TRPC to mull transportation grant awards for a number of proposals 

The Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) is going to consider approving $16 million in federal transportation grant awards at a meeting on Friday, Nov. 6. 

The Transportation Policy Board recommended approving funding for projects aimed at improving roads, trails, transportation access and air quality across the region. The board made the move near the end of summer.

The funding comes from two federal programs: $11 million in Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funds and $5 million in Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) funds.  

Under the recommendation, 15 of the 16 federal grant proposals would receive funding, with 10 receiving their full requested amounts. The remaining funding requests, totaling approximately $19.1 million, would be placed on a contingency list for possible future funding.  

The recommendation also provides full funding for two regional set-aside projects totaling $1 million and all five Rural Community Support Program (RCSP) proposals totaling $1.2 million.  

The RCSP funding is intended to support transportation improvements in the region’s small cities, towns and tribal communities.  

Among the recommended federal awards, Yelm’s Couplet project and Olympia’s Capitol Corridor Phase 2 project would receive full funding.  

The Tilley Road Bridge project, the only rural federal proposal, would receive the entire rural funding allocation.  

Tumwater’s Deschutes Valley Trail A2 project would receive 82 percent of its requested amount.  

The funding plan also prioritizes projects that previously received TRPC funding for preliminary engineering or right-of-way acquisition, helping advance construction.  

Regional transportation projects, including the Regional Multimodal Level of Service Phase 2, Regional Trails Work Program and Thurston County Bicycle Map, are also recommended for full funding.  

According to a TRPC staff report, the funding recommendations considered project evaluation scores, public comments, geographic equity, project readiness and prior investments.  

If TPB’s recommendation is approved, the projects will be programmed in TRPC’s Transportation Improvement Program, allowing them to move toward federal funding obligations and implementation during federal fiscal years of 2027 through 2032.