County Metro is proposing to construct and operate a 9.25-mile long street-running Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line connecting downtown Bellevue, Crossroads Mall, the Overlake urban center, and downtown Redmond.  The corridor already features substantial existing transit investment including three regional transit transfer centers.  The Bellevue - Redmond BRT project is intended to complement these facilities.  The scope of work includes 12 new stations, real-time bus arrival information, signal prioritization, and 18 low-floor hybrid vehicles.  The proposed service would operate with 10-minute headways during the peak-period and 15-minute headways during the weekday off-peak.  It is projected that with implementation of the Bellevue-Redmond RapidRide ridership will increase to over one million passengers in its first full year of operation.  Due to the increase in transit ridership the project will reduce roadway congestion and greenhouse gas emissions by removing existing and potential single occupant vehicles from the roadway.

 

Amount Requested: $9,250,000


Ben Franklin Transit Base Facility Expansion and Modernization Project – Ben Franklin Transit (BFT) (Richland, WA)
Funding will be used for a remodel operations building, a maintenance facility, and an administrative building.  The current operations and administration building will be remodeled to house the Transit Operations, Van-Pool, and the Dial-A-Ride.  Currently D-A-R is housed in a temporary structure at one end of our property.  The expansion of the maintenance building will give Ben Franklin Transit (BFT) six additional working bays.  These bays will be designed for the smaller vehicles in the BFT fleet, which will give BFT the ability to separate the larger buses and smaller vehicles, making the building more efficient.  A new administrative building will be constructed to house several staff functions including finance, accounting, computer services, procurement, human resources, customer service, planning, marketing, and executive.  The current operations and administration building will be remodeled to house the Transit Operations, Van-Pool, and the Dial-A-Ride.

 

Amount Requested: $5,500,000


Carbon Fiber Bus – Kitsap Transit (Kitsap County, WA)
The project will replace Washington State’s diesel paratransit and shuttle buses with lightweight, low-floor electric and high-hybrid buses, with carbon-fiber bodies.  Transit systems will participate in the development of a more fuel efficient vehicle.  Multiple opportunities exist for Washington state manufacturers to build an initial order of up to 200 of these new buses. The Vehicle Research Institute at Western Washington University with support from Kitsap  Transit has started a preliminary design process and has involved in the project its own automotive technician engineering students plus a class in quality assurance and a class in industrial design.  Draft conceptual approaches have been described and are being explored further. This project would ultimately produce about 50 new living-wage jobs, via the primary production facility, and 25 more such new jobs in supporting businesses, including mold-makers, other suppliers and parts providers.  A secondary economic impact would become evident among participating transits now struggling with rising fuel prices.  Even with fuel at $7 a gallon, the price to fuel fleets of this type of bus would remain the same, allowing the agencies to continue providing the same level of transit service.  If fuel costs decrease, the savings would translate into more service.

 

Amount Requested: $750,000


Division Street Gateway/Corridor Improvement – City of Spokane (Spokane, WA)
Funding will be used to complete the construction of the Division Street Gateway Improvement from 3rd to 4th Avenues and enter into Preliminary Design and Engineering on the remaining ½ mile of gateway and corridor  The gateway is a significant multimodal transportation project through the heart of downtown Spokane. Currently, the infrastructure of the Spokane gateway is nearing the end of its expected life, presenting us with the opportunity to prepare to redesign this significant gateway/corridor to meet the current demands for multimodal transportation and to advance a long-held community priority.

 

Amount Requested: $650,000


East Whatcom Regional Resource Center – Whatcom County (Whatcom County, WA)
This request is for funding to build a community resource center in the Kendall area of Whatcom County.  This unincorporated portion of the county has a diverse and low-income population without organized social services and a very limited economic base. Funding is specifically requested for construction of the resource center facility.  The concept design envisions a shared use environment with multi-use rooms that can be used for a variety of purposes including classes and meetings, recreation, office and utility space, a dedicated space for Head Start, and a medical/dental clinic.  It is proposed that the County keep the rental rates, if any, low so that the participating agencies can devote their limited resources to providing services. As a phased project, the objective in building design and operations is to obtain maximum use from as much square footage as the county can afford.

