Public Works staff presented three transportation grant awards to the council and described locations and planned work. Carla Maloney, design engineering manager, said the National Highway System Asset Management Program awarded $6,641,000 to preserve West James Street between Washington Avenue North and Central Avenue North, funding pavement repairs, sidewalk repairs, curb-ramp upgrades and accessible pedestrian signal upgrades; construction was anticipated to begin in January 2027.
David Payne, state transportation planner with Public Works, described two additional awards: a $3,000,000 WSDOT federal grant to construct a roundabout at the intersection of 60 Fourth Avenue South and South 230 Sixth Street (including enhanced marked crosswalks, conversion to one lane each direction and bike lanes per the Transportation Master Plan), and a $2,500,000 Federal Highway Administration regional grant for the final Meet Me On Meeker segment from the interurban crossing to Sixth Avenue South, which would include single travel lanes, two-way bike lanes and a promenade; construction for Meet Me On Meeker was scheduled for 2028.
Councilmember Fincher moved to accept the West James Street grant, the 60 Fourth Avenue roundabout grant and the Meet Me On Meeker grant; the motions were seconded and approved by voice vote. Council members and staff emphasized the grants reduced local capital burden and thanked the public works team for grant-writing and coordination work.