Sen. Patty Murray joined Port of Tacoma commissioners and other state and local dignitaries Friday to “lift” Lincoln Avenue. The “road-raising” celebration kicked off construction of the final phase of the Lincoln Avenue Grade Separation overpass.
The 2,200-foot overpass will add three lanes of roadway over four sets of railroad tracks serving the Port of Tacoma’s two main intermodal yards.
“Raising Lincoln Avenue over the tracks will help the Port of Tacoma run smoother, faster, and more efficiently,” Senator Patty Murray said. “That is why I worked to secure federal funding for this project that will create jobs and boost the local economy, and I will continue fighting to ensure that the region gets the resources it needs to continue investing in critical infrastructure.”
The Port has completed three surface streets and relocated utilities to support the overall project. The final piece, the overpass itself, remained unfunded until the Port received $15.4 million in March from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.
The $53.2 million project has received funding since 2002 from several state and federal sources. The Port expects to pay about $17.9 million of the total.
As chairman of the Senate Committee overseeing transportation funding, Senator Murray secured $8.5 million in federal funding for this project.
The project is expected to create about 200 jobs during construction and another 1,500 permanent jobs through efficiency and additional capacity when it’s completed in 2011.
More information about the project is available at www.portoftacoma.com/lincoln-ave.
About the Port of Tacoma
The Port of Tacoma is an economic engine for South Puget Sound, with more than 43,000 family-wage jobs in Pierce County and 113,000 jobs across Washington state connected to Port activities. A major gateway to Asia and Alaska, the Port of Tacoma is among the largest container ports in North America. The Port is also a major center for bulk, breakbulk and project/heavy-lift cargoes, as well as automobiles and trucks.
Contact: Tara Mattina, Port of Tacoma, (253) 428-8674