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Engineer: TBD funds must fit state RCW parameters; best used to leverage grants with significant local match
Summary
Civil engineer Tom Hanson told the CAC that state law restricts TBD spending to safety, maintenance, travel‑time and mobility improvements and that embedding projects in county capital and transportation plans improves approval and grant readiness; he recommended holding 30–50% match to be competitive for grants.
Tom Hanson, a professional civil engineer and former public‑works director, walked the CAC through legal constraints and pragmatic steps for moving TBD ideas into funded projects.
"They also establish parameters of what the funds can be used for... It can be used for some other pet project. Otherwise, we're breaking state law and won't be allowed," Hanson said as he discussed statutory limits and the need to add projects to the county's capital facilities list or the six‑year Transportation Improvement Program before spending TBD funds.
Hanson urged the committee to use TBD monies strategically to secure larger state and federal grants, saying grant reviewers favor sponsors that can provide substantial match. "In my experience... you better have at least 30%, maybe 40%," he said, adding that projects should be well advanced in design to be competitive. He also recommended that the county public‑works department manage larger design and construction projects to ensure compliance with contracting rules and federal requirements where applicable.
