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Rep. Smith Secures Funding to Replace the Duwamish River Bridge Grid Deck

June 30, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) secured $2,000,000 as part of the INVEST in America Act for the Duwamish River Bridge grid deck replacement.

“The State Route 99 Duwamish River Bridge is a vital lifeline in the city of Seattle,” said Washington State Department of Transportation Secretary Roger Millar. “I appreciate Representative Smith’s support to invest in transportation infrastructure that is essential for a strong local economy while keeping our bridges and roadways safe and reliable. Our maintenance crews have worked tirelessly to keep the steel deck together, making emergency repairs to weld worn portions until panel replacements are funded. This much needed investment will help us keep this structure safe and reliable for the people who depend on it each day.”

This project will replace the Duwamish River Bridge grid deck, which has reached the end of service life. A typical bridge grid deck has 20 years of service life and this deck was built in 1996. The grid deck has many interim temporary repairs and deterioration is accelerating rapidly, increasing the need for costly emergency repairs. SR 99 is a T1 Freight route carrying 13.5 million tons of freight annually. Currently, the West Seattle Bridge is closed to traffic causing traffic to detour onto this structure, which is also adding to the acceleration of deterioration. Replacing the failing panels will provide a more solid driving surface with better skid resistance thereby reducing the potential of collisions. The project will also reduce or eliminate expensive emergency repairs which have detrimental impacts on freight mobility and safety in the corridor.

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Rep. Smith Secures Funding to Assist King Country Metro Achieve a 100% Zero-Emission Fleet by 2040

June 30, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) secured $3,000,000 as part of the INVEST in America Act for King County Metro’s South Campus Interim Base Electrification Project.

“Our work toward fully transforming King County Metro to a 100% zero-emission fleet by 2035 will take a big step forward with the construction of the electrical charging infrastructure at our South Campus base that Congressman Smith is helping to make possible,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “Once built, Metro will be able to maintain and operate 125 battery electric buses. This investment will help combat the global climate crisis and reduce local pollution. The new buses will serve riders in south King County, where residents are disproportionately affected by pollution.”

King County Metro at its South Campus in Tukwila is implementing the first phase of infrastructure improvements that will enable Metro to achieve its goal of a 100% zero-emission fleet by 2040. This work is occurring at the South Campus Interim Base facility where Metro is adding electrification infrastructure to operate and maintain up to 125 battery electric buses. The electrification work at these facilities includes the installation of necessary electrical infrastructure and charging equipment including transformers, switchgear, chargers, cabling, charging, and connectors. The facility is scheduled to be in operation by 2025.

The project will improve public health by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Metro Transit operations, helping King County and Washington State meet GHG reduction targets defined in King County’s Strategic Climate Action Plan and RCW 70.235.020 through deploying zero-emission fleet technologies.

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Rep. Smith Secures Funding for King County’s Eastrail Wilburton Critical Crossing

June 30, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) secured $1,680,000 as part of the INVEST in America Act for the Eastrail Wilburton Critical Crossing in King County.

“Our growing regional trail network benefits people, the economy, and our environment,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “I want to thank Congressman Smith for supporting this north-south regional trail from Renton through Bellevue’s Wilburton neighborhood, including connections to Sound Transit light rail, as well as investments in Eastrail – the 42-mile corridor that links Renton with Woodinville.”  

The Eastrail Wilburton Critical Crossing Project will develop a high-quality signalized crossing at a complex road crossing. The includes a new traffic signal to allow safe crossing of SE 1st Street in Bellevue. This crossing is a missing link that would connect already-funded segments of trail to the north and south and is anticipated to support public use rivaling that of any other trail segment in the regional trail system.  Once complete, this project would allow connection of the last gap in a continuous 12-mile section of the Eastrail trail—an uninterrupted 42-mile trail that will connect the eastside communities of Renton, Bellevue, Kirkland, Woodinville, Snohomish, and Redmond. The Eastrail trail is anticipated, once fully connected, to become the most heavily used trail in the regional trail system. 

