Public Works Board approves $2 million in emergency construction, $3.1 million in preconstruction grants and loans

Emergency funds will repair water, sewer and bridge projects in Pierce, Klickitat and Pend Oreille counties. Pre-construction loans and grants will support planning for six critical water projects across Washington. 

OLYMPIA, WA – The Washington State Public Works Board (PWB) recently approved $5.1 million in critical infrastructure projects in eight communities. Awards include $2 million in emergency construction projects and approximately $3.1 million in pre-construction funding.

The emergency construction projects will fund work in Klickitat, Pend Oreille and Pierce counties.

At its December 2023 business meeting, the PWB approved $1 million for emergency construction projects in Klickitat and Pend Oreille counties:

  • City of Bingen – $600,000 in emergency funding for the East Steuben Waterline Replacement project. This project will replace 900 linear feet of failed 2-inch steel pipe. The failed section of the pipeline is adjacent to a gas pipeline. The Washington State Department of Transportation will add a connection across State Route 14 as a part of an adjacent project, which will allow the city to cap and abandon a portion of the failed pipe.
  • City of Metaline Falls – $400,000 in emergency funding to stabilize an embankment of the Pend Oreille River under imminent threat that is immediately below a sewer lift station and associated sewer lines. If the lift station or sewer lines were to fail due to erosion, an excess of 30,000 gallons of raw sewage would spill into the salmon-bearing river.

At its January 2024 business meeting, the PWB approved another $1 million for an emergency construction project in Pierce County.

  • City of Tacoma – $1 million in emergency funding for the City of Tacoma to repair collision damage to the Hybelos Bridge. In October 2023, a tug towing a fuel barge hit and destroyed the west bridge fender. The piles and timbers were a complete loss, as were the fender and navigational lighting; all are critical components for bridge safety. The United States Coast Guard ordered the city to replace the damaged components as soon as possible to return to regulatory compliance. The PWB funding will return the bridge to compliance and return shipping traffic to normal upon the Coast Guard’s review of the completed project.

At its February business meeting, the PWB approved another $3.1 million for six pre-construction projects supporting domestic water and sanitary sewer system improvements in five counties. The purpose of the PWB Pre-Construction program is to accelerate a project’s readiness for the construction phase and assist in planning efforts. The conditionally awarded projects are as follows:

  • Chelan County
    • City of Wenatchee – $200,000 for Roosevelt Avenue Utility Improvements Planning
  • Clallam County
    • PUD #1 of Clallam County – $175,000 for Clallam Bay/Sekiu Phase 3 Water Infrastructure Upgrades
  • Franklin County
    • City of Pasco – $1 million for Butterfield Water Treatment Plan Improvements Project 1
  • Skagit County
    • City of Mount Vernon
      • $650,000 for the 2025 Comprehensive Sewer Plan Update
      • $750,000 for a combined sewer separation feasibility study
  • Wahkiakum County
    • PUD #1 of Wahkiakum County – $300,000 for the Puget Island Water System Preconstruction project

“Infrastructure is fundamental and the foundation of healthy, safe and vibrant communities,” said Board Chair Kathryn Gardow. “The Washington State Public Works Board is delighted to work with our communities and partner agencies to be a reliable and affordable source of funding and technical assistance to maintain the health of our state’s infrastructure systems. The Board is pleased to be able to fund these emergency awards quickly and in a timely manner. Pre-construction contracts are so important to jurisdictions to help them get ready to apply for construction funding.”

The PWB anticipates opening its next construction funding cycle in the spring of 2024 with approximately $148 million in available resources. The PWB offers funding for pre-construction and emergency construction projects on an ongoing basis until all available funds are exhausted.

For more information on Public Works Board programs and funding opportunities, visit pwb.wa.gov.

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