At its Thursday meeting, the Transportation Policy Board plans to release for public comment the 119 priority transportation projects recommended to receive PSRC funding and an additional number of projects that are receiving funds from other sources.

The total recommended funding for Pierce County projects is over $39.7 million.

Funding for the Sounder Commuter Rail extension from Tacoma to Lakewood would complete the 82-mile system by constructing 1.2 miles of new track, improving 6.5 miles of existing track, as well as building stations, park and ride lots and pedestrian improvements along the route.

Pierce Transit investments would expand their maintenance and operations facility, purchase 10 compressed natural gas buses to expand service, replace a number of buses, vans, and shuttles that are at retirement age, and provide for ongoing preventative maintenance of their fleet.

Pierce County projects include:

– 70th and Valley Ave Corridor Improvements in Fife, $1,050,000;

– Bridgeport Way 59th Ave to Steilacoom Blvd in Lakewood, $428,395;

– Pacific Hwy Resurfacing-108th St SW to SR 512 in Lakewood, $317,455;

– Milton Interurban Trail in Milton, $376,000 ;

– Ferry Boat Purchase for Pierce County, $1,802,187;

– Countywide 3R Program, $520,164;

– Pierce County Commute Options Program, $375,000;

– Expansion Buses Pierce Transit $7,628,234;

– Preventative Maintenance for Pierce Transit, $5,350,000;

– Replacement Vans for Pierce Transit, $2,266,000;

– Replacement Buses 2005 for Pierce Transit, $2,012,388;

– Replacement Shuttles for Pierce Transit, $1,524,458;

– Base Expansion for Pierce Transit, $1,034,622;

– 9th St SW Corridor improvement- Phase I in Puyallup, $1,000,000;

– Sounder Commuter Rail – Lakewood to Tacoma, $8,589,159;

– Light Rail Pedestrian Improvements in Downtown Tacoma, $173,000;

– Rainier and Puyallup St Improvements Plan for Steilacoom, $124,000;

– Valley Ave improvements- Phase III in Sumner, $205,000;

– Tyler Street reconstruction- S. 38th St to S. 56th St in Tacoma, $1,455,332;

– Portland Ave Resurfacing- E. 28th St to Fairbanks St in Tacoma, $432,500;

– Tacoma Hazardous Sidewalk Replacement Program, $425,000;

– Tacoma Pavement Management Equipment & System Integration, $325,000;

– Thea Foss Waterway Public Esplanade Phase II – Alber’s Mill Site in Tacoma, $150,000;

– Bridgeport Way 54th St to Cirque Drive in University Place, $1,575,000;

– SR 531 16th Dr NE to 19th Dr NE Sidewalks for WSDOT, $200,000; and

– SR 99/Lincoln Way Vicinity – Pedestrian Enhancements for WSDOT, $372,000.

The Regional Project Evaluation Committee, the Seattle-Tacoma-Everett Federal Transit Administration Caucus, the Transportation Operators Committee, and four county level transportation forums recommended the projects via competitive processes. Total funding for the 119 projects is $325.5 million. All of these projects are part of the draft 2005-2007 Regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and have been modeled for air quality conformity. Together, the projects have met federal and state requirements for the region.

A complete list of the projects is available online at www.psrc.org/projects/tip.