Business leaders, citizens and elected officials from across the state packed a Senate committee hearing room yesterday afternoon to express support for a statewide transportation revenue package. So many individuals signed up to testify that not everyone was able to even after the hearing was extended into the evening.

Supporters of completing State Route 167 were particularly vocal.

“Funding SR 167 greatly improves the flow of goods through our ports, reduces congestion and emissions and improves safety,” said John Parrott, president of Totem Ocean.

“This is not a transportation bill; this is a jobs bill,” testified Tom Pierson of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce. “The completion of SR 167 has the potential of generating 80,000 long-term jobs.”

Many discussed the interconnection between the Port of Tacoma and other parts of the state.

“SR 167 is about keeping the Seaport Alliance [made up of the ports of Tacoma and Seattle] competitive and providing direct connections agriculture in eastern Washington,” said City of Fife Mayor Tim Curtis.

Meanwhile, a representative of the Greater Spokane Incorporated thanked lawmakers for their “investments in road and rail connections to the ports.”

Others noted the many years that residents of the South Sound have waited for completion of not only SR 167, but also SR 509 feeding into the Port of Seattle.

“I have been working on SR 509 and SR 167 since the 1980s,” explained City of Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke. “Thank you for funding them.”

Sen. Curtis King, chair of the Transportation Committee, announced his intent to move the transportation package out of committee on Thursday of this week.

Individuals who did not get a chance to testify but wish to share an opinion with their lawmakers may call the legislative hotline at 800-562-6000. Their comments will be routed automatically onto their senators.