Bridgeport approves six-year STIP

BRIDGEPORT –City council members approved their Washington State Department of Transportation six-year State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) by unanimous vote following a no-comment public hearing at their regular monthly meeting June 19.

Public Works Superintendent (PSW) Stuart Dezellem explained street projects in order of priority to be included on the 2020-2025 STIP in the event state funding becomes available to allow the city to complete one or more of the projects. Dezellem said they must be listed in the city’s STIP in order to qualify for any funding.

Dezellem reviewed six projects by priority beginning with the Foster Creek overlay for Foster Avenue from 10th to 14th streets. The overlay would consist of two inches of asphalt 24 feet wide and include painted sidewalk crossings and shoulder rock for blending.

“The worst section of 16th Street is Fairview Avenue up to Douglas,” Dezellem said clarifying his reason for prioritizing it.

Priority 2 is a Phase I of a 16th Street overlay from Fairview to Douglas avenues with 24-foot overlay, shoulder rock and painted crosswalks.

Priority 3 is Phase II of the 16th Street overlay from Douglas to Raymond avenues comprising the same components of Phase 1.

Priority 4 is Phase 3 of the 16th Street overlay from Raymond to Cullen avenues.

“Sixteenth Street is designated as an arterial so it would qualify for federal dollars that might be available,” said Dezellem.

Dezellem added that the other work to consider in the Capital Facilities Plan is addressing the infrastructure under 16th Street before new asphalt is applied.

“Sixteenth Street has our transportation and distribution mains for the entire community running underneath it plus the main irrigation main coming from the district irrigation pump on the river,” said Dezellem. “That infrastructure work would hopefully be completed prior to this.”