MARYSVILLE – Saying that a new, wider 172nd Street NE bridge is crucial to the city’s economic growth, the City Council on Monday found a way to chip in up to $400,000 for a much sought after bridge over I-5 at Smokey Point.
Without the financial help, construction on a $9 million bridge that is the main access point to Smokey Point could have been delayed indefinitely.
Business leaders who last year rallied around the need for a new bridge were shocked last month when they learned that the bid for construction – which is supposed to start later this summer – came in $2 million more than expected.
Arlington and the state Department of Transportation have committed to increasing their contributions, so with Marysville on board, all that’s left is persuading the state Transportation Improvement Board to kick in an extra $700,000.
And that’s much more likely now that all of the rest of the funding has been lined up, said Paul Richart, Arlington’s city engineer.
“That was a $2 million shortfall last month,” he said. “Thirty days later we’ve got a line on almost all of it. That tells you how critical this (bridge) is to the region.”
Still, Marysville’s decision didn’t come easily, as council members expressed frustration about Arlington not notifying the city earlier that there was a shortfall, and that the deadline for raising the money to cover the shortfall is so short. They went as far to say their relationship with Arlington could be harmed.
The bridge would take about two years to build.
Richart said the Transportation Improvement Board will make its decision July 23. Arlington – the lead agency on the project – must tell DOT whether all the funding needed is available by July 26, when the bid would expire.
If it does, the project would be delayed for at least two months. Going out to bid again would cost another $25,000 to $40,000.
“We’re going down to the wire,” Richart said.
The bid was off so much because prices for construction material including steel and concrete have increased, DOT officials said.
Although the city is short on cash, the Marysville council found a way to get the money. Arlington won’t bill the city until the end of next year or in early 2006.
“We feel that area is where the economic development is going to be,” Marysville Mayor Dennis Kendall said. “We’re working hard to make sure the city is going to be able to grow.”
He said the city hopes that new businesses will be built in the area in the interim, raising taxes that would allow it to avoid dipping into reserves.
A second reason to pitch in, Kendall said, is Marysville expects to annex the Lakewood area west of I-5, and the main access point is 172nd Street NE.
Richart said improved access is even more crucial to Arlington, saying restrictions on growth could be put in place if the road isn’t improved.
Arlington is chipping in $700,000 for the new bridge, DOT $1.2 million and the Transportation Improvement Board $3 million – $3.7 million if it approves the $700,000 request.
The project would replace the two-lane 172nd Street NE bridge with one that is six lanes. Later, when more funding becomes available, a new cloverleaf ramp would be built, intersections would be widened and a park-and-ride would be built.
Reporter Cathy Logg contributed to this report.
Reporter Lukas Velush: 425-339-3449 or lvelush@heraldnet.com.
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