Date:  Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Contact: Meghan Soptich, WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4704 (Seattle)
Dave Lindberg, WSDOT Project Engineer, 425-814-7104 (Redmond)

MONROE – WSDOT staff, local officials and Lakeside Industries crews today celebrated the start of construction on the first of Snohomish County’s state and local highway projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“The goal of the Recovery project is to put people to work on needed projects in our region,” said Lorena Eng, WSDOT regional administrator. “This project will help preserve a critical east-west route and is also an investment in our local communities.”

Crews are repaving about five miles of US 2 between Monroe and Sultan and updating striping and rumble strips. Once work is complete this fall, drivers will experience a smoother, safer driving surface on US 2. This $2.1 million preservation project will support an estimated 20 jobs.

"This stretch of road is in need of improvement and we are excited to see this project get started,” said Donnetta Walser, mayor of Monroe.

WSDOT staff was joined by Mayor Walser, Sultan Mayor Carolyn Eslick, Rep. Kirk Pearson, a representative from Rep. Rick Larsen's office, and Lakeside Industries staff at Lakeside’s Monroe plant.

“We are elated to be a part of the stimulus package here in Washington state,” said Gail Land, Monroe division manager for Lakeside Industries. “This project ensures that we can keep our longtime employees, and also hire several new workers.”

Crews completed initial pavement repair the first week of June and will begin grinding and repaving work in July. For more information about the project, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/us2/monroepaving.

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