The Battle Ground City Council on Tuesday, Feb. 17, unanimously approved a slate of federal funding requests, adopting its 2026 federal legislative agenda to set the city’s priorities for lobbying in Washington, D.C.
The approved agenda includes four major project requests totaling more than $10 million in federal support: improvements to Eaton Boulevard; public safety technology upgrades for the police department; downtown revitalization work; and wastewater transmission planning.
The largest single request seeks $4 million for the Eaton Boulevard Improvement Project, which would reconstruct Southwest Eaton Boulevard between Southwest 20th Avenue and state Route 503. The corridor includes some of the city’s highest crash locations and does not meet current minor arterial standards.
The project would add a center turn lane, separated bike lanes and sidewalks, a traffic signal at Southwest 20th Avenue and additional turn lanes at the intersection with state Route 503. Federal dollars would help cover construction costs and build on more than $3.5 million already committed from state and local sources.
The city has identified the Eaton project as a long-term priority. The total estimated cost is about $14 million, with a significant funding gap still to be closed before construction can begin. According to the city’s website, should the city receive enough funding to fill the gap, construction could begin in early 2027 and last about a year.
Councilors also approved a $680,940 request for public safety technology through the U.S. Department of Justice COPS program. The funding would allow the Battle Ground Police Department to replace aging and unreliable equipment, including 55 radios, 15 mobile data terminals and 14 dash cameras.
City officials have said recent “near misses” during emergency calls, including a bomb threat, commercial fire and domestic violence incident, highlight the need for updated systems. The new equipment is intended to reduce risk to officers and the public during high-pressure situations.
For downtown, the council approved a $3 million federal request to launch construction of the city’s Main Street Revitalization Project. The funding would complement $1 million from the state for undergrounding utility lines along East Main Street.
Planning and design work for the project is complete. Proposed improvements include wider sidewalks, expanded parking, underground utilities and street widening. The effort would also extend to Fairground Park at the east end of Main Street, home to the Battle Ground Event Center, skatepark and ballfields.
Part of the revitalization project’s mission is to improve walkability, accessibility and overall economic vitality in Battle Ground’s downtown area.
The council also approved a $3 million request for the design and engineering phase of a wastewater transmission project. Currently, wastewater travels roughly nine miles through a 16-inch pipeline to the Salmon Creek Treatment Plant, a line expected to reach capacity within the next several years.
City leaders and regional partners are evaluating alternatives to address future capacity needs. Officials have said the project is critical to supporting economic development and growth in the Battle Ground area.
By adopting the 2026 federal legislative agenda, the council formally authorized staff and its federal lobbyists to pursue the listed projects in the upcoming federal budget cycle.
According to Tuesday’s agenda, the city expects to secure $1 million from the state for the downtown revitalization project. Washington’s legislative session continues through March 12.
