It’s been a good year for grant writers at Tacoma City Hall.

In recent months, the City of Tacoma has been awarded 16 grants totaling just over $31 million to pay for a variety of infrastructure projects. Among the projects to receive big-dollar grants: nearly $20 million to replace a large section of the Puyallup River Bridge; $3 million to repair the bridge deck on the Union Avenue Viaduct; $1.88 million to repair the Schuster Parkway Bridge; $1.5 million to upgrade the city’s infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians; and nearly $1.3 million to upgrade signs and pavement markings at traffic signals at various intersections citywide.

“The City has aggressively applied for grants for numerous infrastructure projects,” wrote Tacoma Public Works engineer Chris Larson in an April 19 memo. “The projects are scheduled for design and construction during the next few years.”

Tacoma City Council is expected to vote next month on a resolution authorizing the City to accept the grants (UPDATE: The item appears on the agenda for Tues., May 14). Until then, City staff provided a list of the projects, grant awards, and background information. That information follows below.

PROJECT: South Mildred Street from S. 12th Street to S. 19th St. GRANT: $942,792 via Federal Highways Administration (FHWA). BACKGROUND INFORMATION: This project will replace the asphalt roadway with a concrete roadway on Mildred St. between S. 19th St. and S. 12th St. and revise associated storm drainage. It will also convert the roadway from five lanes to three lanes, add a buffered bicycle lane in each direction, and alternate between a two-way left turn lane and a raised landscaped median in the center of the roadway. A crosswalk with pedestrian-actuated flashing beacons and a median pedestrian refuge island will be installed at 1440 S. Mildred St. A median pedestrian refuge island will also be installed at the existing pedestrian signal at 1620 S. Mildred St.

PROJECT: South 25th Street Corridor Signal Improvements Project. GRANT: $251,097 via FHWA. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: This project will install Corridor Signal Improvements at S. 25th Street. In 2009, the FHWA granted the City $880,000 for these improvements. In 2013, the FHWA granted the City an additional $251,097 to close the funding gap in construction, which was due to unforeseen conditions.

PROJECT: Historic Water Ditch Trail III & IV. GRANT: $600,000 via FHWA. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The project will close a two-mile gap in the trail by constructing a trail/bicycle facility and a 6-foot-wide pedestrian sidewalk in existing City-owned right of way. The $600,000 granted by the FHWA and distributed by Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) under the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) is to conduct the preliminary engineering phase. A City match of $100,000 is required and it will be funded via Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) revenue.

PROJECT: S. 72nd / Hosmer at I-5 Ramp. GRANT: $340,000 via FHWA. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The project will construct a right turn lane from westbound S. 72nd Street to northbound I-5. The project does not require a local match.

PROJECT: Milwaukee Way (Lincoln Ave. to Marshall St.). GRANT: $750,000 via PSRC. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: This project will provide an asphalt overlay of the street on Milwaukee Way between Lincoln Avenue and Marshall Street. A local match of $117,000 will be provided from the Heavy Haul Corridor Fund.

PROJECT: Union Avenue Viaduct (Bridge). GRANT: $3 million via FHWA. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: This project will provide a cement concrete overlay to the Union Avenue Viaduct to repair the bridge deck surface. This project does not require a local match.

PROJECT: Schuster Parkway Bridge. GRANT: $1.88 million via FHWA. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: This project will provide a cement concrete overlay to the Schuster Parkway Bridge to repair the bridge deck surface. This project does not require a local match.

PROJECT: Puyallup River Bridge. GRANT: $12.2 million and $6.95 million via FHWA and PSRC. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The project will replace 950 feet of this 2,500-foot-long bridge with a new cable-stayed segment. The $12.2 million grant was obtained from FHWA and was distributed by the PSRC. This grant requires a local match of $1.9 million. This local match is provided by the Washington State Legislature grant. The $6,950,000 was a direct contribution of State funds by the Washington State Legislature.

PROJECT: Pacific Avenue Streetscape. GRANT: $800,000 via PSRC. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The project will create a complimentary streetscape between 7th and 17thh on Pacific Avenue to that just south of the site near the University of Washington Tacoma. Damaged structural walks will be replaced to improve pedestrian safety and bike ‘sharrows’ will be added to the street. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements will be completed as necessary (such as curb ramp installation and parking stalls). In addition to the sidewalk work, fourteen rain gardens will be constructed throughout the project to assist in treating storm runoff from Pacific Avenue prior to it entering the sensitive Thea Foss Waterway. The roadway will also be resurfaced and restriped.

PROJECT: Top 4 Bikeways. GRANT: $500,000 and $1 million via FHWA and PSRC. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: This project will install new pavement markings, signage, and asphalt and concrete pavements, curb and curb and gutter, and pedestrian flashing beacons associated with improvements to the City’s bicycle network and general pedestrian accessibility. The $500,000 granted by the FHWA and distributed by the PSRC under CMAQ is a construction-only grant. A City match of $78,415 is required and it will be funded via 2010 LTGO Bond. The $1 million granted by the FHWA and distributed by 2012 Transportation Community and System Preservation Program is a construction-only grant. A City match of $135,000 is required and it will be funded via REET revenue.

PROJECT: Citywide Safety Improvements. GRANT: $500,000 and $794,950 via FHWA. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: This project will upgrade signs and pavement markings at traffic signals at various intersections citywide. The City received a Highway Safety Improvement Program grant in 2012 to assist with bringing signals and intersections to meet Federal Standards. The $500,000 is granted by FHWA and distributed by Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program. There is no City match for these funds. The $794,950 is granted by FHWA and distributes by 2013 Quick Response Safety Program. There is no City match for these funds.

PROJECT: Thea Foss Waterway Site 10 & 11. GRANT: $500,000 and $50,000 via Community Economic Revitalization Board Washington State Department of Commerce. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Thea Foss Site 10 and 11 Esplanade project will continue construction of the public esplanade along the Foss Waterway. The concrete esplanade will be pile supported and will replace a deteriorated wooden boardwalk. The project will include a concrete walkway with lighting, benches, landscaping, and railing.The $500,000 granted by Community Economic Revitalization Board Washington State Department of Commerce is a construction-only grant. There is no City match required. The $50,000 granted by the FHWA and distributed by Puget Sound Regional Council under CMAQ is only for the Right of Way Phase. There is no city match required.