The recently concluded 2019 session of the Washington State Legislature delivered some good funding news for Edmonds, the city said Tuesday.

Funding for Civic Park led the way with up to $1.35 million for the development of the downtown Edmonds park. Funding would funnel through the Recreation Conservation Office under three parks and recreation programs: $500,000 from the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP), “Local Parks” category; $500,000 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (pending likely allocation of federal dollars that fund the program) and $350,000 from the Youth Athletic Field Fund.

With these funds lined up, the $12 million project’s funding package is taking shape, the city said. Combined with Edmonds City Council-approved funds from City Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) dollars and park impact fees, as well as a Hazel Miller Foundation grant, this new state funding brings the cumulative total up to $9 million.

Parks and Recreation Director Carrie Hite said that she hopes to discuss with the city council later this year potential options for filling the remaining $3 million gap in order to meet the project’s scheduled ground-breaking in the April-May 2020 timeframe, with subsequent park construction expected to be complete 10 to 12 months later.

“Developing Civic Park has been a long-standing goal for the City of Edmonds and our community,” Hite said. “We are so grateful for the state capital budget appropriations for helping fund this signature Downtown Edmonds park. We are now even closer to our goal.”

Also from the capital budget, the Legislature has allocated $515,000 for the Dayton Street Pump Station, a project intended to stem the flooding in the area of Dayton Street and SR 104 and the ferry holding lanes. “This project has a double benefit in that it will also help stem the influx of excessive fresh water into the Edmonds Marsh, which is a necessary precursor to restoring that saltwater marsh,” said Public Works Director Phil Williams.

Two Edmonds transportation projects will receive funding from the state transportation budget. To fund planned improvements to the Highway 99 Corridor, the state has moved forward $300,000 from the remaining $9 million of a $10 million appropriation that was initially approved for the 2021-23 biennium. ($1 million was pulled forward in last year’s transportation budget for use over the past year.)  Making these funds available this year will help the city continue its design efforts to make projects on Highway 99 ready in 2021 to use the remaining $8.7 million, especially as leverage to seek federal matching dollars, the city said.

And the Edmonds Street Waterfront Connector — aimed at providing unimpeded emergency-response access, as well as continuous pedestrian and bicycle access, to and from the waterfront — was awarded another $1,050,000, for a total state contribution of $7,050,000. Together with $1.5 million from the Port of Edmonds, the initial $8,550,000 generated so far is a significant local match to seek federal funds for this approximately $27.5 million project,”the city announcement said.

“I’m delighted that the state continues to see the vital importance of this project to Edmonds by awarding us these additional funds,” Mayor Dave Earling said of the waterfront connector funding. “While some have yet to appreciate the crucial need for this project, it’s clear the Legislature understands that mounting train volumes will soon create a truly unsafe condition for the hundreds of thousands of visitors and residents along our Waterfront. With Main and Dayton Streets blocked more frequently and for longer periods, response to life-threatening emergencies will be increasingly delayed. The Connector will solve this critical problem.”