 

Amount Requested: $2,000,000


Flood Mitigation Study – Washington State Department of Transportation (Lewis County, WA)
The Chehalis River basin is home to Washington’s primary north-south transportation corridor:  I-5.  Major flooding events (three since 1990) have inundated I-5 and surrounding local roadways, businesses, and homes.  The most recent flood event killed hundreds of head of livestock and severely impacted the local economy.   This project would develop strategies to ensure mobility within and through the Chehalis Basin by reducing the effects of flooding events.  During the flooding in December of 2007 Interstate 5 was flooded in the Chehalis/Centralia area and a 20 mile stretch was closed for approximately 4 days. All traffic was diverted using US 12 to I-82 to I-90 to I-5 (295) miles.  Similar catastrophic events occurred in 1990 and 1996.  Each time the major north-south transportation corridor in the Pacific Northwest was completely severed.  Detours, when they were eventually made available, were several hundred miles. This project proposes to study various alternatives to mitigate flooding impacts associated with roadways in the Chehalis River basin of Lewis County. It will scope ways to protect key infrastructure, an important component in fostering the economic success of the region.

 

Amount Requested: $1,500,000


Fort Road Reconstruction (US 97 to Robbins Road) – Yakima Nation (YN), Yakima County, Washington State Department of Transportation (Toppenish, WA, Yakima Nation Reservation)
Being the major freight access route on the Yakima Nation (YN) reservation, Fort Road has never been improved from existing two lane road with no shoulders.  The reconstruction project will expand the roadway to five lanes (center turn lane) and will include bicycle lanes, pedestrian (sidewalks and crosswalks) facilities not presently available. Fort Road is the major connector between communities of Toppenish, White Swan, and Harrah.  Fort Road serves the transportation needs of YN Forest Products industry, YN agricultural industry, schools in Toppenish, Harrah and White Swan, Indian Health Services, YN Agency building, police, fire and ambulance.  The existing section of road has no illumination or signalization. 

 

Amount Requested: $2,000,000


Habitable and Safe Housing Relocation – Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe (Snohomish and Skagit Counties)
This project will move the Habitable and Safe Housing for tribal members away from the Sauk River, which experienced significant flooding in recent years. The current housing near the Sauk River is no longer safe, and funding would be used to buy and renovate new housing. Six of the tribe’s twenty homes are located on the eastern boundary of the reservation, approximately twenty feet from the Sauk River. Eight recently purchased housing units are in need of renovation and asbestos abatement.

 

Amount Requested: $794,654


Hamilton Street Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge – Spokane Regional Transportation Council (Spokane, WA)
The Hamilton Street pedestrian and bicycle bridge would resolve pedestrian safety concerns in the Logan neighborhood of Spokane.  Included in the University District Transportation Improvement Plan, the Hamilton Street bridge is part of a larger strategy to improve the pedestrian environment in the city of Spokane.  The overpass will meet the safety, access, and transportation needs of pedestrians and bicyclists in the Logan area and will protect residents from the impacts of increased and faster moving traffic. A pedestrian/bicycle bridge over Hamilton will enable University students to move safely between the two campuses, provide a means for Logan area residents to cross Hamilton safely, encourage the use of non-motorized transportation, invigorate retail establishment on both sides of Hamilton, spur new retail development in the area, and alleviate traffic congestion caused by pedestrians and bicyclists attempting to cross the street.

 

Amount Requested: $1,000,000


Hawley Street Grade Separation – City of Wenatchee (Wenatchee, WA)
The Hawley Street/BNSF Grade Separation project will provide the only northerly grade separated crossing to Wenatchee’s Waterfront.  This project creates a railroad underpass providing safe crossing for the million visitors to Wenatchee’s waterfront and improves freight mobility for 380 trucks per day that access the areas cold storage and fruit packing facilities.  In addition, 30 trains per day use the BNSF Seattle – Chicago main line which will operate with improved safety.  Finally, this project will enhance the access for the 1400 housing units, 100,000 sf of commercial space and the 4,300 seat multi-purpose Regional Events Center that are all a part of Wenatchee’s $400 million waterfront revitalization project. 

