SR 14 Pedestrian Tunnel
September5, 2009
issue of the WSDOT Express Lane.
Contractor crews across the state were hard at work all summer, improving highways and local roads alike.
WSDOT partners with cities, counties and other local organizations to secure funding for projects that develop and improve local communities. One such project was in the city of Washougal–the SR 14 Pedestrian Tunnel.
In early May, the city of Washougal’s contractor, Coffman Excavation, LLC of Oregon, began construction on a pedestrian tunnel underneath SR 14 to improve safety and connectivity between the
newlyreconstructed city core and the Columbia River waterfront. WSDOT partnered with the city to secure funding and provide support for the project.
“Any amount of money (small or large) goes a long way in a small town,” said Ken Hash, WSDOT Local Programs. “It’s projects like these that give a town its unique identity.”
Without funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), there was no guarantee this project would have been built. Likewise, several contractor crew members acknowledge that without this project there was no assurance they would be presently employed.
If this project didn’t exist, I’d probably be somewhere, but I wouldn’t be guaranteed a job or a paycheck,” said crew member and surveyor Kelly Brown. Another crew member, Rick Fox, said he was “laid off last winter and was brought back to work because of this project.”
Project Superintendent Kevin Light expressed enthusiasm about the project because “this project enabled us to continue working and bring employees back to work.” Additionally, Light was excited to be involved in the construction of a downtown feature that he believes will be an integral part of his town and family history. “I’m so excited about this project because my grandkids will actually be able to see something that their grandfather helped build.”
The SR 14 Pedestrian Tunnel project was an excellent reminder that transportation improvements go so much further than state highways– they can have a lasting effect on the health of communities. While ARRA funds provided work for many individuals, the funds also enabled the construction of projects that will endure long after the recession ends.