Kent city officials want funds to repair Green River levees as part of the city’s wish list of public-works projects that could become part of President-elect Obama’s economic-stimulus package over the next couple of years.
“Obama wants to send money to the states for infrastructure projects right away, to get shovels in the ground and people to work right away,” said Michelle Witham, city community and public affairs manager.
Congress and Obama have yet to determine the criteria for which projects will be selected. Obama, Congress and state leaders are expected to work out a plan in early 2009.
The multifaceted-economic plan would cost between $675 billion and $775 billion, according to Obama’s advisors. Obama wants to create as many as 2.5 million jobs across the nation, as a way to bolster the country’s sagging economy.
City officials submitted a list of 29 projects in early December to the state’s congressional delegation, local state legislators and an array of state officials, to be considered as part of any stimulus package lawmakers may be mulling. Funds are expected to be channeled from Congress to the states to the cities, towns or counties where projects will be built.
“How they will decide the list is up in the air as well as how the state will determine what is funded,” said Witham, who helped compile the project list. “But we wanted to be ready when and if they determine the criteria. We’re curious to see how it all goes.”
With so many jurisdictions seeking funds, there’s a chance Kent might not get any.
But there are plenty of public-works projects in the city that would create jobs.
City officials rank repairs to the Horseshoe Bend levee where Central Avenue crosses the Green River south of downtown Kent as a high priority.
“The amount of business and life at risk if the levee fails is a lot,” Witham said. “It’s a big deal should those levees fail.”
The levee helps protect 40 million square feet of warehouse space, 1,800 businesses, State Highway 167 and two railroad lines.
City officials estimate it would cost $33 million to repair the levee. The city wants $13 million from the federal government’s stimulus package and will use local matching funds for the rest of the cost. The project would create 200 jobs.
“We’re asking the Legislature for $10 million for the levee,” Witham said about the city’s separate list of priorities for the 2009 legislative session. “But Gov. (Christine) Gregoire did not include that money in her proposed budget. We figured it would be right for the stimulus package.”
The federal or state government leaders could pick projects to be funded based on how soon work could begin. Kent’s project list is broken out as to whether work could start in four months, four to six months, six to eight months or eight to 12 months.
Other projects on the city list include widening East Valley Highway to five lanes with sidewalks between South 212th Street and Highway 167; repairs to the Russell Road levee on the Green River; construction of a new city public works and parks maintenance operations center on the East Hill; new play equipment for Lake Meridian Park; and grade separation of State Route 516 (Willis Street) and the Union Pacific railroad tracks.
“We’re just anxiously waiting to see what we can do and who (with the state) will administer it,” Witham said.
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