Only a few days into the new year and already there has been quite a bit of discussion regarding the completion of State Route 167.

Kicking things off, the Tacoma Weekly's Steve Dunkelberger On January 2nd provided his predictions for the year ahead, declaring "SR 167 funding could actually be in the cards." He goes on to write, "Plans to run State Route 167 to shipping operations on the Tideflats have been in the works for decades. Land purchases, designs, studies and route selections have trickled in ever since, but the massive price tag of more than $1.5 billion has kept it from being fully funded until now. The project has reached the point both in design and in political support to have a chance at state and federal dollars in the coming legislative session as a 'road of regional significance.'"

While Dunkelberger was making his predictions, a small group of lawmakers made some of their own as part of the January meeting of the Regional Access Mobility Partnership (RAMP). Senate-elect Bruce Dammeier and representatives Laurie Jinkins and Hans Zeiger shared their perspectives as to what the upcoming legislative session might portend for transportation. Rep. Zeiger declared, "This has to be the year of SR-167. It is the number one jobs project in Washington strate. It is the number one economic development project in Washington state." Rep. Jinkins agreed: "This is not just for us in the South Sound. This is one of the most important projects in the state. It has impact throughout the state in terms of freight mobility."

All three lawmakers called on stakeholders to keep up the pressure. "We need local business leaders regularly meeting with us, having coffee with us, pressuring us to make 167 a priority," said Zeiger. "We need to be receiving e-mails from constituents almost on a daily basis about the importance of this project." Jinkins also called out the importance of speaking with other interest groups. "I am concerned 167 may not be high on some other's lists, so we need to press them."

All of these efforts are important for the "end game." As Senator Dammeier explained, "The important thing is to keep the pressure on it. To keep it alive. It might look like it won't be going anywhere early in session, but if we can keep it positioned where it is still alive at the end of the session, it could be one of those things that can pull bi-partisan support in the end."

The conversation continued two days later when the South Sound Chambers of Commerce Legislative Coalition held its annual breakfast on Friday to lay out its 2013 legislative agenda. Speaking before over two hundred business leaders from across the South Sound, House Transportation Committee Chair Judy Clibborn declared, "We will go forward with a transportation revenue package this year." Noting that without a new package, virtually all transportation capital construction will end in two years, Clibborn sketched the outlines of what a package might look like. Of particular note was her proposal for a Puget Sound Gateway Corridor which would fund completion of SR-167, SR-509 and I-5 High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes. "Making this corridor functional is essential," she said, noting the importance of these roadway to the ports, business and international trade.

Representative Mark Hargrove, Assistant Ranking Member on the Transportation Committee agreed: "It is so easy to explain that these projects are not just for one region, but benefit the entire state." It is this benefit that will help persuade lawmakers and voters on the need of a transportation revenue package.

But how soon until we actually see a revenue package? Perhaps quite soon. Senator Joe Fain, vice-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, reflects this growing support. Speaking at the legislative breakfast, he said, "I am quite supportive of transportation revenue package either this year or next." The question for SR-167 advocates is whether we can provide leaders like Clibborn, Fain, Zeiger, Jinkins, Dammeier and Hargrove the support they need to pass a package.