Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Preservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cities and counties urge state action after December storms; local agencies request design and preservation funding
Summary
City and county representatives told the Senate Transportation Committee that local preservation backlogs and December storm damage strain small budgets. The Association of Washington Cities, TIB and county officials described preliminary damage estimates, program shortfalls and a request for supplemental design funding for a new CRAB local‑roads grant program.
City and county officials told the Senate Transportation Committee on Jan. 15 that local preservation needs and storm recovery are stretching municipal budgets and that state support is critical to keep roads and bridges safe.
Steven Ellis of the Association of Washington Cities said cities maintain roughly 36,000 lane miles and that preservation and maintenance funding was the top priority for 87% of cities surveyed. He said many small cities operate with transportation budgets under $500,000 annually and that state and federal funds cover only part of local needs; AWC is working with the Joint Transportation Committee on an updated study of city funding priorities that is expected to report in September.
Ashley Probert, Executive Director of the Transportation Improvement Board, described TIB programs that support small cities, noting TIB awarded about $150 million in grants in November and that targeted small‑city maintenance and arterial preservation programs have improved pavement conditions when sustained funding is available.
A county panel led by Axel Swanson (County Engineers Association) and Kelly Snyder (Snohomish County public works director) described storm impacts: Snyder said the December flood inundated an estimated 56 square miles at the storm’s peak, prompted more than 100 road closures and produced 27 damage sites in Snohomish County alone. Snyder gave engineer estimates for specific repairs (for example, roughly $700,000 at one washed‑out section and about $200,000 at another) and said the county is seeking federal funding and preparing design and longer‑term repairs.
Jane Wall of the County Road Administration Board urged sustained programmatic approaches for county and local roads and requested $2.2 million in supplemental funding in this session to provide one‑time design grants and to staff the new local‑roads grant program that will start in the 2027 biennium.
What’s next: Local agencies requested supplemental funds and technical support. Agencies said they will continue compiling damage estimates and seek federal and state reimbursement where eligible; the Joint Transportation Committee will finalize its study this year.
