Hello neighbors,
Transportation is always on my mind — not just because I chair the Senate Transportation Committee but because I know and see how essential transportation is for everyday life. Whether it’s getting our kids to school or ensuring food gets delivered to our grocery stores, nearly everything we need and do relies on a safe and reliable transportation system.
While this budget year is challenging, it’s critical we continue our transportation investments to keep Washington moving ahead. That’s why I’m proud the Senate passed a bipartisan transportation package last weekend that finishes projects, preserves roads and bridges, and makes our transportation system safer for everyone using it.
While we’re improving our transportation system for communities in every corner of our state, I want to give you a sense of what this funding package would mean for people in our district and across Snohomish County. I’m excited our proposal would allow us to:
- Get more ferries in the Puget Sound for our waterfront communities and improve some of our terminals.
- Enhance the Boeing Freeway to reduce travel times during peak periods, improve freight access, and allow for future light rail expansion.
- Repair and maintain bridges and roads across our district to ensure they are more durable, reliable, and safer to use.
- Improve connections to Lynnwood’s Ash Way Park & Ride and ensure access to the future light rail station near the 164th Street/Interstate 5 interchange.
- Improve the Interurban Trail for pedestrians and bicyclists to ensure they have better connections between Shoreline, Mountlake Terrace, and Edmonds.
I appreciated the support some of our Snohomish County leaders showed for these projects during the public hearing on this transportation package. Business leaders, city leaders, and others joined us for the hearing to share their enthusiasm for the investments we’re making.
Snohomish County Councilmember Megan Dunn said these are improvements residents will see now and that it’s important we continue to make our transportation system safer and accessible for everyone. And Mike Fong, Snohomish County’s Executive Director for Economic Development, appreciated the investments in sustainable aviation fuel projects, which will help keep our county a leader in decarbonizing the aviation industry.
As we enter session’s final weeks, I’m committed to working with my colleagues in the House to deliver a sustainable budget for the sake of every Washingtonian, no matter where they live or how they move around.
Talk soon!
