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

• WSDOT awards a SR 14 project in Clark County 
• Bid opening planned for a Recovery Act project 
• Congressional committee holds hearing July 27 
• Important stimulus dates 
• Useful Recovery Act web links 
• Stimulus data table update
  
  

WSDOT awards a Recovery Act project on SR 14 in Clark County – Construction is expected to begin in late summer on a project to pave SR 14 between I-5 and SE 164th in Clark County. On July 13, WSDOT awarded the 8.5 mile project to Kerr Contractors of Woodburn, Oregon. The project will preserve and extend the life of a roadway that experienced ruts and cracks in the pavement following the increased use of snow plows, tire chains and trucks during last winter’s storms. The nearly $4 million project received $2.1 million in surplus stimulus funds due to low bids on earlier advertised Recovery Act projects.

Bid opening planned for a WSDOT Recovery Act project – On July 22, WSDOT is planning to open bids for the Recovery Act project to build new southbound lanes on the North Spokane Corridor between Francis Avenue and Farwell Road. The project received a stimulus-funded $35 million competitive Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant in February.

Congressional committee holds Recovery Act hearing July 27 – Chairman James Oberstar and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold the next oversight hearing on July 27. The hearing will be the latest opportunity for the committee to review national Recovery Act transportation and water infrastructure project delivery information. More information and the hearing webcast are available at the committee’s website.

Federal Transportation Blog highlights this week – Check the WSDOT Federal Issues blog for recent items on federal earmarks, transportation planning, federal energy legislation, accessible transportation, and the latest information on federal transportation funding reauthorization.

Highlight of the week

I-82 eastbound bridge demolished July 19 as part of Recovery Act interchange project

On July 19, contractor crews demolished the I-82 eastbound bridge as part of the I-82 Valley Mall Boulevard Interchange project in Yakima County. WSDOT is building a new, wider bridge as part of the stimulus-funded project.

The Valley Mall Boulevard interchange serves a growing retail and commercial area in Union Gap and southwest Yakima. The area is experiencing increasingly heavy traffic congestion, which begins with the limited capacity of the Valley Mall Interchange. The project, which risked being delayed six years before the Recovery Act funds were approved, is receiving more than $23 million to help complete the project. More information is available at the project website.


Important dates

July 22: Tentative bid opening date for North Spokane Corridor TIGER project
July 26: TIGER II pre-application deadline
July 27: Next T & I Committee Recovery Act progress report hearing
August 6: High-speed rail grant application deadline
August 11: Transit application deadline for TIGGER grants 
August 14: Ribbon cutting for Washougal SR 14 pedestrian tunnel project
August 23: Final TIGER II application deadline
September 30: Deadline for obligating Recovery Act highway funds
September 30: Deadline for next high-speed rail grants

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 Railroad 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)