State needs more funds for SR 509 extension to Kent

Even though the state Legislature passed a $16 billion statewide transportation package in 2015 – including funds to extend State Route 509 from SeaTac to Kent at Interstate 5 – the 509 project needs more money.

The 11.9 percent per gallon jump in the state gas tax will cover about $1.6 billion of the $1.9 billion project to extend SR 509 nearly 6 miles between Kent and SeaTac and to extend State Route 167 about 6 miles between Puyallup and Tacoma in an effort to improve connections between freight corridors as well as urban centers, according to state Department of Transportation (DOT) documents.

But the state’s counting on the remaining $310 million for the two highway projects to be covered by toll lanes ($180 million) and local contributions ($130 million), including an estimated $3 million from the city of Kent.

Craig Stone, state DOT program administrator for what’s known as the Puget Sound Gateway project, updated the Kent City Council about the SR 509 and 167 extensions during a Tuesday night workshop.

Construction on the highway extensions isn’t expected to start until 2020 or 2021 and not open for traffic until 2025 or 2026, which includes just phase one on SR 509 between I-5 and 24th Avenue South in SeaTac to provide airport access, Stone said. The second phase to extend SR 509 to South 188th Street in SeaTac, where the highway currently ends, wouldn’t be completed until about 2030.

Stone told the council anywhere the project goes inside city limits – those jurisdictions could be expected to help pay for the highway expansions. That list includes Kent, Des Moines, SeaTac, Fife, Puyallup, the Port of Seattle and the Port of Tacoma.

“There was identified (in state committee discussions about SR 509) about $10 million in local contributions from the local jurisdictions,” Stone said about the $60 million needed for the highway. “Not defined as to who or what that share might be. … One proposal was $30 million from the port, $10 million from local jurisdictions, $10 million from federal (grants) and $10 million from the private business, chamber types. How that all plays out is all part of the conversation.”

The state’s request for money from the cities didn’t go over too well with the council.

“One of my frustrations with this is Kent has been extremely supportive of this project for a lot of years,” Councilwoman Dana Ralph said. “Our Veterans Drive extension has been in anticipation of those connections, we have a done a significant amount of work. But I’ve yet to come across any sort of document or anyone who has memory of us committing to whatever this portion of the local match is. … None of us (Des Moines, SeaTac, Kent) have buckets of public works money overflowing for this project.”

Council President Bill Boyce told Stone it won’t be easy for cities to find that kind of money.

“We will make this thing work but most cities are hurting for money already and to try to give back to the state is going to be a huge challenge – an opportunity I should say – to work through it,” Boyce said.

Boyce asked Stone about whether more money could come from tolls. Stone said the proposal would toll all lanes of the extensions, but the state is limited about how much it can charge drivers along SR 509 or 167 because there are alternate routes drivers could take to avoid the toll.

The Legislature also must approve tolling for either highway section. Stone said bills are expected to be proposed in the 2019 session to have tolls when the new highway extensions open.

Kent’s Veterans Drive (previously South 231st Way) would connect to SR 509 and I-5 under the plan. Negotiations continue between the state, city and Poulsbo RV whether that business might need to relocate from Military Road South right near I-5. State officials also have yet to determine which type of interchange it might construct at Veterans Drive and SR 516 for I-5 connections.

For more information about the project, go to wsdot.wa.gov/projects/i5/sr509freightcongestionrelief.