 

Amount Requested: $2,663,000


House of Knowledge – University of Washington (Seattle, WA)
The House of Knowledge will aid the University of Washington in becoming a model for utilizing research partnerships with tribal nations to strengthen programs in health, environment and economic vitality.  As such, the University is in an enviable position to demonstrate effective ways to diversify its campus. These efforts to do so include a thoughtful and deliberate process to add a longhouse-style building which would serve as a multi-service learning and gathering space for Native American students, faculty and staff, and others of various cultures and communities..  The facility would assist in the advancement of knowledge of the indigenous cultures of the region. The facility and its programming would provide an imaginative environment of the original inhabitants of the area and promote inter-cultural exchange and diversity.

 

Amount Requested: $1,000,000


King Street Station Restoration – City of Seattle Department of Transportation (Seattle, WA)
King Street Station is a historic train station built in 1906 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The station serves as the Northwest hub for 3.8 million travelers using national and regional Amtrak passenger trains and Sound Transit commuter rail service. Federal funding will assist with efforts to seismically retrofit the building to ensure it will continue to function and provide capacity for effective mass evacuation in the event of a national disaster.  The seismic retrofit will include reinforcing the foundation as well as the interior and exterior walls in both the station and clock tower.  The restoration of King Street Station will improve the appearance and sense of investment in a prominent public landmark and historic district, encouraging additional reinvestment by private owners of similar historic properties in the area.  It also promotes a sense of vitality and place by bringing all-day activities into the building and the surrounding neighborhood.

 

Amount Requested: $4,000,000
 

Lake to Sound Trail – King County (King County, WA)
Funding for the design and construction of the Lake to Sound trail would provide the residents with an alternative means for transportation as well as recreation. The trail would wind through the cities of Renton, Tukwila, SeaTac, Burien and Des Moines, connecting the Cedar River Trail, the Green River Trail, the Westside Trail and the Des Moines Creek Trail. The trail would also run to the Tukwila Link light rail station and just north of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.  It will give bike and pedestrian access to 5 suburban cities, as well as a linkage to light rail and transit hubs.  The trail represents a partnership between the five cities and King County to increase transportation and recreation options for south county residents. Residents in the area of the proposed trail have the county's highest level of health disparities, and in addition to providing a place to exercise, the proposed trail would help reduce car traffic in the region.

 

Amount Requested: $1,000,000


Marine Transportation Information Sharing – Marine Exchange of Puget Sound (Seattle, WA)
This project will allow the Marine Exchange of Puget Sound to provide to MARAD with the tools it needs to not only keep freight moving in a way that keeps our cities safe, and our environment protected. This request will allow the Marine Exchange of Puget Sound to provide MARAD with access to their vessel tracking database and real time vessel tracking capabilities in a way that will advance MARAD’s mission of information advocacy and assure critical marine information is captured, managed, protected and available to all authorized agencies.  As the volume of domestic and international maritime trade increases, safety and environmental risks will increase.  MARAD is the single source for all Marine Transportation System information, and while it is building a comprehensive database of information to assist in reducing intermodal congestion, it lacks critical real time vessel tracking data. 

 

Amount Requested: $850,000


Mercer Corridor – City of Seattle (Seattle, WA)
The requested funds will support construction of multi-modal improvements along Mercer Street between Interstate 5 and Dexter Avenue. This will include reconstructing Mercer Street, providing wider sidewalks, pedestrian safety features and a new median. The street will be converted to two-way operation and upgraded signal equipment will be provided allowing for safer and more efficient traffic operations. Because Mercer Street runs adjacent to the South Lake Union neighborhood, Seattle’s fastest growing neighborhood and a global health and high-tech center that is slated for large amounts of new jobs and housing, the design will include urban design features to support land-use/transportation integration. The project will also integrate many environmentally friendly and sustainable design features.

 

Amount Requested: $50,000,000


MLK Business Center Project Hilltop Revitalization – Martin Luther King Housing Development Association (Tacoma, WA)
This project aims to reclaim and revitalize one of Tacoma’s most important inner-city, underserved neighborhoods through: overall economic development, job creation, expansion of minority-ownership of small business ownership, creation of affordable housing units, and renovating Brownfield area buildings to be more “green”. Construction and permanent jobs will generate $19 million in direct/indirect economic impacts (such as through employment and street level retail). It will create 300 year-long job positions, and 300 permanent jobs.  The MLK Business Center already has nearly 90% of the center leases committed by future tenants.

