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.

The stimulus story this week

The WSDOT North Spokane Corridor TIGER project is planned for advertisement on March 22. Grays Harbor Transit held the ribbon cutting on its new transit facility on March 9. The facility construction and renovation project received $500,000 in Recovery Act funds. Work resumed this week on an I-5 concrete rehabilitation project near Stanwood. The FHWA website posted a new map of all highway Recovery Act projects nationwide.

This week by the numbers (project dollars in millions)

Key issues: State

North Spokane Corridor TIGER project prepares for advertisement – On March 22, WSDOT plans to advertise the US 395/NSC – Francis Ave. to Farwell Rd Southbound – New Alignment project, which received a $35 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant. This is one of two Washington State projects to receive a TIGER grant. The city of Seattle advertised the South Lake Union Mercer Corridor Improvements project on March 10, which received a $30 million TIGER grant. Both projects are planned to begin construction this year.

Work resumes on I-5 stimulus project near Stanwood – Crews resumed work on the stimulus-funded I-5/SR 532 vicinity to Starbird Rd vicinity – Concrete Rehabilitation project on March 15. The project was temporarily put on hold for the wetter, colder winter months. Now that spring is nearly here, crews will continue repairing broken concrete panels along six miles of southbound I-5, between Starbird Road in Skagit County and State Route 532 in Snohomish County. The project received $9.2 million in Recovery Act funds, and is scheduled for completion later this spring.

State and local governments prepare accountability reports – WSDOT is preparing to submit reports on Recovery Act project delivery progress and employment. The next update to the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is due on March 20. The next quarterly reports to the White House Office of Management and Budget and the Governor’s Office of Financial Management are due on April 10.

One local Recovery Act project advertised – The city of Vancouver advertised the contract for its Arterial Overlay project on March 4. The project providing pavement overlays on eight streets is receiving $2.5 million in Recovery Act funds.

Key issues: National

FHWA publishes new map of its 12,000 projects nationwide – The Federal Highway Administration website added a new online map with all of the national FHWA Recovery Act projects at its website. The agency reported on March 11 that it has obligated $26.6 billion to over 12,000 projects. Of those projects, more than 8,000 are under way, including 2,200 that are completed.

Federal Rail Administration officials addressed AASHTO’s Rail Committee on High Speed Rail – FRA Administrator Joe Szabo addressed the AASHTO Standing Committee on Rail Transportation (SCORT) on March 8, as the committee met for the first time since the Department of Transportation announced the $8 billion in Recovery Act High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail grants in January. The two-day session included meetings with congressional staff and a discussion about the status and development of the National Rail Plan with FRA Deputy Administrator Karen Rae. 

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee holds Recovery Act Hearing – On March 26, the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a progress report hearing on Recovery Act highway, transit, and wastewater investments. This will be the committee’s first hearing since the U.S. Department of Transportation announced all highway and transit funds were obligated earlier this month. 

WSDOT blog is following congressional deliberations over transportation funding – The WSDOT Federal Transportation Issues blog is providing updates on the federal transportation funding act’s reauthorization in Washington, D.C.

Highlight of the week

New Aberdeen Transit Station opens downtown

Members of the Aberdeen High School Marching Band laid down the beat for a mini-Michael Jackson clone in Downtown Aberdeen Tuesday, March 9, to celebrate a bigger and better Aberdeen Transit Station. The $1.75 million project received $500,000 in Recovery Act funds. The newly remodeled and expanded station is a sign of great things to come for this town, as well as WSDOT’s statewide mission to expand transit service and choices.

“(The new station) means the start of a whole, brand-new look for this town,” said Aberdeen Mayor Bill Simpson.

Grays Harbor Transit Board Chairman and County Commissioner Mike Wilson joined fellow county Commissioner Al Carter in cutting a ceremonial red ribbon in dedication to the new station.

“I think this is a great project that shows cooperation and dedication,” said WSDOT project manager David Chenaur. “This will be the cornerstone for the revitalization of Downtown Aberdeen.”

Outside the new covered passenger-waiting area, young Michael Jackson impersonator Cole Pearson of Aberdeen, who turns seven this weekend, paid tribute to his idol with a few of the late singer’s signature moves. The show seemed to warm the hearts of bundled onlookers who braved cold wind and light rain.

Work on the Aberdeen Transit Station began last summer, and the new facility opened in January. In addition to adding a new bus station structure, the project improved lighting and added security cameras, sidewalks, bike lockers and 35 park-and-ride spaces. It also improved traffic safety by rerouting buses to through signaled intersections. 

  

Important dates

March 20: Next performance report due to House T & I Committee 
March 22: Planned advertisement date for the North Spokane Corridor TIGER project
March 26: House T & I Committee holds next Recovery Act hearing
April 10: Third quarterly performance report due to OMB


Websites of interest

WSDOT ARRA website: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/funding/stimulus
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/