2013–2014 BIENNIAL BUDGET - the City of Tukwila

2013-2014 Biennial Budget City of Tukwila, WashingtonA Steering Committee made up of representatives from the City Council, Administration, businesses,community groups, and others, was developed and charged with reaching into the broadercommunity to gather input and share feedback with the larger group. A Staff Committee representingvarious departments across the City organization was also established for the same purpose. TheseAmbassadors have worked diligently and faithfully to represent the interests of our residents andbusinesses in creating a vision for our future.Community meetings and forums in schools and neighborhoods have afforded us the opportunity todevelop a better understanding of our ethnically diverse population, and how we can meet some ofthe unique needs and challenges of many of our residents. We have shared information about the Cityand its services, and we look forward to continuing to build on these relationships in the years ahead.The adoption of the City’s Strategic Plan in December 2012 is just the beginning. It will be up to all ofus to use what we’ve learned as a way to prioritize the vast range of needs from all of the community’sstakeholders, plan for the future, and forge better, stronger relationships with each other.Capital InvestmentsThe Tukwila Urban Center Access Project, which rebuilt the connection between Southcenter Parkwayand Klickitat Drive, began in March of 2011 and was completed ahead of schedule and under budgetin October 2011. It has greatly improved traffic flow and improved connections from the I-5 off rampsentering the Tukwila Urban Center.In November 2012, the new Southcenter Extension roadway re-opened to traffic, widening this twolane roadway to five lanes between South 180 th and South 200 th Streets, making the Tukwila SouthDevelopment possible and providing an additional north/south travel option into the Tukwila UrbanCenter.One of the City’s main transportation thoroughfares is Tukwila International Boulevard. The finalphase of the Boulevard was completed in the spring of 2011. The development of Tukwila Village andthe focused efforts to improve safety and reduce crime in this part of our city will do much to bringvitality to this area.Other ProjectsRecently, the King County Flood Control District agreed to provide valley cities with 75% of thefunding needed for the removal of the temporary protection along the Green River – the sandbags andHesco containers. The Super Sacks and Hescos were removed in September 2012 with full trailrestoration to follow in Spring 2013.In November 2012, the City was awarded two grants from the State of Washington; one for $9.7million to improve the Boeing Access Road Bridge and another for $5 million to improve InterurbanAvenue South.The Parks and Recreation Department has implemented new strategies to increase communityparticipation in regional events. The City has redeployed the resources previously allocated tosupport three new events, which nearly doubled the number of participants.Page 12