Thurston County details multiple road, bridge and trail projects; county to pay utility relocation costs for Marvin Road upgrade

Thurston County Public Works presented a package of capital projects on Jan. 7 and asked the Board of County Commissioners to authorize a series of contracts and procurement steps for 2025 construction.

Public Works asked the board to authorize a facility relocation agreement with Puget Sound Energy in the amount of $381,362 to relocate transmission poles needed for the Marvin Road Upgrade Phase 2 project. Staff explained the relocation is necessary because a major transmission pole now sits inside newly acquired right-of-way and shifting the pole requires moving additional poles outside the county—s right-of-way; because the facilities are off county right-of-way, the county must pay Puget Sound Energy to perform the relocations. Funding for that work will come from transportation impact fees.

Public Works also requested approval of a resolution calling for sealed bids for the Little Rock Road and 113th Avenue bridge and intersection improvements. The existing short-span bridge over Blooms Ditch dates to the 1920s and will be replaced with a 50-foot-long bridge. Staff estimated the construction cost at about $2.9 million and said the county had secured over $2 million in federal funding through the Surface Transportation Block Grant program; the remainder will come from transportation impact fees and the county road fund. In conjunction with the bridge project, staff asked the board to authorize a temporary closure at Blooms Ditch for up to a single 12-week period between July 1 and Oct. 1, 2025. Public Works said the section of Little Rock Road averages about 7,000 vehicles per day, and the required detour would add 12 to 15 minutes and 7.5 miles to trips. Staff said they will prepare a communication plan to notify residents, emergency responders and schools.

The board also heard a request to authorize the county to enter a local agency agreement and project prospectus with the Washington State Department of Transportation for the Mud Bay Road pavement preservation project. Public Works said Thurston County was awarded $3,000,000 in federal funding from the National Highway System Asset Management System to design and construct pavement preservation work on Mud Bay Hill, including ADA upgrades for sidewalks and ramps. Design work will be obligated this year with construction to follow in 2026.

Finally, commissioners were asked to authorize contract execution for the Gate-Belmore Trail Glacial Heritage Phase 1 project. Public Works reported the low responsive bid of $1,084,840 from R.L. Elliott Company of Renton, Washington. The first phase will pave approximately 2.7 miles of trail on a decommissioned railroad grade, build a 10-foot-wide trail and add a parking area with 21 stalls. Funding will come from REET 2 and park impact fees; work is scheduled to begin in spring.

Commissioners asked routine oversight and funding questions; staff said inspection and development services will provide oversight for private-development-constructed roundabouts and that transportation impact fees would fully cover the PSE relocation cost for Marvin Road.