Stimulus News You Can Use is one way WSDOT is working to keep transportation stakeholders updated on the fast-moving effort to put people to work and improve the state’s infrastructure. Each edition will have information on project delivery and highlights. Sign up to receive stimulus news e-mail updates. Visit the Newsletter Archive for earlier editions.

This week's stimulus snapshot

• Four more local projects complete
• Three cable median barrier projects complete
• Three state and local projects awarded
• Key April dates
• Useful Recovery Act web links
• Stimulus data table update

Four local Recovery Act highway projects completed – Local governments in Whatcom, Snohomish, and Grant counties reported completing four stimulus projects. To date, 45% of stimulus highway projects (95 of 209) have been completed, including 21 state and 74 local projects.

• Edmonds – Annual Overlay
• Everett – Holly Drive Non-Motorized Improvements
• Grant County – Bridge #244 Road 3 NE
• Blaine – Boblett Street

Three cable median barrier projects completed and one awarded – WSDOT completed one contract totaling three projects that installed cable median barriers on SR 18, I-90, and I-5 in the Nisqually area and I-5 in the Bellingham area on March 31. A project installing cable median barrier on US 395 between Wandermere to Half Moon Road was awarded on April 1.

WSDOT awarded a Tier 3 project in Whitman County – The US 195/Idaho State Line to Colton – Paving project was awarded to Poe Asphalt Paving Inc. The project received almost $3.2 million in Recovery Act funds that were not needed for earlier stimulus projects due to favorable bids. Work is expected to begin later during the 2010 construction season.

Two additional local Recovery Act projects awarded – Two local governments awarded Recovery Act projects receiving Federal Highway Administration Recovery Act funds. The Port of Pasco awarded its Intermodal Rail Project Phase 5 on March 12. Clark County awarded its Arterial Overlay project on March 30.

Reporting is underway for the third OMB Quarterly Report – States and local governments receiving stimulus funds will submit detailed quarterly Recovery Act accountability reports to the White House Office of Management and Budget by April 10. Recipients of federal funds will report employment and financial data for stimulus grants and contracts, including highway, aviation, transit, and ferries projects. On April 30, data in the reports will be published on the federal stimulus website www.Recovery.gov. 

Highlight of the week

Construction begins on the largest Recovery Act project in the Yakima Valley

Construction crews begin work on a project designed to solve nagging congestion at one of Yakima County’s most significant transportation chokepoints, the I-82 Valley Mall Boulevard interchange.

WSDOT and the contractor, Apollo Inc. of Kennewick, are starting construction on the $34.3 million project. Contractor crews will reconfigure the Valley Mall Boulevard interchange to provide better, more direct access to and from I-82 and North Rudkin Road, and improve connections to the interstate for both Union Gap and Yakima. Three new roundabouts will circulate traffic more safely and efficiently through this congested area.

This is the largest Recovery Act highway project in the Yakima Valley and WSDOT estimates this project will provide 140 direct and indirect jobs.

“This project will be a great improvement for the cities of Union Gap and Yakima because we are relieving traffic congestion, improving safety, and encouraging economic growth and development,” said Don Whitehouse, WSDOT Regional Administrator. 

Key April dates

April 10: Third quarterly performance report due to OMB
April 20: Next performance report due to House T & I Committee
April 20: House T & I Subcommittee holds next Recovery Act hearing
April 30: Stimulus data to be published to www.Recovery.gov


Websites of interest

WSDOT ARRA website: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/funding/stimulus
Washington recovery website: http:///
Federal recovery website: http:///
FHWA recovery website: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/economicrecovery/index.htm
Federal Transit Administration recovery website: www.fta.dot.gov/recovery
Federal Rail Administration recovery website: http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/2153
Federal Aviation Administration recovery website: http://www.faa.gov/recovery
OMB recovery website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/recovery_default/

This week by the numbers (project dollars in millions)