Lake Stevens council authorizes application for $3.6 million loan to replace 36th Street bridge

The Lake Stevens City Council on July 14 authorized the mayor to sign an applicant certification to apply for a $3,600,000 Public Works Trust Fund construction loan for replacement of the 36th Street Northeast bridge.

Shannon Front, environmental programs manager in Public Works, told the council the existing timber bridge is a roughly 19-foot span over Catherine Creek that has been deteriorating for years and has been reduced to a single lane to prevent further damage. Front said the proposed replacement is a concrete bridge of about a 100-foot span designed to span the channel migration zone, accommodate the 100-year flow and allow the city to realign the stream toward its natural channel. "This new proposed bridge is actually going to be about a 100 foot span," Front said, adding the new crossing would include an 8-foot sidewalk to improve pedestrian access where none exists today.

Front said the project is currently in design, with 90% plans expected by the end of summer and permit submittals anticipated this month to allow construction next year during the in‑water work window. The construction funding request would be for approximately $3,600,000; staff noted the Public Works Trust Fund loan terms discussed were a 20-year repayment period and an interest rate near 2.3%. Finance Director Lindsey Vaughn told council that Public Works Trust Fund loans are typically workable for cities and that standard practices allow discussion of contract terms and amendments after an award.

Council members asked technical questions about sidewalk placement, lane widths and why the new span must be that length. Front said hydraulic modeling and guidance for water crossings drove the span selection to provide sufficient freeboard and to accommodate channel migration. One council member noted the bridge has been down to one lane for about two years and emphasized public-safety concerns. Another member raised concern about committing to a 20-year loan; in response the council was told the authorization on July 14 was only to apply for the loan, not to sign a final loan agreement, and that contract terms would come back to council if the loan is awarded. Front and staff also said repayment strategies could be considered in an upcoming surface-water utility rate study.

Council President Joerstad moved to authorize the mayor to sign the applicant certification; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. Staff will return with contract terms if the loan is awarded and expects to include repayment considerations in the rate-study work.

The council’s authorization enables staff to pursue construction funding; if the application is unsuccessful, Front said the city could face several more years before sufficient funding is identified for construction.