Snoqualmie could benefit from economic stimulus package
December 16, 2008
By Michael Rowe
The city of Snoqualmie hopes it will get a late Christmas present this year in the form of funding from a proposed economic stimulus package.
President elect Barack Obama supports a plan to put billions of dollars into the nation’s infrastructure, and some of this money might find it’s way to Snoqualmie. The exact dollar figures for the stimulus package have not been determined, but most estimates start at $250 billion and go up from there.
Both the United States Conference of Mayors and the Washington State Governor’s office are collecting information on infrastructure improvement projects and preparing to submit them to the new administration for funding.
The type of projects being funded, are ones that are “shovel ready.” These are projects that can go to construction in a short of amount of time. The Conference of Mayors requires that projects be ready for construction within 90 days of approval. The Governor’s office is asking for projects that could be ready in 120 to 180 days. Interim public works director Rob Lobdell said that there are mixed signals as to which projects will be submitted for stimulus package funding, but that Snoqualmie will be on both the Governor’s list and the list prepared by the Conference of Mayors.
“If there is going to be a stimulus, we’re going to be on the list,” Lobdell said.
The interim public works director was surprised that more Washington cities were not scrambling for stimulus funds. When the first list was prepared, Seattle and Lake Wood were the only Washington cities to present projects for funding. Lobdell said the last time he looked there were only eight or nine Washington cities on the Conference of Mayors list.
The top priority for Snoqualmie is to get funding for a roundabout and street improvements at the intersection of State Highway 202 and Tokul Road. The project is estimated at $5.8 million.
Lobdell said that the Tokul Road intersection project was a priority because the intersection was dangerous and inefficient. There is poor visibility at the intersection and heavy traffic from a nearby quarry. Trucks coming from the quarry often wait at the intersection to turn onto Highway 202, and allowing for easier turns would be better on the environment by reducing idling times, Lobdell said.
The city has identified approximately 16 million in projects, including the Tokul Road intersection, that are close enough to being construction ready to be eligible for stimulus funds. These projects include: replacing two bridges on Meadowbrook Way; improving four city railroad crossings; elevating two sewer lift stations above the flood plain; renovating of the 599 Reservoir; upgrading two booster pump stations; upgrading the Johnson Heights water system; and upgrading several water mains in the city.
“If we receive funding for all of these, that would open us up for doing a lot more projects. Otherwise these projects just have to wait,” said Lobdell.
According to Lobdell, infrastructure improvement projects have the potential of putting a variety of people to work, from engineers to laborers.
Reach reporter Michael Bayless Rowe at mrowe@snovalleystar.com or 425-392-6434 Ext. 248.
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The Miami mayor acts like on AC 360 he does know what’s all in the package they want for towns ,states he had not read it all but still wants this package anyway!!! How can people continue to ELECT people who don’t know all the facts of what they want to spend our money on,ON. That’s whYYYY we are in the DAmn mess we are in noWW! No body cares of this waste,till it all collapses. I once spoke to a two N.C Legislators one in person,one rep.Secretary on the Phone, They say -both of them our REPS vote on stuff they don’t ever read they don’t have time to before it’s voted on. Is this reckless or WHAT? Sure it’s reckless Rich ole boy’s don’t care about BLUE collar money ! America -NC we all need to elect more blue collar SPAM eating AMERICANS before our light’s are turned off. My years working in governmet-law enforcement I have seen how money is spent. If you all knew you would elect more blue collar people who will read any bill put before me . I know how hard money comes. WAke up neighbors. Lot’s love to you my fellow blue collar folks! Yes , I eat SPAM….!!!!!!