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

• Tiger II grant criteria announced 
• I-90 project near Lake Easton wrapping up 
• Two more local projects completed 
• Two WSDOT rumble strip projects completed in Eastern Washington 
• New GAO Recovery Act review released 
• Important stimulus dates 
• Useful Recovery Act web links 
• Stimulus data table update
  

Secretary LaHood announced the criteria for $600 million TIGER II grant program – On May 28, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood officially announced the criteria for the $600 million competitive grant program to fund discretionary transportation projects nationwide. The program designed to provide capital investment for major transportation projects was modeled after the $1.5 billion TIGER grants in the Recovery Act. State and local governments submitted nearly 1,400 applications for TIGER grants last year. Pre-applications are due July 16 and full applications are due August 23. WSDOT’s Federal Transportation Issues blog has more information and links on TIGER II.

Two more local Recovery Act highway projects completed –

• Sedro Woolley – Fruitdale/McGarigle Road
• Mukilteo/Snohomish County – Harbor Point Blvd

Two Eastern Region rumble strip projects completed – Crews completed work on two Eastern Region centerline rumble strip projects last month. On May 12, the projects on US 195 from Steptoe to SR 271 and on SR 902 from Medical Lake to I-90 were completed. WSDOT has now completed 17 of the 28 certified centerline rumble strip projects that received $3 million in Recovery Act funds. The project page has more information about the statewide program designed to reduced cross-over collisions. Vibrations alert drivers as they cross into oncoming traffic.

GAO released latest review of Recovery Act project delivery, recommends performance measures for stimulus benefits – The Government released the latest in its series of reports on Recovery Act implementation on May 26. The 344-page report is available at the GAO Recovery website. The review focused on the obligation of funding to projects and said that the distribution to economically disadvantaged areas was overstated. Among its recommendations, “GAO recommends that DOT determine the types of data, performance measures, and authority needed to collect data and report on whether these investments produced long-term benefits,” the report said. The report focused on a review of 16 states and the District of Columbia.

Highlight of the week

Improved I-90 lanes near Easton opened in time for Memorial Day

WSDOT and construction crews have finished replacing the deteriorated concrete pavement on westbound I-90 between Easton (milepost 70) and Nelson Siding Road (milepost 74) as part of $18.8 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-funded I-90 Lake Easton to Bullfrog project. All four lanes of I-90 are now open to traffic, just in time for Memorial Day weekend travel.

“We resumed work on the Lake Easton to Bullfrog project in early spring to complete the concrete replacement by Memorial Day weekend, which also kicks off the busy summertime travel season,” said Will Smith, Project Engineer. “WSDOT and our contractor crews worked nearly around the clock and through unseasonable weather, including a snowstorm in May, to get this work done. A combination of careful planning, hard work, and a break in the weather gave us a great window to complete the concrete work and meet our goal.”

WSDOT and its contractor Gary Merlino Construction Co. (Seattle) started construction on the eight-mile project in September 2009. Crews rehabilitated approximately five miles of deteriorating concrete of the right-hand lane and asphalt shoulders of westbound I-90 before winter began. Crews began construction on the final three project miles in March. This two-season project allowed WSDOT and crews to restore the structural integrity of the roadway, extend the service life of the pavement, and provide motorists with a smoother, quieter driving surface. The Lake Easton to Bullfrog project supported over 130 jobs at Gary Merlino and several other jobs at eight sub-contractors from across the Pacific Northwest.

“I know it hasn’t been easy for the public to plan extra time during their trips across the pass during the two seasons of this project,” said Smith. “I’d like to thank drivers, especially weekend drivers, of I-90 east of Snoqualmie Pass for their patience while we worked to strengthen and preserve this vital east-west transportation corridor.”

Crews still need to put the finishing touches on the project such as removing barrier, sealing joints, permanent striping and other basic safety features. The remaining upgrades should not impact traffic.

Important dates

June 4: FRA holds National Rail Plan meeting in Portland
July 10: Next performance report due to Office of Management and Budget
July 16: TIGER II pre-application deadline 
August 11: Transit application deadline for TIGGER grants 
August 23: Final TIGER II application deadline
September 30: Deadline for obligating Recovery Act highway funds

Websites of interest

WSDOT ARRA website: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/funding/stimulus
WSDOT Federal Transportation Issues blog: http://wsdotfederalfunding.blogspot.com
Washington recovery website: http://www.recovery.wa.gov/
Federal recovery website: http://www.recovery.gov/
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)