Published on August 17, 2023
On Tuesday, August 15th, community members, elected officials, City employees and contractors braved the summer weather to celebrate the completion of the 196th St. SW Improvement Project. The event was an opportunity to recognize those who worked on the project, the leaders who championed it, and the community members and businesses impacted by the construction.
The 196th St SW corridor is home to hundreds of businesses, a major transit center and the future Lynnwood City Center Light Rail Station. The goal of the work was to reduce traffic congestion, better accommodate bus and transit travel, increase business access, provide utility capacity for future development and promote safety. Located in the heart of Lynnwood, 196th St. SW is the busiest street in Lynnwood, even nudging out Highway 99, with traffic volumes reaching 40,000-50,000 vehicles per day.
"196th Street is a conduit that links and connects our city's economic centers and will continue to serve as a hub for Lynnwood and our region as we grow and expand in the coming years," City of Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell said in her remarks. "A project of this magnitude requires much planning, extensive communication, collaborative strategy and even a heart or service. Everyone who worked on 196th brought that to this project, and for that, I want to honor you and thank you here today."
The City of Lynnwood received $26 million in state and federal grants to complete the project. The funding included an additional $22 million in city, WSDOT and private funding totaling $48 million. For U.S. Representative Rick Larsen, this was a keystone project for the success of the expanding transit area in Lynnwood and beyond.
"This project is at the heart of the transportation revolution happening in Lynnwood," Representative Rick Larsen said. "Thanks to funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, residents will now experience greater mobility across Snohomish County, improved bicyclist and pedestrian safety, and better access to local businesses at places like Lynnwood Square and the Alderwood Mall. This project is helping create a cleaner, greener, safer and more accessible transportation system in Lynnwood while creating more good-paying jobs in the region. Thanks to federal investment and the hard work of the City of Lynnwood, Snohomish County, Puget Sound Regional Council, Sound Transit, and Community Transit, every day is infrastructure day in Lynnwood."
For more information about the 196th St SW Improvement Project and other City of Lynnwood projects and initiatives, visit https://www.lynnwoodwa.gov/MajorProjects.