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Council approves $660,000 from traffic-safety fund to close funding gap for 40th Place roundabout
Summary
The Lake Forest Park City Council voted unanimously to use traffic-safety funds to cover a $660,000 shortfall on the 40th Place roundabout project so the project can be advertised and taken to bid; lawmakers and staff will continue to seek a legislative allocation that could reimburse the city.
The Lake Forest Park City Council voted unanimously Jan. 29 to authorize use of the city's traffic-safety fund to cover a $660,000 gap in funding for the planned 40th Place roundabout, allowing staff to proceed toward advertisement and bidding.
City Administrator Phil Hill told the council the project budget currently stands at $7,028,000 and is funded through a mix of Transportation Improvement Board grants, a WSDOT legislative allocation, city transportation capital funds, and a $2 million Public Works Board loan. Hill said Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) contingency support is not guaranteed and staff therefore recommended using traffic-safety funds as a backstop so the project can move forward rather than risk losing other contingency funds.
Councilors discussed timing and fiscal safeguards. Members asked staff to ensure the project is fully funded before advertisement and to re-evaluate if bids come in above current estimates. Councilmember Goldman said he supported using the traffic-safety fund now to secure bidding, with a commitment to revisit the project if bids exceed $7,028,000.
Motion and vote: Council moved, seconded and approved a motion to use traffic-safety fund O2 to fill the $660,000 gap for the roundabout project. Council recorded the action as approved unanimously; staff said the city will continue pursuing a potential $700,000 legislative allocation that, if secured, would remove the need to draw on the traffic-safety fund.
Why it matters: Council and staff described the roundabout as a pedestrian-safety and traffic-calming investment that will improve crossing and circulation near the town center. Staff estimated the traffic-safety fund had roughly $417,000–$440,000 available from recent citation-related revenues and noted ongoing receipts will continue to add to that balance; council agreed the traffic-safety fund is an appropriate restricted source for the purpose. Members stressed they want staff to present fully funded math before formal advertisement.
Ending: With the funding action the project team may move toward bidding. Council also instructed staff to continue legislative outreach and to return with confirmed funding details before bidding if additional shortfalls appear.