 

Amount Requested: $335,000


Moibus Science Center at Michael Anderson Plaza – Moibus Spokane (Spokane, WA)
The purpose of the Mobius Science Center is to act as a catalyst for systemic change in education.  It will be a 56,000 square foot science and technology center with approximately 37,000 square feet dedicated to interactive and experiential exhibit space, classrooms and high-tech laboratories.  The Science Center will have four core, connected themes throughout: Life and the Human Body, Energy and Technology, Natural World, and Universe and Flight.  These theme areas reflect the rich natural and technological resources found in the Pacific Northwest.  Related educational programs will focus on defined experiential and learning outcomes, which will supplement traditional science and math education. Outreach and scholarship programs will ensure that the entire region’s youth have access to interactive learning.  Industry and education mentors will participate within their areas of expertise to inspire and educate visitors.  The Center will directly create as many as 200 jobs during the construction phase as well as an average of 61 employees (24 full-time and 37 part-time) once the facility is operational.  The adjacent state-of-the-art IMAX theater will provide additional jobs and economic impact.  Mobius Science Center will have an impact on the tourism industry to the region by creating visitor traffic, increasing the economic impact on the hospitality industry.

 

Amount Requested: $1,000,000

 

Naval Avenue Early Learning Center – Kitsap Community Resources (Bremerton, WA)
The funding would be used to construct an 18,265 sq. ft. two-story building on Bremerton School property adjacent to Naval Avenue Elementary, which would be used for early learning and family services. The facility would house Head Start, Early Head Start and ECEAP classrooms and related early learning services on the first floor; and on the second floor there would be offices for related whole-family services such as parenting education, WIC nutrition, health services, adult literacy and services for Hispanic families, and financial education. The project would include partnering with the Boys & Girls Club to enhance their parenting activities at this location. The building will be designed and constructed in accordance with the USGBC LEED “Green Building” rating system, with the goal of Silver certification. The project is expected to create 50 family-wage jobs during construction, which is estimated to take 14 months, and ten additional full-time staff will be needed in the expanded Naval Avenue Head Start program.

 

Amount Requested: $750,000


New Vessel Program – Washington State Department of Transportation (Olympia, WA)
This funding will be obligated immediately to procure the propulsion systems for the vessels and will be used for the manufacturing of propulsion system machinery and components that will be provided to the shipyard that will be contracted to construct new vessels.  The project supports about 335 family wage jobs in the State for three years. Of the $313 million in total project costs for the vessels, approximately $150 million will be in-state labor costs.  Additional employment and economic benefits will result from the projected $84 million in materials purchased within the state. The project will improve safety, freight mobility, and traffic congestion on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands and Mukilteo/Clinton routes.

 

Amount Requested: $3,000,000


Northern Columbia Basin Railroad-Segment 2 and Segment 3 Construction – Port of Moses Lake (Moses Lake, WA)
The Northern Columbia Basin Railroad project is an overall $36.5 million investment in freight mobility and industrial development in Moses Lake and Grant County.  The project has five segments that when completed will bypass downtown Moses Lake in favor of a more efficient direct route to the Grant County International Airport industrial area.  It will also offer a strategic rail connection to the BNSF mainline near Soap Lake. Approximately half of the industrial-zoned property within the Moses Lake uniform growth area is near the Grant County Int’l Airport, north of Moses Lake.  This is highly attractive property to large manufacturers that want to develop industries in Washington State.  The area is already hosting international companies such as General Dynamics, Takata, Tama Chemicals, Boeing, Nippon Chemi-Con and Genie Industries.  More efficient and competitive rail connectivity is recognized as an important infrastructure upgrade.


Amount Requested: $19,000,000


Overwater Walkway – City of Bellingham (Bellingham, WA)
The Overwater Walkway will connect Boulevard Park, the Fairhaven Historic District, and southside neighborhoods with the City of Bellingham/Port of Bellingham Waterfront District Restoration Project now underway.  It will provide a 2,360-foot long pedestrian and bicycle connection from the heavily used South Bay Trail segment of the Coast Millennium Trail to the Waterfront Project and Central Bellingham. The public walkway will provide increased access to the shoreline and will include seating areas, a partially grated walking surface to minimize shading of the eelgrass, and high efficiency pedestrian lighting. The Waterfront Project will provide mixed-use housing, recreation opportunities, a site for a campus extension of Western Washington University, and business expansion from downtown Bellingham on more than 250 acres of waterfront, rehabilitated from a former Georgia-Pacific mill site.  It is estimated that 2,500 new jobs will be created and 3,000 new housing units will be constructed.

