The city of Covington is one step closer to securing the funds necessary for its state Route 516 project.
The state Legislature recently passed a supplemental transportation-budget proposal that includes approximately $1.3 million in funding for projects along state Route 516 — also known as Kent-Kangley Road or Southeast 272nd Street — which runs east-west through Covington.
A reconstruction project between 156th Avenue Southeast and 160th Place Southeast from Southeast 260th Street to state Route 516 would get $380,00. Another $800,000 would pay for most of the right of way acquisition needed between Jenkins Creek and 185th Avenue Southeast, according to City Manager Derek Matheson. The total cost for right of way acquisition would be $1.1 million.
Yet, the city still needs further funding before the overall project will be able to get off the ground.
“It’s important to note that project is a $14.5 million project,” he said.
The city has already paid $2.3 million for renovation from Wax Road to Jenkins Creek which was completed last year. At its March 20 meeting the City Council approved funding for the $1.4 million design phase.
“This next project is significantly more expensive,” Matheson said. “Because it involves crossing Jenkins creek and a longer distance.”
Despite a hefty price tag for the project, Matheson said, he believes the government funding will help the city as it searches for other funding sources.
“It gets us almost to the point where we will have a project to shop to grant agencies for the big dollars necessary to build it,” he said. “It’s all funding dependent. The $800,000 will allows us to acquire most of the right of way. Then it’s just a waiting game to cobble the remaining funds to build it.”
Matheson stated that the project from Jenkins Creek to 185th Avenue Southeast will help widen the highway from three lanes to five lanes, put in underground utilities and improve drainage, in addition to other renovations.
The project funding was included in Covington’s legislative agenda, which Matheson said received assistance from their legislative representatives of the 47th District.
“It’s a key point that while this is a city project to widen and improve state route 516 it is a state highway,” he said. “So I think that it’s reasonable that the state would fund a portion of the project. The reason is that we have excellent legislators who communicate with us regularly and want us to help serve a common residents.”
In a press release, state Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn, stated that he sought to get funding for Covington projects, as well as other transportation projects in South King County, without raising taxes. The supplemental budget that was passed does not include a general tax increase.
“We need additional investment in our roads and infrastructure but now is a dangerous time to burden families and businesses with new taxes while we emerge from a recession,” Fain said in the release.
Fain is a member of the Senate Transportation Committee.
