Rep. Rick Larsen joined Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell and city staff Wednesday morning as they toured sites for future infrastructure projects across the city.

Larsen — who represents Washington’s 2nd District that includes Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace — toured sites for the future Poplar Way Bridge, Lynnwood City Center Town Square Park and Lynnwood City Center Station which city officials said could benefit from investments in President Joe Biden’s $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The bipartisan measure, passed late last year, includes several long-term investments in Washington’s infrastructure and at least $5.3 billion over the next five years for highways and bridges, $1.79 billion to improve public transportation options and $882 million to improve water infrastructure and ensure clean, safe drinking water. Larsen, who advocated for the measure, said his visit to Lynnwood was to understand the city’s infrastructure and transportation priorities

“(The visit) will help me understand how we can direct the City of Lynnwood to the right funding opportunities to support projects like the 42nd Street extension or Poplar Way Bridge or even the development or redevelopment around…the new Sound Transit station,” he said.

Larsen kicked off the Lynnwood tour at the site of the future Poplar Way Bridge, which will cross over Interstate 5 connecting Poplar Way at 196th Street to 33rd Avenue West. According to city staff, the $49 million project would alleviate congestion on 196th Street and provide an alternative grid street connection for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. So far, the city has received $3,209,000 in federal and state grants for project design and $3,050,000 in federal grants for the right-of-way acquisition phase. The cost to the city is listed as $16 million.

Next, Larsen visited the site of the future Lynnwood City Center Town Square Park and future 42nd Avenue West. The city is currently seeking to purchase a nearly 2-acre site on the future 42nd Avenue to create a Town Square Park that would support pedestrian and retail activities.

The proposed 42nd Avenue West will connect 194th Street Southwest to 200th Street Southwest. The approximately 2,000-foot street will open more properties for redevelopment and increase accessibility to the City Center. The project is estimated to cost $29.7 million, with the city covering $13.4 million. So far, the city has received a $3 million grant for the project and plans to enter the design phase this year, with a 2030 completion date.

Larsen then walked along 44th Avenue West to view construction of the Lynnwood City Center Station and learn about the improvements to support the future Lynnwood Link light rail station and proposed improvements to the 44th Avenue underpass. According to staff, the proposed pathway will improve the existing underpass by creating a 10- to 12-foot shared-use pathway with lighting and artwork that will provide multimodal connections to the train station.

Larsen was scheduled to cap the tour off with a trip to Lynnwood’s Wastewater Treatment Plant to learn how funding for wastewater under the infrastructure law could provide necessary upgrades to the plant. Proposed updates are estimated to cost almost $200 million. However, Larsen was unable to complete the tour due to scheduling conflicts.

–Story and photos by Cody Sexton