 

Amount Requested: $3,000,000


Passenger Only Ferries – King County (King County, WA)
The requested funding would help the King County Ferry District acquire up to three passenger-only vessels.  These vessels will provide vital transportation connections at a time when our highways and roads are at or above their capacity. One vessel would serve the Vashon Island route, another for the Elliott Bay Water Taxi, and the third would be a standby to support the service for the entire system. The Vashon Island Passenger Only Ferry is the only direct mode of transportation for local residents between Vashon Island and Downtown Seattle.  If the ferry service is eliminated, the potential decline in the island population would result in an overall reduction in local spending, resulting in an adverse economic impact on the island’s retailers and businesses. The vessel currently serving the Vashon Island route is at the end of its useful life and has become costly to operate due to maintenance requirements and excessive fuel consumption.  A private contractor has been providing the vessel for the Elliott Bay Water Taxi for the last several years, but this vessel is over 40 years old, and cannot operate at the speed necessary to provide frequent and reliable service for West Seattle commuters.  Both vessels must be upgraded to meet transportation needs for region in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

 

Amount Requested: $10,000,000


Percival Landing Major Rehabilitation Project – City of Olympia (Olympia, WA)
The purpose of the Percival Landing Major Rehabilitation Project is to replace and improve this multi-faceted public thoroughfare that is at the core of downtown Olympia.  This location has historically been, and is today, the marine gateway to the Washington State Capitol.  By the completion of Phase One in 2010, approximately 150 jobs within the vicinity will be retained.  By the completion of the entire project, another 100 to 200 new jobs will have been created for direct work on the Percival Landing Major Rehabilitation Project.

 

Amount Requested – $3,000,000


Pierce County Non-Motorized Trail Spur Connection – Pierce County Public Works and Utilities (Pierce County, WA)
Requested funding will be used to complete the non-motorized trail adjacent to SR-16 and will enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety by providing 6-foot wide paved shoulders on both sides of 32nd St NW, 22nd Ave NW and Jahn Ave NW where shoulders do not currently exist.  The project will also serve as a connection to the existing Cushman Trail (via the 24th St NW overcrossing and 14th Ave NW) on the northerly side of SR-16.  This connection provides access to designated centers in Tacoma and activity centers on the Gig Harbor Peninsula.  The project will enhance the use of the trail and provide a greater recreational experience because of the elimination of the need to share the roadway with vehicles.  The segment provides a direct connection into a regional trail network, which will promote alternate commute options, recreational tourism, and public health.

 

Amount Requested: $1,678,000


R-170 Landslide Road Replacement – Franklin County, WA (Pasco, WA)
R-170 is a rural major collective arterial.  It is a major north-south “farm to market” corridor that is vital to Franklin County as well as an east-west connection to State Route 17.  On May 13, 2006 a massive landslide covered over a quarter of a mile of Franklin County Road R-170 with up to 50 feet of soil and debris.  The road has been closed since the slide and traffic has been forced to detour onto local access roads to the east that were never constructed to accommodate R-170’s traffic.  Trucks accounted for a significant portion of the 1100 vehicles that utilized this section of R-170 per day.  Preliminary engineering is 95% complete.  The federal environmental process is complete.  The right-of-way is will be completed by August 2009.  The funding requested would fund the final road construction phase and would be completed in 2010.

 

Amount Requested: $2,000,000


Railroad Safety Overpass / Pedestrian Bridge, Spokane University District – City of Spokane (Spokane, WA)
The Spokane University District at Riverpoint is a metropolitan campus for the 21st century, combining world-class research and applied programs with unparalleled quality of life in the urban center of Spokane.  Institutions located at the campus are Eastern Washington University, Washington State University, Community of Colleges of Spokane and Sirti. The Railroad Safety Overpass Bridge is a pedestrian and bicycle bridge that will span a BNSF main east-west rail line that travels through downtown Spokane and connect the University District Riverpoint Campus education and technology facilities with housing, commercial and retail venues south of the railroad and on to the medical community, one of the region’s large economic contributors. This request will fund pre-design and engineering work that will allow the project to move forward and be constructed, which has been estimated to be able to be done in one construction season.  In addition to the critical safety improvement this pedestrian railroad overpass would provide, the bridge will also drive mixed-use residential, retail and commercial development both on campus and in the adjacent neighborhoods. Currently the railroad creates a significant transportation barrier between the campus and the community’s important medical district, which is a third of Spokane’s economy.

