Granite Falls truck bypass should start soon

Published 11:06 pm Monday, March 16, 2009

GRANITE FALLS — Work on a new two-lane truck bypass should move ahead in the coming months, thanks to money from the federal 2009 omnibus spending bill.

Snohomish County received nearly $6 million in federal money for the Granite Falls alternate route, which is intended to speed the passage of gravel and logging trucks through the area. It involves building two miles of roadway. Another intended benefit is safety.

The total cost of the project is $26.8 million.

President Barack Obama signed the funding package into law last week. The Puget Sound Regional Council decided how to spend a portion of that money for Washington state. The Snohomish County area, including cities and transit agencies, should get about $15 million for public works projects.

In addition the money for the Granite Falls bypass, the package includes about $2 million for U.S. 2 safety improvements.