Despite opposition, gas tax a go in Grant County

Potato Hill bridge replacement, Highway 17 widening move forward after voters

opposed I-912

COLUMBIA BASIN — Even though many of them didn't vote for it, gas taxes will remain in place for Grant County motorists.

Only eight counties voted for Initiative 912 in higher percentages than Grant County, where more than 61 percent cast ballots in favor of a plan to repeal the gas tax.

Those voters will be the ones who see the first action on projects stalled by the I-912 vote, as the Interstate 90 overpass bridge at Potato Hill Road in Moses Lake will be one of the first in the state to be moving ahead after the initiative's statewide defeat on Election Day.

Bids are scheduled to go out Monday for the overpass project, which will raise the bridge to meet height requirements and also widen it to allow for pedestrian and bicycle traffic across the bridge. The project is one of a handful in Grant County funded by the most recent 9.5-cent gas tax hike, a package that also includes the widening from two- to four-lanes of Highway 17 from Interstate 90 to Stratford Road. WSDOT officials are still in the process of attaining the final rights-of-way for the Highway 17 project, WSDOT officials said Monday, as bids are scheduled to go out on the project next spring with construction scheduled for the summer.

Construction of the Potato Hill bridge project has been scheduled for next spring and will include an extra 14 feet of width, according to WSDOT project engineer Joel Voth, for pedestrian paths and to accommodate four lanes of traffic between two-lane Potato Hill Road and four-lane Division Street.

The bridge was the last in a series scheduled to be replaced to accommodate some tractor-trailers, which currently have to travel as far as 40 miles out of their way to maneuver around the low bridge. The bridge had been scheduled for replacement, but the pedestrian paths and extra width were added into designs after conversations between WSDOT and Moses Lake city officials.

"Working with the city, we had determined it was less expensive to build one structure," Voth said, adding that building one structure would save on future maintenance costs.

Portions of project funding had already been allocated from existing funding packages, but the proposed widening to four lanes with a pedestrian path had hinged upon the outcome of I-912.

The project is one of a handful around Grant County that state Sen. Joyce Mulliken, R-Moses Lake, has been pointing to as critical to improving area infrastructure in showing her support for the most recent gas tax package. Mulliken's vote was reportedly her first pro-tax vote since taking office more than a decade ago.

And now that the tax is here to stay, Mulliken said her job in the legislature is to hold WSDOT accountable for the local projects promised to the area.

"I will be a personal watchdog on accountability," Mulliken said of WSDOT projects, "I want to make sure that every penny of our 31-cent gas tax is going for projects that are promised."

Mulliken first learned about the Potato Hill bridge's status after the election, when she got a call from Transportation Secretary Doug MacDonald letting her know WSDOT was moving ahead with projects that were ready to begin. One of the first was the Potato Hill bridge overpass.

Moses Lake Mayor Ron Covey said this week that it was with the help of Sen. Mulliken and others that funding was made available to construct the overpass as both a pedestrian and vehicle bridge. Covey reiterated that the importance of the bridge's replacement came with its raising to allow trucks to pass through, but said that its construction will accommodate the needs of the city's continued growth south of Interstate 90.

"We just wanted to make sure that the appropriate plan was done to mind for those needs in the future," Covey said.

As for the widening slated for Highway 17, Covey called the improvements essentially the much-sought after second crossing the area needed over Moses Lake.

"It's necessary for continued growth in the area both city and countywide," Covey said.

The City of Moses Lake will also reap benefits in the form of direct tax money heading to cities and counties under the most recent package. City Manager Joe Gavinski said that money will amount to approximately $65,000 per year for city streets.

Grant Count will see approximately $250,000 in gas-tax funds. That money, and other funding for area rail and road projects not tied to the most recent gas tax, is funding Mulliken said Grant County motorists will see improvements from over the next few years.

"I think that's where people are going to see the funds," Mulliken said, "is the money locally."