Dear neighbors,
This is an update about the challenges we’re tackling on transportation this year.
I’ll try to keep you informed as the 2022 session of the Legislature progresses and we take action on transportation, jobs, education, and other issues.
Today’s transportation challenges
As chair of the House Transportation Committee, I’m focused on finding solutions that work for the people of the 27th District–and the rest of Washington state.
The recent floods cutting off I-5 and massive snowfalls closing every mountain passed showed how critical our transportation system is for providing the day-to-day needs of Washington citizens.
There are major projects underway that can help speed up traffic. One of the major challenges for the transportation budget this year is closing the funding gap for those large projects, which include State Route 520 ($406 million) and the Puget Sound Gateway program ($430 million) which will complete access to the Port of Tacoma.
We also face pressing needs to restore and maintain our ferry workforce along with capital funding to build out the vessels required to replace our aging fleet of ferry vessels.
Finally, we continue to push forward on a replacement for the I-5 bridge that connects Washington and Oregon.
The good news is the federal infrastructure plan will help us close those gaps, but it is not nearly sufficient enough to address our transportation needs.
I’m also working with new Senate Transportation Committee Chair Marko Liias on a possible transportation package to invest more in our transportation system, particularly to maintain our current roads and bridges.
And we continue to work on modernizing Washington state’s transportation system to make it cleaner and greener, with not just more electric cars and charging stations but the electrification of mass transit buses, trucks, and ferries.
Keep in touch
If you have ideas, questions, or comments, please contact my office.
I hope to hear from you soon!
