PORT ANGELES — Federal money would cover nearly all of the costs of 10 public works projects in Clallam County if a few local public entities are awarded a new, large stimulus grant in 2010.
The U.S. Department of Transportation is offering $1.5 billion in grants, called Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program — or TIGER program — for projects that improve highways or bridges, public transit, passenger and freight rail or port infrastructure.
The grants will be awarded only for proposals that involve at least $20 million in projects, which is why staff members of the city of Port Angeles, Port of Port Angeles and Clallam County are talking about combining as many of their eligible projects as they can into one proposal.
So far, that number is between $20 million and $25 million, said Port Angeles City Manager Kent Myers on Thursday.
The three public entities have until Sept. 15 to submit their proposal. The grants will be awarded no later than February.
“We’re trying to combine this with improvements for freight traffic going through Port Angeles to the harbor,” Myers said.
“It would be a major shot in the arm. We’re very hopeful that we can receive the funding.”
Most for city, port
The bulk of the funding would go to Port Angeles and the port, which have $19 million worth of projects that would be in the proposal.
The one eligible project for the county is an overpass over U.S. Highway 101 at Deer Park Road.
County Public Works Director Craig Jacobs said the grant would cover about $3 million of the $7.5 million project. Federal stimulus money has already contributed $871,416 for the project.
Construction will take place in 2010 or 2011.
Jacobs said none of the county’s other capital projects are eligible for the grant.
“We can’t throw in an overlay of a rural access road in that kind of scenario,” he said, referring to the requirements.
Port Angeles
If approved, Port Angeles would get funding for several projects that have been in its capital facilities plan for more than six years.
That includes $1.5 million for designing a waterfront promenade, which has been in the plan since 2003; $605,000 for street improvements to the intersection at Lauridsen Boulevard and Laurel Street, which was added to the plan in 1999; and $2.75 million in improvements to the intersection of Tumwater Truck Route and U.S. Highway 101, added in 1999.
Without the grant, the city may not fund any street or facility improvements next year because of budget constraints.
The six other projects proposed by Port Angeles have been added to its capital facilities plan in the last two years.
They are adding bicycle lanes on Race Street, constructing a pedestrian overpass at Marine Drive and Tumwater Street, upgrading the ferry terminal, rebuilding streets downtown, widening the Lauridsen Boulevard bridge and creating informational nodes at First, Front and Race streets.
Port projects
The port’s projects that would be in the proposal also include ferry terminal upgrades and a pedestrian overpass on Marine Drive. Without a grant, they would be co-funded by the Port Angeles and the port.
The ferry terminal upgrades alone are estimated to cost $9 million. Without a grant, Black Ball Ferry Line Inc. would contribute $2 million to that project.
“For sure, we want to take the opportunity to get whatever money that we can,” said port Commissioner Jim McEntire.
Port Angeles has $2.8 million worth of street projects planned by the end of summer that are partly funded by about $861,000 in state grants and federal stimulus money.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
