Despite early setbacks with federal funding, La Center’s long-awaited Breeze Creek Culvert and Fourth Street Widening Design Project is now fully funded and on track for a tentative October 2025 groundbreaking.
The project, which will widen Fourth Street from East Stonecreek Drive to Highland Avenue, includes a 7-foot-wide northern sidewalk, buffered bike lanes and a new bridge at Breeze Creek to improve fish passage and roadway capacity. The total cost is anticipated at $14.4 million, funded by $12.4 million in federal grant dollars, $1.4 million in state funds and $600,000 from the city’s transportation impact fees.
In late July, the city was notified it would receive $2.5 million through a Surface Transportation Block Grant to complete the project. According to La Center Public Works Director Tracy Coleman, this larger-than-anticipated grant would have reduced the city’s contribution by $816,763 to the overall project. Additionally, $739,511 of state funds would have been reduced, freeing up to $1.5 million to spend elsewhere on the project where needed.
However, that allocation was reduced to $1,860,323 by WSDOT due to funding availability and matching requirements, according to Coleman.
Coleman said the project is currently under WSDOT review, with bid approval expected in August. Construction is slated to begin tentatively in October and run through June 2027. Lane closures will be required during the work, though the city will provide notice and coordinate around the school bus schedule. The bridge replacement at Breeze Creek is included in the total budget and will require a realignment and temporary closure of about 600 to 700 feet of trail. An expanded stormwater retention pond is also planned near La Center Elementary, pending school district approval.
While the project is moving forward, La Center Mayor Tom Strobehn said the process to secure the final portion of funding was harder than it should have been.
“While we’re excited and happy to have received the money for final funding, it’s still disappointing that we have to go through these extra avenues to achieve it,” Strobehn said.
Last year, the city was notified of a $2 million federal funding award via Senator Patty Murray’s office, but the funds were later revoked in March due to federal budget adjustments, according to the Mayor.
Strobehn described the city's federal funding journey as frustrating and unpredictable, especially compared to neighboring communities.
“A city that’s been around for 100-plus years and pays their taxes doesn’t ask anything from the federal government and then when they do need ... a little helping hand there, it doesn’t seem to always come to fruition,” he said.
The Fourth Street traffic signal project at East Ivy Avenue and Northeast Highland Avenue is also moving forward. Traffic control will change from stop signs to traffic signalization by March 2026, pending equipment delivery and WSDOT review.
