BURLINGTON, WA – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded a $19,500,000 grant to Skagit Transit for the agency to continue renovating its Maintenance, Operations, and Administration (MOA) Facility in Burlington.

DOT awarded the funding through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Discretionary Grant Program, which enables communities of all sizes to carry out road, rail, transit and other surface transportation projects with significant local or regional impact. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $7.5 billion over five years for the existing RAISE program, formerly known as TIGER and BUILD grants – a 50 percent increase in funding. For more information on RAISE grants, click here.

Larsen and Stidham Applaud RAISE Grant

Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), who supported Skagit Transit’s grant application and attended an event to celebrate completion of Phase 1 renovations of the facility in October, applauded the grant announcement.

“In Skagit County, you cannot have a big-league economy with little league infrastructure,” said Larsen, the lead Democrat on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. “Thanks to the hard work of Crystle Stidham, local leaders and members of the Skagit Transit Board of Directors, Skagit Transit has the funding it needs to continue building a better maintenance, operations and administration facility in Burlington and deliver on its goal of meeting the region’s existing and future transportation needs.”

Skagit Transit CEO Crystle Stidham celebrated the grant announcement and emphasized the importance of the funding to the agency’s long-term plans.

“Skagit Transit is honored to receive this $19.5 million RAISE grant award,” said Skagit Transit CEO Crystle Stidham. “This transformative investment will help complete the construction of MOA2, a critical facility enabling us to transition our fleet to zero emissions and grow our service. This funding will enhance public transportation across our region, reduce environmental impacts, and support a more sustainable future. We are deeply grateful to Representative Larsen for his steadfast support and dedication to advancing cleaner, more connected and equitable transportation for Skagit County.”

Larsen Has Secured $103.9 Million in RAISE Grants for WA-02 Since 2022

Larsen has secured seven RAISE grants totaling $103,906,000 for local communities since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was signed. In addition to the $19.5 million grant for Skagit Transit, Larsen has helped deliver:

• $25 Million for Lynnwood’s Poplar Way Bridge – In August 2022, DOT awarded the City of Lynnwood a $25 million RAISE grant to construct a new six-lane, multimodal bridge over I-5 in Lynnwood, between the intersections of 196th Street SW (State Route 524)/Poplar Way and 33rd Avenue W/Alderwood Mall Boulevard.
• $25 Million for Whatcom County’s Lummi Island Ferry – In August 2022, DOT awarded Whatcom County a $25 million RAISE grant to replace the 60-year-old Lummi Island ferry with an electric-battery hybrid ferry and build related infrastructure.
• $9.5 Million for Blaine’s Bell Road Project – In June 2023, DOT awarded the City of Blaine a $9.5 million RAISE grant to improve safety and accessibility and reduce congestion at the Bell Road (State Route 548)-BNSF at-grade rail crossing. 
• $17.9 Million for Port of Bellingham’s Shipping Terminal Rail Connection Project – In June 2024, DOT awarded the Port of Bellingham a $17,931,000 RAISE grant to renovate a shipping terminal site, returning the site to a fully functioning multimodal terminal with more efficient loading and unloading of railcars on the terminal.
• $4.9 Million for the Tulalip Tribes’ Road Safety Project – In June 2024, DOT awarded the Tulalip Tribes a $4,975,000 RAISE grant to plan, design and construct improvements to the 4th Street and 88th Street NE crossings of Interstate 5.
• $2 Million for Lynden’s Pepin Creek FASST Design Project – In January 2025, DOT awarded the City of Lynden a $2 million RAISE grant to complete planning for its project to relocate Pepin Creek, which runs in deep roadside ditches that overflow and flood the area during winter storms when large quantities of water flow across the U.S.-Canada border.

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