Contact:

Julie Kuntz                                     Fay Lim

Communications Specialist II        Communications Supervisor

Julie.Kuntz@snoco.org                Fay.Lim@snoco.org

425-388-6059                                425-388-6413

Snohomish County Awarded $22.1 Million for Granite Falls Bridge 102 Replacement Project

Granite Falls bridge is now fully funded thanks to a boost from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program   

EVERETT, Wash., November 19, 2021 – The Granite Falls Bridge 102 Replacement project is one of four Washington projects to receive funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program. The $22.1 million RAISE grant for Bridge 102 is the largest award in Washington state and one of the largest in the country. The Granite Falls Bridge 102 Replacement project is now fully funded and staff are working on environmental studies and design with construction targeted to begin in 2025.

“We are incredibly grateful to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Senator Cantwell, Rep. DelBene, the other members of our congressional delegation, and many others for helping us secure a $22.1 million RAISE grant to fund the replacement of the Granite Falls Bridge,” said Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. “We have been working for many years to fix this key link in our north county transportation network, and now we can finally get down to work. The replacement of this vital bridge will ensure people and goods can get to where they need to go. Our economy and the vitality of our community depend on maintaining our infrastructure.”

Part of an important economic and recreational corridor, the Granite Falls bridge is located approximately one and a half miles northeast of downtown Granite Falls and carries traffic over the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River on the Mountain Loop Highway. This bridge and corridor provide access to homes, sand and gravel quarries, and logging operations as well as many square miles of hiking, camping and other outdoor activities. Personal and service traffic across the bridge has escalated to more than 5,500 vehicles a day, including 42 daily school bus trips. The bridge also connects traffic on a T-2 freight corridor that moves 4-10 million tons of natural resources per year and more than 200 heavy duty multi-axle trucks per day.  

The existing bridge is 340-feet long and 20-feet wide, which is not wide enough for two large vehicles to pass easily. The new bridge will increase the length to 406-feet long and 30-feet wide with room for sidewalks, meeting current bridge standards. 

“Securing the funding to replace the Granite Falls Bridge has been on our priority list for eight years. We have petitioned funders every year to replace this aging infrastructure and avoid a seasonally open 94-mile detour,” said Snohomish County Public Works Director Kelly Snyder. “This federal funding makes it possible for us to maintain access to important resource and recreational opportunities and increases safety.”

This is the first time four RAISE grants have been awarded at once to Washington state, which also received the second most funding of any state in the nation. To read more about all RAISE grants, including the $60 million in awards for Washington State, visit: U.S. Secretary of Transportation Buttigieg Announces Nearly $1 Billion in Grant Awards for America's Infrastructure | US Department of Transportation. 

For more information or to sign up for updates about the Granite Falls Bridge 102 Replacement Project, visit: https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/608. 

About Snohomish County Public Works 

Snohomish County Public Works is responsible for approximately 1,600 miles of county roads, more than 200 bridges and manages about 200 traffic control signals. The department also processes nearly 600,000 tons of garbage per year. Its mission is to focus on safety and mobility while practicing fiscal responsibility and preserving the environment. Public Works has won numerous state and national honors for its work and is the largest department within Snohomish County government with approximately 500 employees plus seasonal staff. Its main office is located at 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett, WA 98201. 

Visit www.snohomishcountywa.gov/PublicWorks or follow the department on Facebook and Twitter for more information about Snohomish County Public Works.