WSDOT says Fort Lewis truck‑parking phase 1 is 90% designed; board funds and NEPA work remain

WSDOT provided the board an oral update on the Fort Lewis interchange improvement and truck‑parking project. Agency staff said phase 1 is prioritized and at a 90% design stage, with environmental documentation being finalized to make the project eligible for federal grants. The phase‑1 design would provide 64 truck‑parking stalls, two vault toilets, illumination and related site amenities.

WSDOT gave a 90% construction estimate for phase 1 of roughly $9 million to $10 million. Staff said the board’s program has allocated $22,000,000 for the overall Fort Lewis project and that internal allocations identified $350,000 to finalize a shelf‑ready package and NEPA for phase 1, $1,000,000 earmarked toward phase‑2 construction engineering and $650,000 for other preparatory tasks. WSDOT said once the phase‑1 design and NEPA are complete it expects to have a shelf‑ready package by April for federal discretionary grant matching and obligation.

Agency staff stressed several outstanding issues: an identified ongoing operations and maintenance funding source is needed for truck‑parking as an asset class; statutory limits on designating limited‑access state rest areas as truck‑only parking need to be resolved; and enforcement responsibilities at the facility (Washington State Patrol) must be clarified. WSDOT also discussed constraints on public‑private partnerships that arise from limited‑access statutory rules.

Board members asked about independent utility of the phased elements, the potential for concession or P3 revenue to support O&M, and the match requirements for federal discretionary grants. WSDOT said those funding and statutory questions are under investigation and that staff will return to the board with updated shelf‑ready costs and next steps once NEPA is complete.

Next steps: finalize NEPA and the shelf‑ready package for phase 1, provide an updated construction estimate to the board when the final design and shelf package are complete, and continue to research long‑term O&M funding and enforcement arrangements.