THE CITY OF BATTLE GROUND will receive $7.7 million from the $16.1 billion transportation package recently passed by the state legislature. The funds will allow the city to complete its 502/503 Congestion Relief Project, which includes the removal of the existing traffic signal at SR-502 and Northwest 12th Avenue.
BATTLE GROUND – When state of Washington lawmakers approved the $16.1 billion transportation package earlier this month, officials in the city of Battle Ground likely let out a collective sigh of relief.
The city had a lot riding on the approval of the transportation package, which seemingly couldn’t have worked out better for Battle Ground, which is scheduled to receive $7.7 million in funding to complete its 502/503 Congestion Relief Project.
“This has been a four-year fight to make sure our project was funded,’’ said Battle Ground City Manager John Williams. “It’s been an uphill battle.’’
Williams said city officials have been on a rollercoaster ride, hearing first their funding was a part of the package, then hearing it was off and that uncertainty continued through right up until the final days of the state legislature’s 176-day marathon.
“We were on the phone making calls every day right up to the end,’’ Williams said.
The transportation package is a 16-year plan for the state, which means if Battle Ground had not received the funding this time around, it wouldn’t get another chance for funding for at least another 16 years. In addition to that, the city’s $7.7 million was scheduled to be dispersed in the first three bienniums of the plan so city officials won’t have to wait very long to begin work on their targeted projects.
Battle Ground will receive $1 million in the 2015-17 biennium, $3.8 million in 2017-19 and $2.9 million in 2019-21.
“Both myself and members of the (City) Council are very pleased to be funded in the first three bienniums in a 16-year program,’’ Williams said. “That is a big plus for us.’’
Williams credited Sen. Ann Rivers (R-La Center, 18th District) with doing a lot of the heavy lifting. Rivers was the only lawmaker from the 17th and 18th districts to vote in favor of the transportation package, which included a record 11.9 cents a gallon gas for tax state residents.
“We received a significant amount of help from Sen. Ann Rivers, who has been a champion for the city on a couple of different items recently,’’ Williams said.
Another significant element of the funding Battle Ground will receive from the transportation package is that it will free up other revenue sources to be used on other much needed projects around the city.
For example, the city recently formed a Transportation Benefit District (TBD) and the TBD board members approved a $20 fee on vehicle license tabs in the city. The estimated $239,000 that will be raised annually can be used on road maintenance or other projects.
“We’re sitting on about $500,000 in annual deferred maintenance right now,’’ Williams said of Battle Ground’s road woes. “We can leverage our money differently now and that will allow us access to other grant programs as well as address other infrastructure needs.’’
Earlier this year, the city announced that it had received a state Transportation Improvement Board grant worth over $3.9 million to cover 85 percent of the South Parkway project. Battle Ground will contribute about $760,000 to that project, which is expected to be done in 2016.
“The previous plan and design for the street had expired so we had to re-submit for permits,’’ Williams said. “We anticipate the rest of the design work and permits to be done this year and it will be a 2016 construction season project.’’
The 502/503 Congestion Relief Project is actually a series of projects that are included in Battle Ground’s 20-year plan. It will include the removal of the existing traffic signal at SR-502 (West Main Street) and Northwest 12th Avenue and the Northwest 5th Street project, both on the west side of SR-503 (north of Fred Meyer) and the connector between SR-503 and Northwest 5th Street that would be extended across the northern boundary of the Battle Ground High School to North Parkway Avenue. There are many other improvements and infrastructure associated with those plans that are included in the overall project as well.
Williams said the initial $1 million disbursement will likely be used to connect Northwest 5th Street with SR-503 (north of Fred Meyer) and to remove the signal at NW 12th Avenue and some other enhancements.
The second disbursement, of $3.8 million, will likely be used for turn lanes at SR-502/503, including a right-of-way acquisition. In the third biennium, the city would use the final $2.9 million to address Northwest 1st Street and Southwest 1st Way improvements as well as the Northwest 5th Street (between SR-503 and North Parkway) connector through the Battle Ground High School property.
“We are in the process of putting together a plan based on the engineer’s estimates and costs to the different components,’’ Williams said.
