The Washington State Department of Transportation intends to unveil its selected design for the U.S. 2 trestle replacement by this November. Following the release of these plans, responsibility will shift to regional and state officials to secure the necessary financial resources.
This announcement was made at a Wednesday session of the Snohomish County Tomorrow forum, a collaborative body comprising representatives from the county, local municipalities, and the Tulalip Tribes. While the assembly generally solicited feedback on housing, economic growth, and utility priorities, the agenda opened with a specific briefing on the highway infrastructure project.
State Sen. Marko Liias, a Democrat from Edmonds who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee, and Rep. Sam Low, a Republican from Lake Stevens who serves as an assistant ranking minority member on the House Transportation Committee, led the update. Low also holds a seat on the Snohomish County Council.
During his remarks, Low indicated that the public will learn the specifics of the new structure’s vision and the implementation timeline in either October or November. He emphasized that determining the funding mechanism and ensuring the project remains a top priority for state transportation leadership is now the collective task of local stakeholders.
The trestle consists of a series of bridges linking Everett with communities in eastern Snohomish County, including Lake Stevens, Monroe, and Snohomish. According to Liias, the Department of Transportation is days away from finalizing its preferred alternative after more than a decade of studies and millions of dollars in expenditures aimed at addressing traffic congestion, seismic risks, and the absence of multimodal transit options.
Although a definitive total cost has not been disclosed, Liias suggested that stakeholders should anticipate a price tag of approximately $2 billion, acknowledging the likelihood of inflation-driven increases. He noted that the federal government must serve as a key financial partner, with additional contributions expected from the county, local cities, and private investors.
Liias described the initiative as a potential candidate for the state’s first public-private partnership model, though many operational details regarding the contractors remain to be determined.
Rep. Low argued that the current political landscape favors the advancement of the trestle project. He highlighted that three of the eight members leading the House and Senate transportation committees are from Snohomish County, including Rep. Brandi Donaghy, a Democrat from Everett who serves as vice chair of the House Transportation Committee.
While construction could potentially commence as early as 2031, Liias cautioned that the full realization of the project is likely a decade-long process.