<p><b><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Contact:<br>
</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Catherine Higgins </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">Fay Lim<br>
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Communications Specialist II </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">Communications Supervisor<br>
</span></span><a href="mailto:Catherine.Higgins@snoco.org"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Catherine.Higgins@snoco.org</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><a href="mailto:Fay.Lim@snoco.org"><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-size: 13px;"><a href="mailto:Fay.Lim@snoco.org">Fay.Lim@snoco.org</a></span><br>
</span><a></a></a><a></a><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"><a></a><span style="font-size: 13px;"><a>425-388-3053</a> </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">425-388-6413</span></span><br>
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<p align="center" style="margin: 1em 0px; text-align: center; line-height: 115%;"><span class="TitleChar" style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Snohomish County’s Proposed 35<sup>th</sup> Ave SE Corridor Improvements Receives Final Piece of Needed Construction Funds</span></strong></span><br>
<span class="SubtitleChar" style="line-height: 115%;"><em><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Washington State’s Transportation Improvement Board announces funding for multiple Snohomish County area projects</span></em></span><br>
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<p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span class="Heading1Char" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><strong>EVERETT, Wash., December 28, 2016</strong></span><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> – Snohomish County Public Works’ 35th Ave. SE corridor improvement project has been selected to receive $4 million in funding from </span><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB). The TIB dollars, in addition to federal funding, complete the estimated $8.4 million needed to fully fund construction. The project was one of eleven high priority transportation projects within Snohomish County that received funding from the agency.</span><br>
<p><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The proposed improvements to 35th Ave. SE will take place </span><span style="color: rgb(36, 36, 32); font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">between 180th St. SE and 152nd St. SE (Seattle Hill Road).</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: rgb(36, 36, 32); font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The corridor is an important north-south route for residents in the rapidly developing area outside of Mill Creek. Improvements include adding bike lanes, planter strips, sidewalks, and stormwater detention and treatment facilities. In addition, a continuous center turn lane will be added to reduce delays caused by turning vehicles. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2018. </span>
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</span><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">“As our county rapidly grows, we continue to look for ways to improve the movement of commuters throughout it,” said Steve Thomsen, Director of Snohomish County’s Public Works Department. “Funding from sources such as the TIB, makes it possible for us to move forward with the construction of major projects like that of the 35th Ave SE corridor.”</span><br>
<p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The TIB awarded 115 street and sidewalk improvement grants to agencies across the state, totaling $121.2 million. Nearly $20 million of that was presented to Snohomish County and ten area cities. The influx of funding will help complete essential area projects to improve mobility throughout the region. </span><br>
<p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">For a full list of the 2016 TIB project selections visit </span><a href="http://www.tib.wa.gov/"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">www.tib.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><br>
<p style="margin: 6pt 0px 1em;"><b><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">About Snohomish County Public Works</span></b><br>
<p style="margin: 6pt 0px 1em;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The Snohomish County Public Works Department employs approximately 600 staff members that develop and maintain county roads; control and manage surface water quantity, quality, and fish habitats; and oversee the recycling and disposal of solid waste. The department’s main office is located at 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett, WA 98201. For more information about Snohomish County Public Works, visit </span><a href="http://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/PublicWorks"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">www.snohomishcountywa.gov/PublicWorks</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">.</span><br>
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