 

Amount Requested: $500,000


Salmon Creek Interchange Project – Clark County Public Works Transportation, Washington State DOT (Clark County, WA)
Funding will be used for the Salmon Creek Interchange Project (SCIP), which is a partnership project between Clark County and the Washington State Department of Transportation.  This partnership seeks the most cost-effective design that will reduce traffic congestion, improve safety, and minimize impacts to the community and the environment.  The existing Salmon Creek Interchange area (Interstate-5 and Interstate-205 on NE 134th Street) suffers from intense traffic congestion and a high incidence rate of crashes due to the close proximity of signals and high traffic volume.  The roads in the interchange area are rated as providing an unacceptable level of service, which is the worst rating of traffic congestion possible in Clark County.  These conditions have resulted in a development moratorium in the area per the state’s Growth Management Act.  All new development applications for commercial, industrial, and residential properties within a three-mile radius of the Salmon Creek Interchange have been denied based on the failing level of transportation service.  Improvements are necessary to complete a new I-5 / I-205 interchange.  Major project components include: constructing a new road segment; intersection improvements; road widening; adding bike lanes and sidewalks; installing raised medians and dual turning lanes; installing, modifying, and removing traffic signals; and addressing environmental mitigation issues.  The Salmon Creek Interchange Project (SCIP) is the only means to improve traffic safety and mobility within the corridors of these two federal highways.  Completion of SCIP will help increase traffic flow through the entire interchange system; reduce traffic congestion and back-ups on the freeway off-ramps; reduce the number of congestion-related crashes, injuries, and damages; and allow for economic growth and development in the area.

 

Amount Requested: $3,000,000


Sarge’s Place – North Olympic Regional Housing Network (Port Angeles, WA)
This project would begin with the acquisition and renovation of a two story apartment building in Forks, WA. Sarge’s Place is a transitional and permanent supportive housing project for Veterans in the West End of Clallam and Jefferson Counties.  This area has the smallest population base, but the highest percentage of homeless, as well as the largest concentration of Veterans. Veterans will be able to address all of their basic needs from a dry place to sleep, hot meals and showers, to full time case management with wrap-around services.  The mission of Sarge’s Place is to restore dignity, hope and self-sufficiency and to significantly reduce homelessness and poverty among local Veterans. Sarge’s Place creates one full time family wage job and one caretaker position with a stipend for a formally homeless Veteran.  It also creates three two-bedroom permanent supportive housing apartment units for homeless families and creates 12 transitional beds (8 for men and 4 for women).  There is currently no transitional housing on the Olympic Peninsula for Veterans and no transitional housing on the West End of Clallam County. 

 

Amount Requested: $479,650


SE King County Community Center Upgrade Project – The King County Housing Authority (King County, WA)
The purpose of the SE King County Community Center Upgrade Project is to improve and expand the community centers at three public housing sites in Auburn and Kent that more than 380 youth call home. Programs at the centers currently include after-school tutoring, educational and recreational activities, computer technology, career exploration and positive social interaction. Renovation and expansion of these community facilities would allow for more children to partake in tutoring programs and enable additional activities and uses for the space. This would enhance services to all 800 individuals living at the three sites.  In addition to the current programs, GED classes, music and fitness activities, and childcare for working families would be included. All classes would be culturally appropriate and accessible for the diverse ethnic groups living in these communities.

 

Amount Requested: $1,000,000


SR 167 Extension Project – Washington State Department of Transportation (Thurston County, WA)
The State Route (SR) 167 Extension project will build the remaining four miles of SR 167, completing a long planned connection to Interstate 5.  This new highway segment will provide two general purpose lanes in each direction and will also include an HOV lane in each direction from I-5 to Puyallup.  The project will build five interchanges along the route.  This project also includes a new connection from SR 509 to Interstate 5. The disconnect from I-5 creates unnecessary truck traffic on local roads, making them a safety concern for local residents.

