Washington Business Summer 2016 | Page 41

business backgrounder | transportation
“ Today a dream has come true ,” Smith said , as Gov . Jay Inslee , Seattle Mayor Ed Murray , and legislative leaders listened closely . “ It ’ s a day to look forward and a day to be inspired .”
The new bridge , which features wide lanes and shoulders , plus a dedicated pedestrian and bike path , opened to vehicles a few weeks later . Eventually the old bridge , which opened in 1963 and has been showing its age in more ways than one , will be decommissioned and disassembled .
Meanwhile , the last leg of the 520 bridge corridor — the “ Rest of the West ” connection with Interstate 5 and Seattle proper — will be completed thanks to $ 1.64 billion in funding in the Connecting Washington package .
And it ’ s not the only project on the way . Not by a long shot .
real projects , close to home
For cities , highways and bridges around the state , real traffic improvements are coming . Connecting Washington includes projects in every corner of the state . The biggest in the package include the North Spokane
Corridor , the 167 / 509 Gateway Project and the widening of Interstate 5 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord .
And for the first time , the package includes money dedicated for maintenance and preservation of the state ’ s highway system — $ 1.4 billion . Money to keep our system in good shape was an AWB priority as we gave our input and support for the package .
Infrastructure investments have a real return on investment for businesses . Employers need three things from a transportation system :
• An efficient supply chain to get products to market and onto the shelves ;
• Customers to be able to access those goods ; and
• Employees who can get to work .
“ Without these things , business does not exist ,” said Mike Ennis , AWB government affairs director for transportation , “ and the more efficient the mobility system , the better businesses do .”
leading the package to success
AWB was among the strongest supporters of the years-long effort to bring all sides together in support of the 2015 bipartisan transportation funding and reform package that became known as Connecting Washington . The work began before the 2013 legislative session , with many versions of the bill discussed and revised over three years of negotiations .
Momentum grew last year , with AWB bringing employers to Olympia to emphasize the need for the state ’ s first transportation package in a decade .
Kristal Fiser , director of state government affairs for UPS , said her company has had plenty of firsthand experience with the challenges facing Washington ’ s transportation infrastructure — and the critical need for an efficient , integrated , multimodal system in order for the state to stay competitive .
“ Urban congestion , freight mobility bottlenecks , bridge and intermodal connections in disrepair can result in operational inefficiency , increased cost for consumers and air quality degradation ,” Fiser testified during debate on the package . “ UPS understands in practical terms what is at stake . Congestion and lack of investment has broad implications for the ability of UPS to provide service to our customers , our quality of life , and the state ’ s economic competitiveness .”
To emphasize that message , members of AWB ’ s new Grassroots Alliance came from the Tri-Cities , Vancouver and beyond to testify in support of the package that helps connect all corners of Washington .
Maud Doudon , president of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce , was one of the business leaders emphasizing that the ability to move goods , services and people is key to the region ’ s economic success .
“ The more efficient the mobility system , the better businesses do .”
— Mike Ennis , AWB government affairs director for transportation
at a glance
The 2015 Connecting Washington package is a $ 16 billion , 16-year investment funded in part by an 11.9-cent gas tax increase . The package allocates $ 9.4 billion for highways and roads and $ 1.4 billion for highway maintenance , plus funding for multi-modal projects , ferries , terminals , and other work . Major projects include :
• Funding the last piece of the Highway 520 corridor — the connection between the bridge and I-5 — $ 1.6 billion
• The State Route 167 / 509 Puget Sound Gateway , connecting the Port of Tacoma with Highway 167 , and improving the highway system between the ports of Tacoma and Seattle — $ 1.9 billion
• I-405 improvements from Lynnwood to Bellevue — $ 1.3 billion
• U . S . 395 North Spokane Corridor — $ 879 million
• Joint Base Lewis-McChord congestion relief — $ 494 million summer 2016 41