Local government leaders from the South Sound region sent two letters over the last week to Governor Jay Inslee, continuing to make the case for both a transportation revenue package as well as the completion of SR-167.
"Many of those ports [elsewhere in North America] have been investing hundreds of millions, if not billions in infrastructure improvements in anticipation of the opening of the widened Panama Canal," wrote the Valley Cities Mayors. "At the same time, while stakeholders across the state have come to a consensus on the importance of completing State Highways 167 and 509, the state has yet to act."
The South County Area Transport Board agreed: "We must remember that our ports are the key to our position as the most trade dependent state in our Union. The widened Canal will open soon and states and provinces from Canada to Mexico and from the Gulf to New York are already moving on strategies to support their ports that threaten to take our businesses and jobs in the future."
Here are copies of their letters to the Governor:
Valley Cities Governor Inslee Letter 08-022 SCATBd Governor Inslee Ltr 8 5 13