December 17, 2009

Adams County faces road plan funding delays

By Jennifer Larsen

News editor

The Adams County Commissioners unanimously approved the 2010-2015 Six Year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) during the morning session on Dec. 7.

Adams County Assistant Public Works Director Scott Yaeger presented the TIP with an explanation that this year’s program differs from those in previous years because funds in years 2011 to 2015 are pending and may be delayed by the funding agencies.

For more than three weeks, the Adams County Public Works Department has been in a state of uncertainty about planned construction projects due to funding changes at the state and federal levels.

The Surface Transportation Program-Rural (STP(R)) allocates federal funds for rural highway improvements.

The Washington State DOT Highways and Local Programs (H&LP) distributes the STP(R) funding annually for the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) to the counties by region.

The Rural Arterial Program (RAP) is financed via the Rural Arterial Trust Account (RATA) reconstruction of rural arterial roads.

A portion of the Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax funds RAP.

The Washington State County Road Administration Board (CRAB) distributes funding from the RATA account to counties within five regions in the state.

Funding is secured through RAP for the Danekas Road No. 1 and No. 2 projects as well as the Lind-Hatton Road project, but Yaeger explained, “It’s just a matter of when they’re paid out.”

The Danekas Road No. 1 will receive federal funding through STP(R) in addition to the RAP funding.

Yaeger also noted that STP(R) funding is secured for the Booker Road project once the project agreements are approved by Federal Highways Administration (FHWA).

As in past years, funding for bridge replacement from the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Bridge Replacement Advisory Committee is unsure.

After a detailed description of priority ranking changes and funding streams, the commissioners unanimously approved the six-year program.

The TIP includes 12 projects in order by priority ranking, with funding secured for only three projects:

• Priority No. 1 – Reconstruct by grading, draining and resurfacing Danekas Road No. 1 from Schoessler Road to Klein Road, 2.55 miles, in 2010 with STP(R) and RAP funds.

• Priority No. 3 – Reconstruct by grinding, grading, widening, replacing drainage and resurfacing Lind-Hatton Road Project No. 4 from Phillips to milepost 12.08, 4.75 miles.

The county is currently in contract with CRAB but won’t receive payment until 2013 for the Lind-Hatton Project No. 4.

The county plans to bank the costs of preliminary engineering and looks to accelerate funding from 2013 to 2012.

• Priority No. 4 – Grinding, widening, replacing drainage and resurfacing Danekas Road No. 2 from Klein Road to Interstate 90, 3.57 miles, 2013 with RAP funding;

Projects with funds pending are:

• Priority No. 2 – Shoulder widening, installing guardrail, extending drainage and resurfacing Booker Road from Foley Road to Providence Road, 3.98 miles, preliminary engineerinig in 2010 and construction in 2011 with STP(R) funding;

• Priority No. 5 – Overlay one mile of existing surface on Hills Road with two inches of hot mix asphalt and BST from Danekas Road to the Lincoln County line, one mile, 2013, with STP(R) funds;

• Priority No. 6 – Replace McManamon Road Bridge to conform to roadway and bridge standards as well as realign the approach roadway, 2013;

• Priority No. 7 – Replacing Klemmer Bridge to conform to roadway and bridge standards, 2014;

• Priority No. 8 – Grinding, widening, replacing drainage and resurfacing Rosenoff Road No. 1 from Fox Road to Moody Road, 2.90 miles, 2014, with STP(R) funds;

• Priority No. 9 – Replace Gottlieb Hille Bridge to conform to roadway and bridge standards, 2015;

• Priority No. 10 – Replace Hooper Store Bridge, which is a secondary bridge for overflow of the Palouse River, to conform to roadway and bridge standards, 2015;

• Priority No. 11 – Reconstruct Rosenoff Road No. 2 by grinding, grading, widening, replacing drainage structure, replace bridge #184-1 and resurfacing from Moody Road to Deal Road, 2.13 miles, 2015 with RAP funds.

• Priority No. 12 – Reconstruct Johnson Road by grinding, grading, widening, replacing drainage and resurfacing from Franklin County line to S.R. 26, 3.99 miles, 2015 with RAP funding.