MONROE — Three east Snohomish County cities have received $3.8 million in state grant money to complete road improvements, including money for a project intended to help drivers avoid congestion on U.S. 2.
The Washington Transportation Improvement Board awarded money to Monroe, Snohomish and Gold Bar.
The city of Monroe received $3.2 million in funding. Snohomish and Gold Bar were awarded $297,500 and $107,089 respectively.
Monroe will use $3.1 million from the grants to construct a new road, Tjerne Place, between Chain Lake and Woods Creek roads.
Monroe Public Works Director Brad Feilberg said Tjerne Place will allow drivers to travel from Albertsons at Monroe Place to the Fred Meyer store without using U.S. 2.
“That’ll eliminate some of the congestion,” he said.
Feilberg said the city has been looking for ways to fund the $4.8 million road for about 10 years. Without the new funding, he said, the project would remain undone.
The city plans to begin construction on the 1,000-foot stretch of road in the summer of 2015. Tjerne Place is expected to open in 2016, Feilberg said.
Monroe also received $325,626 to repave Fryelands Boulevard and a portion of W. Main Street.
The city of Snohomish was awarded $297,500 to repave Second Street between Avenue H and Avenue D. Public Works Director Steve Schuller said the city’s Transportation Benefit District will contribute about $50,000 to the repaving project.
Gold Bar received $107,089 in grant funding, which will cover most of the city’s $112,725 cost for repaving projects on parts of First Avenue West and Timber Lane in residential areas.
Gold Bar Mayor Joe Beavers said the city typically repaves two roads a year with the Transportation Improvement Board funding. Without the grant money, Beavers said, the city would have trouble paying for road repairs.
Amy Nile: 425-339-3192; anile@heraldnet.com.
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