With the state Legislature wrapping up the 2019-21 biennium capital and transportation budgets last month, all Eastside cities will see state funding for local projects and numerous transportation projects throughout the coming years.
While portions of state funding on the Eastside will be allocated to specific projects within particular cities, the bulk of the funds focus on region-wide improvements to interstate corridors and projects that will impact Eastsiders as a whole. The state’s $5 billion capital budget for the upcoming biennium will allocate more about $760 million in King County alone, and the nearly $10 billion transportation budget allocates more than $1.5 billion within the county.
Eastside cities, in total, will see about $128.7 million in new appropriations for capital projects and more than $775 million for transportation projects.
The Snoqualmie Valley
Cities within the Snoqualmie Valley will see a variety of state investment in capital projects, with more than $18.7 million in new appropriations, and straightforward transportation investments entirely allocated to major highway projects in the area.
The largest portion of capital project funding will go to Echo Glen as $12.2 million is split between the Echo Glen Children’s Center and housing units. The remaining funding will be allocated among numerous projects throughout the valley, including $1.5 million for Encompass Northwest, $500,000 for the Snoqualmie Early Learning Center, $412,000 for the Snoqualmie Valley Youth Activities Center in North Bend, $250,000 for the South Fork Snoqualmie Levee Setback Project in North Bend, $229,000 for the Northwest Railway Museum, $320,000 for the Raging River State Forest trail system expansion, $2.6 million to fund the Mount Si Natural Resources Conservation Area, and $634,000 for the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Access Development project.
State transportation budget funding is split between I-90 and SR 18 improvements within the Valley. A total of $88.1 million will be allocated between the SR 18 widening from Issaquah-Hobart Road to Raging River, the I-90 interchange with SR 18, a fiber extension from High Point to SR 18, a technology install at the I-90 and SR 18 interchange and improvements along the Snoqualmie Pass Eastbound corridor.
Issaquah
Issaquah residents have a relatively large chunk of state funding for their region with $3.4 million in new appropriations for capital projects and $65 million for transportation projects within the city.
Capital funding breaks down to $3 million for the Issaquah Opportunity Center, $113,000 for interactive education enhancements at the Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery and $325,000 for the Tiger Mountain State Forest view shelter and trail connections.
A majority of state transportation funding will be allocated to I-90 improvements with more than $61.6 million going to the stretch from Eastgate to state Route 900. The remaining funds break down to $1.5 million for Issaquah-Fall City Road improvements, enhanced turning capacity at state Route 900 and 12th Avenue Northwest and $840,000 for a fiber extension between High Point and state Route 18.
Locals can also see state funding in regional projects including nearly $9 million for the SR 18 widening from Issaquah-Hobart Road to Raging River; $73.5 million for the I-90 and SR 18 interchange improvement project; and $220,000 for a regional vanpool program among other regional transportation and highway projects.
Redmond
The state capital and transportation budgets allocated more than $623 million to projects relevant to Redmond residents, but only about $12 million of that will be used outside of major highway improvements and within the city itself.
Redmond will receive $1.4 million from the capital budget in new appropriations; $400,000 will be used along Willows Creek for fish barrier removal and the remaining $1 million will go to the Redmond Pool.
Transportation funding has a majority of the impact on Redmond with more than $10 million benefiting improvements within the city. The state transportation budget allocated $800,000 for the Redmond Ridge Northeast roundabout; $656,000 for King County Metro speed and reliability improvement along Route 245; $50,000 for a regional bike share program, which includes Redmond; $1.1 million for pedestrian safety improvements within the city; and $8.1 million for the 40th Street trail grade separation.
The remaining funds will be allocated between major highway improvements and maintenance including I-405, SR 520 and I-90.
Bellevue
Bellevue projects will receive more than $11.5 million in newly appropriated state funding for capital projects. Outside of regional highway improvements, the state allocated another $21.8 million in transportation project funding within the city.
Bellevue will see $46,000 go to Bellevue’s HERO House; more than $2 million to the Grand Connection Downtown Park Gateway project; $2.8 million to the Bellevue Center for Transdisciplinary Learning and Innovation; more than $3.8 million to Bellevue College; $325,000 to the Wilburton Park Synthetic Sports Field renovation project; $816,000 to the KidsQuest Children’s Museum; and $1.6 million to the International Community Health Services Bellevue Clinic renovation project.
