OLYMPIA – Residents on the east side of Lake Washington would see major improvements to their transportation infrastructure because of legislation passed by the Senate today.
“Whether we live in Bothell or Bellevue, Redmond or Renton, we are all interconnected in the fastest growing part of our state,” said Sen. Manka Dhingra (D-Redmond). “To maintain our dynamic economy and our unmatched quality of life, we need to improve all of our infrastructure, from our highways to our bike trails to public transit. That’s what Move Ahead Washington does.
“I’m proud that this also fulfills our state’s obligation to replace fish passage culverts for salmon recovery, and helps create a better world for us all.”
Highlights of the investments funded by the Move Ahead Washington transportation package in the 45th Legislative District include:
- $5 million for widening the SR 202 trestle.
- $380 million for improvements along the length of the I-405 and SR 167 corridor.
- $508 million to increase access to King County Metro services, including free fares for riders 18 years old and under.
The legislation would also fund other Eastside projects, including connecting sections of the Mountains to Sound Greenway as well as the Eastrail, a former railroad track turned into a multi-use corridor.
Statewide, Move Ahead Washington would invest in a range of transportation infrastructure projects, including $3.1 billion in transit programs, $1.2 billion in active transportation options including bike and pedestrian projects, and $3 billion highway preservation and maintenance. It would also fund $2.6 billion to fulfill the state’s obligation to replace fish passage culverts.
SB 5974, which was passed today, authorizes the funding for the transportation package. SB 5975, which has been referred to the Senate Transportation Committee, enumerates the projects. More information can be found here.
