Federal stimulus money quickly meets the roads
Published 10:27 pm Wednesday, March 4, 2009
OLYMPIA — With the money in hand and the clock ticking, state lawmakers moved swiftly Wednesday to pass legislation spelling out where $345 million of road money from the federal stimulus package will be spent.
Gov. Chris Gregoire is expected today to sign the spending bill that reached her following votes in both the House and the Senate on Wednesday afternoon.
Legislators moved with unusual speed because Washington received its full allotment of stimulus dollars Tuesday. Federal rules require at least half the sum be obligated through contracts by July 1.
Once the governor signs the measure, the Department of Transportation will put several projects out for bids.
The bill contains $16.1 million for three projects on state and federal highways in Snohomish County, each of which could begin in 90 to 120 days.
These are repaving U.S. 2 from Monroe to Sultan and replacing worn out concrete on I-5 from Highway 532 to the vicinity of Starbird Road. Money would also be spent installing cables and hardware to operate traffic control cameras on a stretch of I-5 near Marysville.
On Wednesday, spirited debates preceded action in each chamber.
Supporters lauded the federal aid as a needed economic booster shot while opponents decried the process as rushed and the selection of projects for funding as too secretive.
“It is not about the projects in your district. It is about the jobs on the ground,” said Rep. Judy Clibborn, D-Mercer Island, chairwoman of the House Transportation Committee.
Legislators from Seattle to Spokane gave criticism from several angles. Some said chosen projects didn’t deal with immediate needs and would not generate the biggest economic bang from the free federal bucks. Several Republicans expressed frustration at having no input on the final details.
Rep. Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish, disagreed with pouring the money into short-term fixes rather than longer-lasting infrastructure.
“Paying for potholes and restriping with 30-year bonds means most of the projects will be replaced or redone before the bonds are ever paid off,” he said.
Rep. Norma Smith, R-Clinton, dissented because the legislation had “absolutely no recognition of the crisis in the ferry system.”
The measure passed on a 67-28 vote in the House. Six Democrats joined 22 Republicans in opposition. Senators backed the legislation by a 45-4 margin.
Altogether, Washington expects to pocket $675 million as its share of transportation money in the federal stimulus package.
Of this, $345 million will be divvied out by the state for highways it maintains. Another $151 million will be distributed by regional agencies on city and county road projects statewide. There is also $179 million for transit agencies to be distributed based on ridership.
In addition to the three projects in the state legislation, there are 13 more in Snohomish County recommended to receive $14.9 million in federal funds from a pot controlled by the Puget Sound Regional Council. The council will make its decisions later this month.
Jerry Cornfield, 360-352-8623, jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
County’s slice
State legislation passed Tuesday includes money from the federal stimulus package for three projects in Snohomish County. They are:
$9 million for replacing concrete on I-5 from Highway 532 to the vicinity of Starbird Road;
$4.6 million to repave U.S. 2 from Monroe to Sultan;
$2.5 million in install fiber-optic lines and cameras on I-5 between Marysville and Stillaguamish River.
How they voted
House
For: Al O’Brien, D; Mark Ericks, D; Mary Helen Roberts, D; Marko Liias, D; John McCoy, D; Mike Sells, D; Maralyn Chase, D; Ruth Kagi, D; Kirk Pearson, R; Hans Dunshee, D; Mike Hope, R
Against: Dan Kristiansen, R; Norma Smith, R; Barbara Bailey, R
Senate
For: Mary Margaret Haugen, D; Rosemary McAuliffe, D; Darlene Fairley, D; Paull Shin, D; Steve Hobbs, D; Jean Berkey, D; Val Stevens, R
