Dear Neighbor,
Thank you for reaching out to me to share your feedback on the Move Ahead WA transportation and infrastructure package. Your input is important to me and informs my decisions when representing our community in the Washington State House of Representatives.
The Move Ahead WA package represents historic statewide investments to not only repair, rebuild, or replace crumbling infrastructure, but to also minimize our harmful impact on the environment. Combatting our climate crisis has always been a top priority for me; not only to keep our communities safe today, but to give future generations a fighting chance at a better tomorrow. While I do not support every component of the package, I believe Move Ahead WA is a huge step in the right direction toward a cleaner and more equitable transportation system for our state. For these reasons, I voted to support the Move Ahead WA package in the House Transportation Committee.
The package is the result of 90 listening sessions from communities across the state, and it aims to address the concerns and needs of every community in Washington.
Move Ahead WA prioritizes the following:
- Preserving our infrastructure – roads, bridges, ferries and sidewalks
- It invests $3B for underfunded roads, bridges, sidewalks and ferries that must be fixed and maintained before adding to the capacity of our already strained infrastructure system.
- Reducing carbon emissions while expanding safe, accessible, affordable options to get around
- The package takes meaningful, targeted action against climate change by investing $5.4B in projects and programs to reduce greenhouse gas pollution through green transit, bike, and pedestrian investments; a cleaner, safer, more reliable electrified ferry fleet; and electric vehicle infrastructure, including $3B for increasing reliable transit service.
- $290M in Safe Routes to School programs and investments to ensure Washingtonians who are 18 and under will ride free on all public transit (including ferries!).
- Addressing the harm caused by past transportation policies
- For too long in Washington, transportation policies have caused harm in communities of color, low-income and rural communities. Move Ahead WA will re-prioritize historically disinvested neighborhoods by funding:
- Connecting Communities — a program that supports walking and biking projects in communities that have too often been ignored.
- Special needs transit grants, which include children and seniors.
- Tribal investments, including transit grants.
- Workforce development supporting women- and BIPOC-owned businesses.
- The package also directs 35% of Climate Commitment Act funds into programs serving communities of color and low-income communities, and 10% into programs and projects benefiting tribal communities.
- For too long in Washington, transportation policies have caused harm in communities of color, low-income and rural communities. Move Ahead WA will re-prioritize historically disinvested neighborhoods by funding:
Closer to home in the 36th legislative district, the Move Ahead WA package also directs $25M to support the infrastructure of the Ballard Interbay Regional Transportation Corridor as well as $50M for safety improvements to North Aurora. These investments would not have been possible without your continued engagement and advocacy for our community, and I am committed to seeing them fully funded in the final package.
I believe the choices we make today will determine what kind of world we will leave behind for our children, grandchildren, and beyond. That’s why I voted to support Move Ahead WA.
Please know that I have been carefully considering your thoughtful questions, feedback and concerns, because I wouldn’t be able to serve our community without it. I am grateful for your partnership in service.
Best wishes,
Liz