 

Amount Requested: $2,500,000


SR432/SR 433 Corridor and Rail Modernization – Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments, Lead Agency for Longview-Kelso-Rainer MPO (Cowlitz County, WA)
Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments (CWCOG) is requesting $2 million to complete the preliminary design, engineering and environmental analysis necessary for the ultimate modernization of the highway and rail network serving the SR 432/SR 433 corridors on Longview.  The preliminary analysis will take 18 to 24 months to complete.  Completion of the preliminary analysis will allow for the project to be turned over the WSDOT for final engineering, design, right of way and environmental documentation, all necessary to get the project into its funding, phasing and construction.  

 

Amount Requested: $2,000,000


US 2 Corridor Safety Improvements – Washington State Department of Transportation (Snohomish County, WA)
This funding will enable construction of safety improvement projects in the US 2 corridor between Snohomish and Skykomish.  This highly traveled corridor experiences a high number of fatal and injury accidents.  Collision rates along segments of this corridor exceed the statewide average and between January 1999 and October 2006 there were 32 fatalities along the corridor.  US 2 Route Development Plan in collaboration with the communities between Snohomish and Skykomish will deliver short-term and long-term improvement recommendations and will build upon a collaborative, community effort.  These improvements include adding left-turn pockets, sidewalks, lighting, reflectors, and centerline and/or shoulder rumble strips; improving bus stops; and installing cameras.

 

Amount Requested: $2,000,000


Tacoma Rail – Tacoma Rail (Tacoma, WA)
The Puyallup River Bridge provides the main artery for train movement to and from Tacoma to Mountain Division customers.  This bridge needs rehabilitation to provide safe and reliable freight service.  The FY 10 request of $10.3 million will dedicate $2.3 million toward this rehabilitation. Furthermore, The FY 10 request will dedicate and additional $2 million for professional track/bridge inspections to identify and prioritize urgent repairs required to meet 286K standards. Cross tie replacement and surfacing is needed between Blakeslee Junction and Yelm.  This 31 miles of track needs 800 ties per mile, which is roughly 30% replacement that is necessary to meet standards in order to provide adequate train service.  $2.7 million of the FY10 requests is dedicated to this rehabilitation project.A request of $3.1 million for FY10 will be dedicated to upgrading two locomotives which are used in Tacoma Rails Service Territory.  The Locomotive GPS & Camera System project provides real-time position information of the locomotive fleet.  It would also report real-time health statistics, fuel monitoring of each locomotive and increase safety through higher visibility.  A request of $100,000 for FY10 will be dedicated to upgrading locomotives which are used in Tacoma Rails Service Territory.  The Operational/Security Tower Camera System project will provide a resource for operational safety and efficiency.  It would provide video of foreign railroad’s trains on local tracks and potential route conflicts.  A request of $100,000 for FY10 will be dedicated to upgrading locomotives which are used in Tacoma Rails Service Territory. 

 

Amount Requested: $10,300,000


US 12 Corridor Improvements – Burbank to Walla Walla – Washington State Department of Transportation (Walla Walla County, WA)
This request will aid in funding the environmental documentation and design for the final project stages in the US 12 Burbank to Walla Walla corridor and begin right of way acquisition.  Expanding US 12 from two to four-lanes is critical for improving safety, fostering economic development throughout southeastern Washington, and addressing growing congestion.  The new alignment for US 12 will avoid the McNary Wildlife Refuge, Madame Dorian Park, and other Native American cultural/archeological sites which are environmentally sensitive areas.  This project has the support of the Confederated Tribe of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.  The new alignment will reduce the number of county road intersections, private road approaches, and other access points to the highway.  It will bypass three small communities where the speed is reduced, create a divided highway, and reconfigure the intersection with SR 730. This request seeks $2 million in funding for right-of-way acquisition for Phase 7A of the 8 Phase Hwy 12 Project which is being constructed from Burbank to Walla Walla.

 

Amount Requested: $2,000,000


US 395 North Spokane Corridor Project – Washington State Department of Transportation (Spokane, WA)
This project will create a new corridor in Spokane connecting I-90 to US 395 at Wandermere.  The North Spokane Corridor will provide a safe and efficient route for freight and general purpose traffic through downtown Spokane.  Currently, all heavy trucks must use already congested local streets.  The extension of US 395 to I-90 will improve freight mobility, congestion and air quality through downtown Spokane and allow for future growth in the north part of Spokane County.

