QUINCY, Wash., Jan. 12, 2009 — The Port of Quincy recently sent a letter to state and federal officials asking that critical local infrastructure projects be considered for Economic Stimulus Funding.
Two projects in particular are on the Port's wish list – funding for the City of Quincy to construct the second phase of the recycling system to reuse water used to cool Quincy area high-tech data centers. The other project is to have the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) widen Highway 281 to four lanes between Quincy and Interstate 90.
In the letter signed by the three port commissioners, the Port of Quincy asks state and federal officials to include the two key projects in the proposed economic stimulus package.
As a result of unprecedented economic growth in Quincy, stimulus funding is needed for the projects, the letter states.
The state provided $4.5 million in funding last year for the first phase of the water recycling project, which is currently under construction. Phase 1 will treat the water from the Microsoft data center and then divert the recycled or treated water back to the data center.
The port is asking for $5 million so that the City of Quincy can complete the second phase of the project to extend the water treatment system to include the Yahoo!, Intuit and Sabey high-tech data centers, which are located on the northeast side of town.
The $14 million four-lane road project on Highway 281 is needed to accommodate growth in the area.
"The extraordinary economic development that Quincy has experienced this past couple of years has also created increased traffic on State Route 281," the letter states.
Additionally, increased growth and tourism in the Crescent Bar, Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, and Lake Chelan areas have led to more traffic on the highway (SR 281).
For more information, please call Curt Morris at 509-797-5562 or Pat Boss at 509-771-1844.
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