OLYMPIA — The $8.9 billion 2023-2025 capital budget being considered by state lawmakers includes $94.7 million for 21 projects in Jefferson County.
The requests were submitted by the state departments of Commerce, Corrections, Fish and Wildlife and Natural Resources; the Recreation and Conservation Office, which includes the state Wildlife Recreation Program focusing on farmland preservation, natural areas and fish-barrier removal; and the Washington State Historical Society.
The project list is at fiscal.wa.gov. Go to Latest Budget Proposals and click House Capital then click Interactive Data Reports.
Here are the proposals.
• $72.6 million: Duckabush Estuary habitat restoration and includes salmon restoration funding.
• $3.35 million: Devils Lake, for trust land transfers.
• $3 million: Expansion of Jefferson Healthcare hospital reproductive and gynecological health services. Project will be on the main campus and is part of a modernization and expansion effort to provide larger clinical areas and more procedural and surgery services, hospital spokesperson Amy Yaley said. Project completion slated for 2025. Second-highest allocation in the Department of Commerce’s Local and Community Projects’ list of requests.
• $2 million: Upper Quinault River Restoration Project, to complete a $6 million project.
• $2.77 million: Fort Worden Public Development Authority, fire alarm system modifications and upgrades, $3.3 million needed for future projected costs for $6.1 million project.
• $1.6 million: Naylors Creek culvert replacement, Chimacum.
• $1.54 million: Owl Creek Restoration Project Phase 2 south of the Hot Rainforest Visitor Center.
• $1.3 million: Olympic Discovery Trail Anderson Lake extension.
• $1.14 million: Hoh River Resiliency-Linder Complex Reach, for restoration of coastal lands and waters.
• $1 million: Fort Worden, geothermal heating, to complete the project.
• $985,000: Quimper Wildlife Corridor additions.
• $750,000: Quilcene farmland preservation.
• $700,000: Replace 48-foot culvert on water tower road at Olympic Corrections Center.
• $643,000: Dabob Bay Natural Area public access project on the north end of the Hood Canal.
• $300,000: Port Townsend Maritime Visitor Center and site interpretation.
• $256,000: Winfield Creek and Elk Creek Restoration Project Phase 1. Both are Hot River tributaries south of Forks.
• $250,000: Salmon Creek Ruck Acquisition to provide public access in the Discovery Bay Area.
• $200,000: Shale Creek concrete bridge repair, south of the Clearwater River.
• $173,000: Port Townsend Library, for public rest-room renovation in the historic area and to replace 14 windows, according to Manager-Librarian Keith Derrock. Completion planned by 2024.
• $144,000: Port Townsend Recyclery nonprofit bike shop, infrastructure, bathroom and shop improvement project.
________
Compiled by Legislative Reporter Paul Gottlieb.
