McMorris Rodgers Announces Grant Funding for Eastern Washington Highway Projects

Spokane, Wash. – Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) today announced that the City of Spokane Valley will receive nearly $21.7 million in Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program funding to support the Pines Road/BNSF Grade Separation Project. McMorris Rodgers has been a strong advocate for this project, sending letters of support to the Department of Transportation (DOT) and personally calling DOT leadership throughout the decision-making process. The project had been under consideration during previous RAISE cycles prior to today’s announced funding award. 

“I’m pleased the Department of Transportation recognizes the critical safety benefits that the completion of this project will bring to the community,” said Rodgers. “I commend the city’s leaders and everyone involved for their persistence and hard work in securing this grant funding.” 

In addition to the award to the City of Spokane Valley, this round of RAISE grant funding also included awards for the City of Pullman, as well as Spokane and King Counties:

City of Spokane Valley – $21,689,221

Project: Pines Road/BNSF Grade Separation Project

Description: The project will replace the highway-rail at-grade crossing of Pines Road and the BNSF Railway tracks with a new Pines Road underpass. The project will replace the signalized intersection of two state highways, Pines Road and Trent Avenue with a multi-lane roundabout, and construct a separated shared use path under the railroad crossing and an adjacent shared use path around the new roundabout intersection. The project will also construct a new trailhead and parking lot facility, equipped with restrooms, electric vehicle charging, and non-motorized access to the adjacent Centennial Trail and Spokane River.

City of Pullman – $1,050,000

Project: Airport Road Multimodal & Regional Access Improvements

Description: This planning project will complete the final planning documents required for the reconstruction of approximately 2.1 miles of airport road with a wider roadway section, shared use bike path, intersection roundabout, and pedestrian sidewalk accessing the Pullman-Moscow Airport.

Washington State DOT, Spokane and King Counties – $5,000,000

Project: Reconnecting I-90 Communities

Description: This planning project will fund planning studies in Spokane and Seattle, where I-90 interstate highway construction continues to geographically divide neighborhoods.

NOTE: RAISE grants, which were originally created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants, help support projects with exceptional benefits, explore ways to deliver projects faster and save on construction costs, and make needed investments in the country’s infrastructure. 

CLICK HERE to learn more about the RAISE program.

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