PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles City Council has accepted $3.4 million in grant funding to plan and design four different city trail segments.
The Puget Sound to Pacific Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant, which does not require a match, will provide $1.2 million for study and design of the Race Street complete street phase 2 from Eighth Street to Front Street; $600,000 for study of the Race Street complete street phase 3 from Front Street to the Olympic Discovery Trail; $600,000 for study of adding a connection within the Gales Addition area to the Olympic Discovery Trail; and $1 million for study of waterfront trail renovations and sustainability from Marine Drive to Morse Creek.
The funding also will be used to hire a temporary full-time civil/utility engineer and an engineering technician for the projects.
Mike Healy, the director of public works and utilities, said the city plans to hire an engineer who reflects the community and not just a “cookie-cutter design out of a design firm.”
“This is a project that will have lasting impacts for generations on our community, and I’m just thrilled that we’re going to impart local designers and local input so that it reflects who and what we want it to be,” he said.
Although the grant is solely to be used for the planning and design of these four projects, Mayor Kate Dexter said it will give the city “a stack of shovel-ready projects” that will allow them to apply for grants for construction for the projects.
“Your chance of getting construction funding increases exponentially when the feds already have skin in the game in the design process,” Healy said.
Port Angeles was the lead applicant for the grant.
It applied with Bainbridge Island, Forks, Port Townsend, Poulsbo, Sequim, Clallam County, Jefferson County, Kitsap County, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, Port of Port Townsend, the Quileute Tribe and the state Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
Together, the jurisdictions were awarded $16.13 million for the planning and design of 33 different components addressing about 100 miles of trail gaps, community connections and safety improvements between Bainbridge Island and La Push.
Although Port Angeles was the lead applicant and coordinator, the city negotiated for WSDOT to take the lead on this project.
“They saved us the task of having to hire at least two additional staff just to handle the submittals and the bills and all that from the various agencies under this grant,” Healy said.
WSDOT also is coordinating the grant for free, which means the 10 percent administration fee that Port Angeles would have had to charge to the different agencies will be waived.
“That puts 10 percent more into each of their project buckets,” Healy said.
The grant funds must be used by 2032.
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Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.
