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

• Three local highway projects completed 
• New project certification published 
• TIGER project bids opened, to be re-advertised in June
• New round of transit grants planned 
• WSDOT plans environmental study for Point Defiance rail project
• Important stimulus dates 
• Useful Recovery Act web links 
• Stimulus data table update
  

Three more local Recovery Act projects completed –

• Castle Rock – Riverfront Trail
• Mountlake Terrace – 52nd Street Reconstruction
• Mount Vernon – LaVenture/Anderson Extension

Update: TIGER North Spokane Corridor project to be readvertised –WSDOT will re-advertise the contract for the North Spokane Corridor TIGER Project in early June. The Federal Highway Administration has concurred with WSDOT to re-advertise based on ambiguity in the contract documents. Some of the contract requirements were interpreted differently by contractors, especially the “Buy American Certification.” Therefore, all four contractor bids received on the project have been rejected. The project to add southbound lanes on a 3.7 mile stretch of the North Spokane Corridor between Frances Avenue and Farwell Road received a $35 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant on February 17. Construction is still expected to start in summer 2010 with completion in late 2011 or possibly early 2012. See the project webpage for more information.

Latest certification reflects favorable bid climate – Governor Gregoire certified changes to 12 project budgets on May 5 that will make $896,194 available for other projects. The largest changes included $450,000 reduced from WSDOT’s US 195/Idaho State Line to Colton – Paving project and $221,194 reduced from Anacortes’ 6th Street Reconstruction project due to favorable bids. Surplus Recovery Act funds can pay for existing or additional Recovery Act projects and must be obligated by September 30, 2010.

FTA prepares for second round of TIGGER grants – Following the $100 million Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction) TIGGER grant program in the Recovery Act, the Federal Transit Administration is planning $75 million in new grants this year for transit agencies. The grants are designed to reduce transit energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Three Washington transit agencies (Community Transit, Link Transit, and C-Tran) received more than $5.9 million in TIGGER grants last year. The WSDOT Federal Transportation Issues blog has more information.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released latest project delivery rankings – Washington ranked 15th nationwide for percent of Recovery Act funds out to bid, under contract and under way on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s latest rankings released May 5. The committee’s website also provides the latest report on Recovery Act progress and state data by funding program.

Highlight of the week

WSDOT announces plan to review environmental studies for Point Defiance high speed rail project

WSDOT this week announced it will conduct a project level Environmental Assessment (EA) of the $91 million Point Defiance Bypass project, working closely with other agency and community stakeholders.

To ensure meaningful engagement and to maintain steady progress on the project, WSDOT has invited key stakeholders and municipalities within the project area to be part of an advisory team that will provide input and review of the updated studies specifically focusing on potential traffic impacts. WSDOT will also seek public comment during the EA process.

The Point Defiance Bypass Project reroutes passenger trains to an existing rail line along the west side of I-5 through south Tacoma, Lakewood, and DuPont. Currently, passenger trains share the freight route along the coastline around Point Defiance. The completed project will result in more frequent and reliable passenger rail service between Seattle and Portland and free up the congested freight rail line, ultimately improving access to Washington ports and business.

Earlier this year, WSDOT received $590 million in High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail grant funding to accomplish a series of passenger rail service improvements along the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor. The grant funding was part of $8 billion made available through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The passenger rail grants are administered by the Federal Railroad Administration.

“While we are fortunate to have been awarded Recovery Act funding to expand Amtrak Cascades passenger rail service between Seattle and Portland, it is important that we achieve that goal in cooperation with the cities and local communities along the corridor,” said Paula Hammond, Washington Transportation Secretary. “We will all benefit from a deliberate, thorough and transparent process.”

Important dates

May 20: Next performance report due to House T & I Committee
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
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)