The transportation budget allocated $5 million for the I-90 widening from I-405 to Southeast 8th Street; $2.5 million for the Wilburton Trestle Railway; $5 million for the Wilburton reconnection project; $500,000 for Bellevue’s advancement of transit demand management strategies; $8 million for the Mountains to Sound Greenway project within the 41st and 48th legislative districts; $50,000 for a regional bike share program; $100,000 for regional Park and Ride improvements; and $656,000 for improvements to King County Metro’s Route 245.
Locals will see another $556.6 million invested across regional highway improvements and projects along I-90, I-405 and SR 520.
Mercer Island
Mercer Island has a small peice of the pie — about $700,000 in funding will be used within the city, less than a percentage point of the county’s total funding — but Islanders will see far more state dollars at work in Eastside-wide projects to be funded this biennium.
Primarily, state legislators allocated $500,000 of new appropriations to the Island. The funding will be used for the Island’s Aubrey Davis Park Trail Upgrade along with $15,000 from the transportation budget to be used for the park’s master plan.
The state transportation budget will allocate funds to numerous projects throughout the Eastside and several that will impact Islanders. Interstate 90 projects relevant to the Island and the 41st Legislative District will see about $455 million in relevant project funding.
Specifically, the I-90 interchange with eastbound East Mercer Way will receive $200,000; the Interstate 405 and Interstate 90 interchange will receive $5 million; and the I-405 interchange with 44th will see $210,000 for gateway signage and green-scaping improvements in transportation budget funding throughout the biennium. The transportation budget will allocate remaining funds to larger I-90 and I-405 projects that impact the region, including braided ramps, interchange improvements, corridor widening, express toll lanes and King County Metro.
Kirkland
Kirkland locals will see the state capital budget invest a little more than $9 million of new appropriations within the city, mostly for repairs and maintenance at the Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech). LWTech will receive $7.6 million while Friends of Youth will receive $210,000 in state funds.
The city itself will benefit by more than $1 million with $750,000 of state capital funds going toward intersection improvements along Juanita Drive and $537,000 to make key sidewalk repairs throughout Kirkland.
As Kirkland sits in the center of the I-405 corridor, many locals will potentially see nearly one-third of King County’s state transportation budget allotment with $496.7 million in investment relevant to the city. The bulk of it will be the I-405 widening which soaks up about $384.4 million in state funding.
Remaining state funds will go toward projects throughout Kirkland, including $1.2 million for I-405 widening specific to Kirkland; $54 million for the Northeast 132nd interchange project; $19 million for right of way and design improvements to the SR 520 and 124th Street interchange; more than $28.8 million for the last of SR 520 bridge replacement project; $500,000 for King County Metro service improvements within Kirkland; $100,000 for efficiency and access improvements to Park and Ride locations; $544 for repair work along SR 520; and $8 million for the Mountains to Sound Greenway project within the 41st and 48th legislative districts.
Bothell
The state house and senate’s capital budget compromise, finalized on April 28, will allocate a significant amount of funds within Bothell, more than $83 million in new appropriations, primarily to fund the University of Washington Bothell which will receive nearly $79 million of those funds.
The remaining funds will benefit Bothell itself, including: $1.5 million to the downtown revitalization; $500,000 to the Northshore Senior Center Rehabilitation Project; $1 million to Cascadia College; $2.9 million for ecology cleanup remedies; $1 million for the non-motorized bridge at the Park at Bothell Landing; and $350,000 for the Evergreen Playfield Turf Conversion.
Despite major investments from the state capital budget, Bothell will see little from the transportation budget. State Route 522 will receive $325,000 for projects near or within the city that will make multi-modal improvements from Interstate 5 to Interstate 405 and add lanes from the Snohomish River Bridge to U.S. Route 2.
Bothell locals will also see state funding in transportation projects throughout the region. The transportation budget will allocate more than $151 million to projects along the I-405 and state Route 522 corridors within the 1st Legislative District, including capacity improvement from I-405 to I-5 along SR 522; I-405 widening; I-405 interchange improvements; SR 522 ramp meters at the Fales-Echo Lake Road interchange; and SR 522 widening at the Paradise Lake Road interchange.
Kenmore
The city of Kenmore will see a little more than $1 million in new appropriations from the state capital budget with most of it going toward recreation and conservation. Throughout the Biennium, the state will allocate $500,000 to the Squire’s Landing Park’s waterfront and open space access, $151,000 to Kenmore’s Twin Springs Park project, and $405,000 to Log Boom Park’s waterfront access and nature viewing area.
The state’s transportation budget will allocate about $12 million to projects to the Eastside’s I-405 corridor. The primary recipient is the Sammamish River Bridge project with $11 million in state funding.
The state will send $250,000 in funds to improve SR 522 within the city and $31,000 to improve the entire corridor.
