Lacey, WA – U.S. Representative Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) announced $2,800,000 in federal funding for the City of Sumner’s Stewart Road project that includes the repair and expansion of the White River Bridge to allow more freight to pass through the area, along with restoring 170 acres of nearby floodplain.
“I am proud to deliver this funding to improve the safety and well-being of those who live in and travel to the City of Sumner,” said U.S. Rep. Strickland.“This federal funding will not only improve an important corridor for the manufacturing industry in Pierce County, but will also restore the crucial salmon species habitat in the region.”
“The Stewart Road Bridge is a critical project that enhances transportation routes, adding two vehicular lanes and a separated trail, but more than that, it is one of Sumner’s four connected White River Restoration Projects,” said Sumner Mayor Kathy Hayden. “Developed in partnership with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Pierce County and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, these projects, including this bridge, will provide flood protection for over 17,000 regional industrial jobs and enhance critical habitat for endangered salmon species, fulfilling treaties and helping improve the health of Puget Sound and its Orca population.”
Currently, Stewart Road has a bottleneck that causes severe delays for the 10 million tons of freight passing through the area. The federal funding announced today will expand the roadway to alleviate these delays, and also include safe multi-model options and flood protection for the nearby industrial center. The project also supports the region’s Orca population through the restoration of the floodplain near the bridge.
The overall project supports these main goals:
· Expand the existing two-lane Stewart Road bridge to four lanes of traffic and a shared-use path.
· Allow more freight to reach the Sumner-Pacific Manufacturing Industrial Center, which is the largest manufacturing center in Pierce County.
· Improve the White River habitat for native salmon species, which is the primary food source for the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales.
This award is one of the 14 FY23 Community Project Funding (CPF) grants Congresswoman Strickland secured. Read more about these projects here: https://strickland.house.gov/media/press-releases/strickland-secures-19-million-south-sound
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