By Brian Mittge, The Chronicle , 4/30/2002
The tale of Lewis County's lost flood-fix funds begins with a legislative mishap a year ago.
Somehow, amidst the chaotic closing hours of the 2001 legislative session, lawmakers forgot to include funding for Twin Cities flood reduction work. All concerned agreed it was an oversight, attributable to last-minute changes as final legislation was created.
An alternate funding source was found in other local budgets, requiring only an interfund loan.
Planning and studies for two Twin Cities-area freeway interchanges had $1.5 million set aside to match federal expenses, more than was needed right away. Local groups and the state agreed to spend $800,000 of that money to keep the flood control project alive.
This year the hope was to have enough state money to both pay for flood control efforts and pay back the interchange project.
A funding crisis in the Department of Transportation, however, not only destroyed those plans, but took away nearly all of the remaining money in the interchange account.
"The project that wasn't funded for he last year will remain unfunded," said Bart Gernhart, Washington Department of Transportation Project Development Engineer for the southwest region.
"Right now I told the county to stop spending money because we have no more money" he said.
Lewis County has already paid several hundred thousand dollars to its flood control consultants, Pacific International Engineering, with the expectation that money would be reimbursed by the state,
Leaders hope the $650,000 originally promised for work already completed or commissioned will be "backfilled" eventually.
County consultant Mike Daniels read a dialogue from earlier this year between Sen. Dan Swecker, R-Rochester, and other legislators expressing support for flood control and the creative budget-shifting needed to keep it going.
"We believe there is a good faith intent here by the ... local legislators to keep the project moving," Daniels said. "We think there's a good chance that the money can be back filled."
Moving the flood control project forward, thus allowing the project to hit key federal deadlines would require in the neighborhood of $1 million. Local governments have just weeks to make the decision.
The state transportation commission was faced with a $96 million budget shortfall this year, which includes required spending on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Alaskan Way Viaduct and the State Route 520 floating bridge.
All planning work across the state was cut, Gernhart said
He noted that most construction work for this summer will go ahead, including repaving of U.S. Highway 12 from interstate 5 to Salkum and repaving State Route 507 through downtown Centralia.
A planned safety improvement for the Pearl Street Bridge over the Skookumchuck in Centralia has been put on hold, as has a rock hazard elimination project along 1/4 mile of the White Pass Highway seven miles west of the summit and plans to widen and straighten out State Route 508 from Guerrier Road to Alexander Road.
"Call it deferred," Gernhart said.
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