$75M proposed to address I-5 flood risk in Nisqually basin. Here’s what it would pay for

A state Legislature transportation proposal earmarks design money for a new Interstate 5 bridge that would alleviate flooding risk at the Nisqually River.

The $75 million allocation was included in the $16 billion Democratic transportation package proposal on Tuesday, but one of the sponsors said much more is needed to address the risk.

Two Democrats, Tacoma’s Rep. Jake Fey and Lynnwood’s Sen. Marko Liias, spearheaded a transportation plan called Move Ahead Washington. The plan spends $16 billion over 16 years, focusing on maintaining existing roads, bridges and ferries and reducing carbon emissions, Fey told The News Tribune.

The proposal also looks to replace barriers restricting fish passage, increases access to public transportation and increases electrification across public transit and ferries.

The proposal has yet to be voted on, but Gov. Jay Inslee has given the package his blessing, tweeting that the transportation proposal “has it all.”

Move Ahead Washington includes heavy investments in bridge repairs, including for the I-5 bridge over the Columbia River. The package devotes more than $1 billion to replace the century-old span that connects Washington and Oregon.

The Interstate 5 Nisqually River bridge that sits between Pierce and Thurston counties is another priority. As previously reported by The News Tribune, about 2.5 miles of Interstate 5 is at risk of flooding, as a result of climate change and a construction decision in the 1960s.

Preliminary models by the U.S. Geological Survey predict a flood could occur within 20 years.

About 50 years ago, the state decided to fill in most of the space underneath the bridge, creating a causeway. The dirt, rocks and cement underneath the bridge are acting as a dam to much of the river’s natural path.

The bridge has altered the course of the river and magnified the risk of water spilling onto Washington’s vital highway.

The flooding risk is considered a national security risk for Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which is about five miles north of the bridge. The current bridge has also accelerated negative impacts to the environment.

Two thirds of the $75 million would be spent on designing a replacement bridge. About $19 million would be allocated to build roundabouts between state Route 507 and state Route 702 to become better alternatives to Interstate 5, and $6 million would be allocated to acquire land.

The Nisqually Tribe and South Sound Military & Communities Partnership have taken elected officials from across the state on boat trips in the Nisqually River basin for the last three years. Fey was one of them.

“I could see for myself that the river that was supposed to be flowing into [Nisqually] delta was flowing the other direction, due to the construction of the freeway,” Fey said. “We have to do something now. I-5 is the lifeline of the west side of Washington, if not for the whole state. We can’t have a failure.”

Finding adequate funding for the project has recently become a priority for the Pierce County Council.

The Nisqually Tribe and South Sound Military & Communities Partnership estimate the total price of repair to be $4.2 billion. Their proposal would replace and elevate a 2.5 mile-stretch of the highway across the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge and expand the highway from three to up to five lanes each way. If approved, the project would become one of Washington’s most expensive transportation projects.

Lawmakers recognize the $75 million allocation is just a start and want to see more federal investment.

“This is going to take some federal money. The state only has so much money,” Fey said.

The transportation package also would send more than $880 million to Pierce County for other repairs and improvements:

• Puget Sound Gateway Project - $434 million
• I-5 HOV Improvements Tacoma Mall to JBLM - $244 million
• Nisqually River Delta Project - $75 million
• Bike and Pedestrian Access Fife to Tacoma - $35 million
• I-5 Port of Tacoma Rd - $35 million
• Light Rail Access - $20 million
• Schuster Parkway Trail Improvements - $15 million
• Pierce Transit Bus Rapid Transit - $10 million
• Puyallup Avenue Street Improvements - $9 million
• Hwy 162/410 Interchange - $7 million

This story was originally published by The News Tribune.

©2022 Cox Media Group