The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink Aboutres2003-032WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2003 -125 CLEARANCES Initial Date Date Receivedin Counch[Office Agenda Date Assi nedro: Origination PK 2 "3 CI} �.. _,. -' 1 —' '- MAR 2003 3111103 Introduction Division Head . 3/25/03 Pub Wks/ Council Dept. Head: Prosecutor Purch uthgaudget: SUBJECT: RESOLUTIONINSUPPO TOFTEA- 2IREAUTHORIZATIONBILLHIGH ;PRIORITY TRANSPORTATIONPROJECT TO EXTEND SKAGIT RIVER BRIDGES TO PROTECT RAIL AND HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS DURINGA FLOOD ATTACHMENTS: RESOLUTION SEPA review required? ( ) Yes SEPA review completed? ( ) Yes ( ) NO ( ) NO Should Clerk schedule a hearing ? ( ) Yes,( ) NO Requested Date: SUMMARYSTATEMENT: RECOMMENDED ACTION: Distribution Request Indicate those who should receive a copy after Council action. List specific names to the right. ADSFachmin Management ADS Finance ADSHmax" Resources ADSInfo Services Assessor Auditor Cooperative Evension Dania Coun Executive Heakh Hearing Examiner jag COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN: 2003 -125 3/11/2003: introduced 3/2512003: Approved 7-0, Related County Contract #: Res #2003-032 Juvenile Parks Planning Prosecutor Public Work She^fl Superior Cann Treasurer other Related File Numbers: _ _ Ordinance or R_esojuVn / ,w ft be (this item): R�, l'f= -/ � (J,32 SPONSORED BY: consent PROPOSED BY: Executive INTRODUCTION DATE: 3/11/03 RESOLUTION NO. 2003 -032 RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF TEA -21 REAUTHORIZATION BILL HIGH PRIORITY TRANSPORTATION PROJECT TO EXTEND SKAGIT RIVER BRIDGES TO PROTECT RAIL AND HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS DURING A FLOOD WHEREAS, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Skagit County, the Washington State Department of Ecology, Burlington Northern Railroad, Cities, Towns, Tribes, and Special Purpose Districts inside and outside of Skagit County have formed a partnership to study the feasibility of various flood solutions for the Skagit River Valley, and WHEREAS, the study includes a sophisticated flood model which predicts devastating floods will occur in the Skagit Valley, causing flood damage calculated at an annualized cost of $43 million per year, and WHEREAS, the floor model shows a major cause of random and uncontrolled flooding in the Skagit Valley will be due to the constriction in the river as it passes between Mount Vernon and Burlington which is also the location of two highway bridges and a railroad bridge (the "three- bridge corridor"), and WHEREAS, these three bridges link both rail and highway transportation systems essential to commerce and emergency response in the region, the State, and Internationally, and WHEREAS, economic studies conducted to determine the best infrastructure improvements needed for flood protection in the Skagit Valley show that widening these bridges and setting back their adjacent levees is the most cost effective work that can be performed, protecting $727 million of property and keeping vital transportation routes open, and WHEREAS, it is vitally important to Whatcom County and the region to keep essential rail and highway transportation infrastructure operating in the event of a flood in the Skagit River Basin, and WHEREAS, preliminary design and environmental studies are already underway for extending the bridges in the three - bridge corridor which will decrease lead time necessary for project construction, and WHEREAS, this year Congress will consider reauthorization of the Six -Year Federal Transportation Act, and WHEREAS, Whatcom County supports extending the bridges in the three - bridge corridor to keep vital transportation infrastructure open, thereby benefiting the regional and international economy and providing flood protection to the citizens of the Skagit Valley; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Whatcom County hereby requests that a high priority project to extend bridges in the three - bridge corridor be included as a line item authorization in the next Federal Transportation Act. APPROVED this 25th day of March Dana Brown - Davis, Clerk of the Council APPROVED AS TO FORM: Civil Deput ro ecutor 2003. WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHAT OM CO/UJNTY, WASHINGTON Dan McShane, Council Chair DON DIUNKS FIRST DISTRICT KENNETH A. DAHLSTEI SECOND DISMCr TED W. ANDERSON TICIRD DKMCr February 3, 2003 OKWIT Comm BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Skagit County Administration Building 700 S. Second, Room 202 Mount Vernon, Washington 98273 (360) 336.9300 FAX tt (360) 336 -9307 r. Pete Kremen County Executive Whatcom County 311 Grand Avenue, Suite 108 Coupeville, WA 98239 RE: TEA -21 Reauthorization: High Priority Project Proposal Dear Mr. Kremen: FEB 2 & 21003 PETE KREMEN COUNTY EXECUTIVE We respectfully request your support and the support of the Whatcom County Council for federal transportation funding to extend the bridges between Mount Vernon and Burlington for flood protection. As you know, Skagit County, the Corps of Engineers, the Washington Department of Ecology, Dike Districts, private businesses, Cities, Towns, and Tribes inside and outside of Skagit County have been working for several years to develop flood project which will protect the region from the devastating flood that is coming. It now appears likely any flood project will need to be phased, with the more environmentally difficult and expensive lower delta component (bypass channel or levee setback) coming later. However flood modeling results have shown that a key component of any flood solution is widening the Skagit River corridor between Mount Vernon and Burlington, often called the "Three -Bridge Corridor ", in order to safely convey a 100 -year flood past the most populated parts of the flood plain and keep vital transportation infrastructure open during a flood event. Two of the three bridges are critical transportation routes — the Burlington Northern Santa Fe north/south crossing and the I -5 crossing. If these bridges are not modified, flood waters will take out the BNSF bridge, shutting down the rail line for weeks or months, and jump the river banks upstream of Burlington and flood I -5. These international transportation structures are essential to the economy of Whatcom County and will be lost in a major flood for an unpredictable period of time if improvements are not made. We propose to seek federal funding in the next six -year federal transportation bill to widen these three bridges. We need your support to make this happen. Specifically, we are seeking a resolution of support for a line item ( "high priority") project authorization in the next transportation bill authorizing $34 million to improve bridges for flood conveyance. We see this as an opportunity to gain funding for the most important part of the flood protection project. This opportunity will not be available again until 2010. Since Congress will soon begin debating the new transportation bill, we hope you can provide a support resolution by mid - Febmary. Page Two February 3, 2002 Letter: Whatcom County Council We have asked Chairman Ken Dahlstedt to contact you at your convenience to discuss this request further. In addition, our Public Works Department staff is available at your convenience to provide technical information related to this proposal. We hope you will join us in supporting this request for federal funding. Sincerely BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SKAGIT COUNTY, WASHINGTON TOWJL a. 'KENNETH A. DAHLSTEDT, Chairman TED W. ANDERSON Co pp, mmissioner & MuL DON MUNKS, Commissioner BCC/pg Enclosure: Draft Resolution