PULLMAN, WA – The Pullman City Council, following an executive session at the March 14th Council meeting, unanimously carried a motion to modify the timeline for Project Downtown Pullman. The new timeline pushes the bidding phase from March to later this fall, and the start of construction from May to spring of 2024 after WSU Family Weekend.
From the City of Pullman:
In past weeks, Council considered recommendations from City staff and Welch-Comer as well as feedback from around the Pullman community, especially downtown property and business owners, on how to best move forward with Project Downtown.
Factors such as timely project completion, supply chain issues, anticipated contractor availability, and the potential economic impact on downtown businesses still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic were addressed as part of the decision.
“The modified timeline affords our elected officials, City staff, and project partners more time to collaborate for a successful project,” said City Administrator Mike Urban. “Assuring that we all have properly prepared for this massive undertaking and selecting the right partner to take on the construction phase is essential.”
Project Downtown is being funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a federal grant program created in 2021 to aid state and local governments in their post-pandemic recovery. As a stipulation, the City of Pullman’s awarded ARPA funds must be spent or under contract by the end of 2024.
The City of Pullman will continue engaging with downtown property and business owners, the Washington State Department of Transportation, and other interested parties to prepare for a construction schedule that will not be fully known until a bid has been awarded. Project Downtown updates will be shared as they become available.
