Town receives $746K for street and sidewalk improvements
Friday November 16, 2012 the Town of Friday Harbor received notification from the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) that it had been awarded two street and sidewalk improvement grants in the total amount of $746,030.
The projects funded through this competitive grant process include a reconstruction of Blair Street between Guard and Park (in front of the High School and Middle School) and a curb and sidewalk connectivity project on Mullis Street between Market and Spring Streets. The Mullis project will complete a sidewalk connection to the new visitor’s center being constructed at the Port of Friday Harbor Airport.
“This is very exciting news” said Town Mayor Carrie Lacher. “The Blair Street project was at the top of our Six Year Transportation Improvement Program and will solve some problems that we have dealt with for a number of years.” The Town is required to provide a match for both projects. The Blair Street project has an estimated price tag of $728,000 of which the TIB will contribute $607,880. The remaining $120,000 will be contributed by the Town, San Juan Island School District and a private developer.
The Mullis Street Sidewalk project will include construction of curbs, gutters, sidewalk and a storm water connection and will cost approximately $153,500. Of that, TIB will pay $138,150. This proposal will piggy-back on a project approved by the Port of Friday Harbor and the Town in the summer of 2012 that called for construction of a sidewalk from the Airport to about Market Street. “We are so pleased that the Town was able to secure the funding to finish the sidewalk all the way to Spring Street” said the Port’s Executive Director Marilyn O’Connor. “This is what we envisioned when we put the Visitor’s Center concept together.”
The TIB is a Washington State Agency responsible for managing State investments in quality local transportation projects. The TIB’s grant program is funded by 3 cents per gallon of the State’s fuel tax. The TIB announces successful grant recipients each November and requires that local jurisdictions maintain a match to fund each project.
For any questions or additional information please contact Duncan Wilson, Friday Harbor Town Administrator at 360-378-2810 or at duncanw@fridayharbor.org .