Talk about not taking no for an answer.
When the traffic bottleneck on the 172nd Street NE bridge over I-5 fell off the list of state projects to be funded by the nickel gas tax increase, officials and business owners in the Smokey Point area got mad.
Then they got busy.
Within weeks of getting the bad news, the Marysville-Arlington Transportation Relief Action Plan took shape, aiming to fund an emergency alternative that would cost $6.5 million, far less than the $30 million envisioned by the state to rebuild the interchange.
Word came Monday that the state Transportation Improvement Board has awarded a $3 million grant, putting the project over the top. In about two years, the current two-lane chokepoint will be a six-lane bridge with two left-turn lanes onto southbound I-5.
In just six months, a determined group of community leaders succeeded in making a difference. They were encouraged by the state Department of Transportation, which told them the state would build the alternative if they could find the money. U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen lobbied for $2 million from the House, and Sen. Patty Murray, the ranking Democrat on the Senate transportation appropriations subcommittee, got that figure improved to $3 million. Official approval of the federal money is pending, but is expected.
Contributions also came from the cities of Arlington and Marysville, and state DOT and the Tulalip Tribes.
The long-term solution for this interchange remains one that incorporates at least one cloverleaf ramp, allowing westbound vehicles to merge onto the freeway toward Everett without crossing in front of other traffic. This alternative, however, buys valuable time until more funding becomes available.
The project will come not a moment too soon for Smokey Point. The daily backups at the interchange were wasteful and potentially dangerous — emergency vehicles simply can’t get through at peak times. It also created an economic chokepoint, keeping development and economic growth at bay in the area.
Tax-cutting initiatives and the sour economy have put a serious strain on local budgets, and local leaders must find ever more creative ways to deal with that reality. The public/private effort to widen the 172nd Street bridge stands as a testament to what can be accomplished with determination, creativity and strategic collaboration. It shows how private interests, encouraged and supported by public officials, can form a powerful force that truly makes a difference.
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