The state Legislature adjourned for the year this weekend without taking action on the proposed transportation package. Despite widespread calls for infrastructure investments, lawmakers in the Senate declined to schedule a floor vote on the proposal. Passage of a transportation package was a high priority for business, labor, local government, and environmental groups throughout the state. The Port of Tacoma is particularly disappointed that no transportation package was passed.
The package included nearly $1 billion for the completion of State Route 167, which many legislators described as the single largest economic development project in the state, with the prospect of creating 80,000 permanent jobs statewide and $10 billion in payroll. The completion of this project is extremely important for the port to continue to compete in an extremely competitive global trade market.
Several lawmakers deserve recognition for their tireless work in support of the package, including Rep. Judy Clibborn (D-Mercer Island) and Senator Tracey Eide (D-Federal Way). We thank them for their leadership. We also want to thank the members of the Pierce County legislative delegation who voted for the proposal:
- Rep. Hans Zeiger
- Rep. Dawn Morrell
- Rep. Larry Seaquist
- Rep. Jake Fey
- Rep. Laurie Jinkins
- Rep. Tami Green
- Rep. Steve Kirby
- Rep. David Sawyer
- Rep. Roger Freeman
Transportation stakeholders will use the interim to strategize on next steps and work with legislators to ensure successful passage of a transportation package during the next legislative session. We look forward to the day—hopefully soon—when we will celebrate the groundbreaking of the SR-167 Completion project.
Some final words from the media can be found in the News Tribune, the Seattle Times, the Olympian and the Everett Herald, which went on to note: "In practice, ideology and partisanship, especially in the Senate, supplanted pragmatism. (What became of the historic business-Republican alliance for transportation? Wither aerospace?)"