Eastrail is a critical piece of the Puget Sound region's transportation strategy to increase multi-model options to help manage congestion and growth. This project is located in the Wilburton Area, a key area for redevelopment and growth near the City of Bellevue's downtown core, hospital district, light rail line, and the Bel-Red Corridor (a two-mile-long series of compact, mixed-use transit-accessible neighborhoods currently being developed). In addition to providing expanded options for recreation and commuting, the trail segment also connects to two Sound Transit light rail stations—the Wilburton Station and East Main Station in Bellevue—as well as the South Kirkland Park and Ride, offering convenient options for multi-modal transportation across the region.

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Rep. Smith Secures Funding for Bellevue Transit Center Safety and Connectivity Project

June 30, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) secured $1,000,000 as part of the INVEST in America Act for the Bellevue Transit Center Safety and Connectivity Project.

“On behalf of Bellevue residents and the City Council, I want to thank Congressman Smith for his role in the decision by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to allocate $1 million for the Bellevue Transit Center Safety and Connectivity Project,” said City of Bellevue Mayor Lynne Robinson. “With the transit center located across the street from the future light rail station in downtown Bellevue, creating a safe and seamless connection between them for people who walk, roll and bicycle is absolutely critical. This funding will help us do that and more. With rapid growth expected downtown, literally millions of transit riders each year will benefit from the investment. I whole-heartedly urge the full Congress to pass the infrastructure package of which this funding is a part.”

This project will reconstruct the intersections at both ends of the downtown Bellevue Transit Center and the new light rail station to improve safety and access for people walking, rolling, and bicycling.

This project is urgently needed before light rail service begins in Bellevue in 2023 to accommodate anticipated growth and facilitate safe, convenient, and accessible transfers between bus and light rail services. It increases safety for people walking, rolling and bicycling, supporting Bellevue’s Vision Zero strategy and goal to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injury collisions.

The project promotes public transit by facilitating convenient and accessible transfers between modes. This will maximize public benefit from the region’s $3.7 billion investment in the East Link light rail system and the region’s transit system. When complete, the project will provide a seamless bike and pedestrian connection between the downtown Bellevue light rail station and Bellevue Transit Center that are separated by 110th Avenue NE, the most active bicycle and pedestrian corridor in the City.

The project will support planned growth in downtown Bellevue as employers add 25,000 new jobs by 2025. Overall, this project will cultivate vibrant pedestrian environments that connect employees to local restaurants, retail, transit, entertainment, and other essential services.

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Rep. Smith Secures Funding for Complete Street Improvements on the Puyallup Avenue Corridor

June 30, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) secured $2,000,000 as part of the INVEST in America Act for the Puyallup Avenue Transit/Complete Street Improvements Project in the City of Tacoma.

“The Puyallup Avenue corridor improvements in Tacoma will bring this segment of crucial infrastructure into the 21st century,” said City of Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards. “Our plan to renovate the roadway to accommodate multi-modal transportation, mass transit, and heavy haul traffic all in one facility will help facilitate transit-oriented development near Tacoma Dome Station, while also addressing freight needs serving the Port of Tacoma. The City of Tacoma is excited to see our project included in this important legislation and we thank Congressman Smith for being our champion.”

This project would reconstruct 1.2 miles of Puyallup Avenue from S. C Street to Portland Avenue, to include heavy haul asphalt and concrete pavement, new signals, bicycle facilities, sidewalks/curb ramps, crosswalks, lighting, and other complete street elements. As this project supports one of the largest Transit Oriented Districts in the State, it will include Tacoma’s first HOV/Transit lane running eastbound from Pacific Avenue to Portland Avenue.

The Tacoma Dome Transit Station, located on Puyallup Avenue, provides connections with Sound Transit (Express buses, Tacoma LINK Light Rail, the Sounder Express train, and the future light rail to Sea-Tac airport, Pierce Transit, Greyhound, Intercity Transit, and Amtrak). Project improvements will support access to these local, regional, and nationwide services.

The project will provide defined and planned multi-modal access across the corridor. This includes providing bicycle facilities and bicycle signals where there are none today, widened sidewalks, improved ADA access, pedestrian scale lighting, and improved pedestrian movement at both signalized and uncontrolled and mid-block crossings. These facilities will tie into local and regional facilities that serve the city, Port of Tacoma, and multi-county trail systems.

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