The City of Kenmore has been awarded nearly $28 million in funding by multiple statewide and federal agencies toward replacing the West Sammamish River Bridge.
Those agencies include the Transportation Improvement Board, Puget Sound Regional Council and the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Most recently in November, the city secured $6.9 million in grant funds from TIB, with the project receiving the highest amount of funding among 28 other projects across Washington. The city will provide about $3.76 million toward the completion of this project as identified in its Capital Improvement Program.
According to a City of Kenmore press release, the project is currently in the design phase (60 percent complete) and construction is estimated to start in spring 2019, subject to permitting from various state and federal agencies as well as a favorable bidding climate.
The revenue sources for matching funds are listed below.
Kenmore local funds: $3.76 million
Connecting Washington (state): $8 million
Bridge Advisory Committee (federal): $12 million
Surface Transportation Program (federal): $1.06 million
Transportation Improvement Board (state) $6.9 million
The total comes to $31.73 million.
The project will replace the West Sammamish River Bridge, which is the southbound structure over the Sammamish River along 68th Avenue Northeast. This is the city’s only Sammamish River crossing and the bridge carries more than 14,000 cars per day, according to the release. A bridge inspection in 2012 revealed critical changes in the bridge condition, including cracks in the concrete structure, settlement and significant loss of soil around the piers. Bridge weight restrictions went into effect in March 2014.
“The Sammamish River Bridge is very frequently used by all modes of transportation as it connects the southern half of the city to the north half and also provides connections to downtown Kenmore and to the regional Burke Gilman Trail,” Kenmore Mayor David Baker said in the release. “It is essential that we improve this significant connector and make it more accessible to all road users. In addition to improving the travel lanes, increased bicycle and foot activity in the region calls for the inclusion of a wide, separated pathway.”
The proposed project will replace the existing two-lane bridge with a new two-lane bridge, add a mixed-use bicycle and pedestrian path on the west side of the bridge and project budget permitting, add a new sidewalk along the east side of 68th Avenue Northeast.
According to the release, work includes demolition and construction of the west bridge, construction of retaining walls, roadway work tying the new bridge into the 68th Avenue Northeast/Juanita Drive Northeast roadways, lighting, stormwater improvements, extending and improving bicycle facilities, and if the project budget permits, upgrading signals, undergrounding utilities and restoration/improvements to the east bridge.
During construction, the city will maintain two lanes in each direction across the Sammamish River when possible, the release states. However, there will be times when one or two lanes of traffic will need to be closed to accommodate construction. There will also be periodic closures of the river and under the bridge during construction. The city will host an open house in late 2018/early 2019 to discuss construction and what to expect.
For more information about the project, www.kenmorewa.gov/