 

Amount Requested: $3,000,000


Waterfront Development Access Project – City of Vancouver (Vancouver, WA)
This project will create the access necessary for development to occur on 30+ acres along Vancouver’s west Columbia River waterfront.  Once the access is created the private investment on the waterfront is estimated to total $1.3 billion. The $38,000,000 access project includes construction of two new grade-separated BNSF main railway under-crossings.  A $4,000,000 federal earmark would be used to construct surface street underpasses at Grant and Esther Streets connecting downtown Vancouver with the waterfront.  Without these critical underpasses, construction cannot occur on the waterfront. The project will expand Vancouver’s downtown by 20 square blocks uniting the historic city core with the Columbia River waterfront.

 

Amount Requested: $4,000,000


West Vancouver Freight Access Project – Port of Vancouver (Vancouver, WA)
The Port of Vancouver is a significant public seaport that annually handles over 500 ocean-going vessels, as well as river barges, with a total cargo volume exceeding five million metric tons.  The City of Vancouver has just completed a portion of its downtown revitalization and is seeking to coordinate its future waterfront development with the Port of Vancouver’s rail project in the hopes of better managing the surface transportation infrastructure associated with both developments.  The West Vancouver Freight Access Project combines Port freight rail improvements with surface road improvements near the Vancouver Columbia River waterfront.  The project addresses necessary new freight rail access to and from the rail mainline and the port, while at the same time providing considerable capacity and velocity improvement to a national system chokepoint at the Vancouver Rail Wye.  Funding will be used for rail construction and for surface transportation design to assist in access to the planned waterfront development.

 

Amount Requested: $5,000,000


Yakima Sawmill Redevelopment – City of Yakima (Yakima, WA)
The Yakima Sawmill site will create private sector investment opportunities in retail, commercial, recreational, medical and technical fields in excess of $50 million and will create up to 500 jobs over five years. The project will improve property values, image and employment opportunities in the heart of Yakima’s federal Renewal Community. The fund established by EDI will also help maintain affordability to the site by local businesses seeking to expand and sustain operations in Yakima. Surrounding neighborhoods will see increased property values, as well as receive new, basic infrastructure that will alleviate the chronic public health issues related to failing septic systems and contaminated wells.

 

Amount Requested: $3,000,000


Yakima Railroad Grade Separation Project – City of Yakima (Yakima, WA)
Currently, the City of Yakima has seven-at-grade railroad crossings and only two grade-separated crossings, which were built in 1964 and 1970.  The reopening of Stampede Pass by the BNSF Railroad has increased rail traffic in excess of the capacity for two grade-separated crossings, and blocks western access for Yakima Fire Station 91. MLK Boulevard and Lincoln are the two main arterials for the Yakima CBD, and function as a one-way east/west couplet.  Each street carries over 20,000 vehicles per day and serves as the primary route for emergency response vehicles for east and north Yakima.  Located adjacent to the railroad tracks and one block from Lincoln Avenue, Fire Station 91 had over 1500 calls in 2007 that required crossing the tracks for an emergency. The requested funding will be used for construction of the underpass structures, including rail track bridge, vehicle road surface, sidewalks, security lighting, storm water pumping system, retaining walls and overhead roadway (Front Street) crossing bridge.  Design and environmental review for the project are complete.

 

Amount Requested: $8,000,000

 

Cowlitz Veteran Services Center – Longview Housing Authority (Cowlitz County, WA)
These funds will be used to facilitate the construction of a veterans’ service center in downtown Longview to provide services to veterans that include assistance in accessing VA services and benefits, a food pantry and clothes closet, a computer room/training facility, classroom, location for meals, laundry and shower facility, access to transportation and health screening services.  A housing program for 20 homeless veterans will co-locate with this project in the same building thus helping to reduce homelessness and improve veteran access to many services including medical care.  Most of those benefiting from this service center will be extremely low income veterans and their families most of whom are homeless or are at a high risk of being homeless. With the highest unemployment rates and homelessness among veterans on the rise, this service center will provide some job training through coordination with the Vancouver VA Medical Center as well as the local community college.  This project will maintain the fifteen service jobs that are associated with the current service center and we would expect that the current staffing level to expand and include approximately six new full time equivalent positions as this new service center includes an expanded array of services available to the veterans.

 

Amount Requested: $700,000

 

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