Uncertain funding for transportation projects in Shoreline

By Oliver J. Moffat

Grants are Shoreline’s top funding source for transportation. But uncertainty from Trump cuts, coupled with escalating costs, may slow investments to reduce car-dependence, cut climate warming pollution, and curb deadly crashes in the city. 

A map from the city shows funded and unfunded transportation projects in Shoreline

On April 14, the Shoreline council discussed the city’s draft six-year transportation improvement plan (TIP), listing the highest priority projects to be funded (and not funded) between 2026 and 2031. Eight of those projects depend on uncertain federal grants (totally over $41 million), and costs have escalated for nine (a total increase of over $94 million).

N 175th (west of I-5) 
The estimated cost of the N 175th (west of I-5) project has escalated to nearly $94 million. Shoreline was awarded $15.6 million in federal grants, including $8.9 million from FEMA, to rebuild N 175th from I-5 to Meridian because it could “slip and slide” into Ronald Bog during an earthquake.  Public Works Director Tricia Juhnke told the city council that the grant is now “at risk.”

With funding at risk, Deputy Mayor Laura Mork pushed the city to find ways to deliver traffic safety improvements for Meridian Park Elementary faster. Last month, the city said over 1,000 drivers per day violate the speed limit in front of Meridian Park while children are present and the 20 mph school zone is active. 

“I understand you have already done some preliminary design work…could we pull that forward and do that now?,” asked Mork. “And if so, how much money would that be?”

Director Juhnke said, “it would be difficult for us to take that on right now as well if we just wanted to pull that out separately because it needs to connect with the other parts and pieces.”

At the March 31 meeting, the council received dozens of public comments urging the city to install traffic safety cameras in front of Meridian Park, but the city said the earliest any traffic cameras could be installed would be in the fall of 2026. 

NE 175th (east of I-5) - Meanwhile, on the east side of I-5, Shoreline was awarded a $2.3 million federal grant to improve safety, add bike lanes, and reconfigure NE 175th Street between 5th to 15th from 4 to 3 lanes. 

In 2019, the city quietly rolled back a similar plan, saying publicly that a “combination of factors” led to the decision. Most of the costs of that project would have been included in routine road maintenance. Internal documents obtained from a records request showed the city received pushback from local businesses before the 2019 project was cancelled.

Meridian Ave N Bike Lanes - A plan to extend safety improvements and add bike lanes on Meridian from 175th to 200th received a federal grant in 2022, but costs have escalated from $625k to $975k and will be delayed from 2025 to 2026.

185th Street Corridor and North City Light Rail Connector - The estimated cost for the unfunded 185th project that would expand 185th west of I-5 between Midvale and 5th from three lanes to four ballooned from $80 million to $128.7 million. The cost of the North City Light Rail Connector increased from $17 million to over $24 million. The projects are so far in the future that the city has no date estimates. 

145th Corridor - The city expects to receive over $22 million in federal grants to complete the 148th Non-Motorized Bridge, the 145th Corridor project, and roundabouts. In an emailed response to questions, a spokesperson said the city has taken steps to secure those funds, but with the changing landscape and uncertainty, they are keeping a close eye on them. The combined total cost of those projects has escalated from $156.7M to nearly $170M.

Workers construct the eastern portion of the 148th Non-Motorized Bridge with a sign pointing to the incomplete Trail Along Rail in the foreground - photo by Oliver Moffat

Trail Along the Rail - The estimated cost of completing the Trail Along the Rail escalated to over $13 million from $10 million. The city was awarded a $432,500 federal grant to study the project, and another $4 million federal grant application is pending. 

Eastside Off-Corridor Bike Network - Shoreline was awarded a federal grant to study an Eastside Off-Corridor Bike Network. The city council is set to approve the study at the April 21 city council meeting. 

Trump cuts and escalating costs are putting Shoreline transportation projects at risk of delays.