For Immediate Release:

Thursday, July 28, 2005

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and U.S. Representative Rick Larsen today declared victory in their efforts to secure critical federal funding for the 2nd Congressional District’s transportation priorities. The three secured over $52 million for the region in legislation reauthorizing surface transportation spending through 2009.

SAFETEA-LU, which the House will pass tonight and is expected to clear the Senate tomorrow, sets the funding levels for highways, ferries, and transit programs through 2009.

“We’ve finally crossed the finish line with this bill in hand, and it’s a huge victory for Northwest transportation priorities,” Rep. Larsen said. “As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I’m proud to have partnered with my colleagues in the Senate to secure these transportation projects that will help make our communities safer and keep our economy moving.”

“I am proud to have partnered with Rep. Larsen and Sen. Cantwell to stand up for the transportation needs of the 2nd Congressional District,” Senator Murray said. “In a tough budget year, under tough conditions, we stood together to make the investments that will create jobs, improve safety and lay the foundation for our region’s future economic growth.”

"We need to think of these federal funds as an investment. These are well spent dollars that will create jobs, improve our quality of life, and literally keep our economy moving,” Senator Cantwell said. "I'm proud of the way the delegation has worked together in these tight financial times to make sure Washington gets the improvements our communities need."

Snohomish County:

• $2.5 million for Community Transit’s Bus Purchases and Facilities Enhancements: Larsen worked with Rep. Jay Inslee to secure these funds to help CT create a rapid transit system and expand facilities.
• $250,000 for SR 9 and 20th Street SE Intersection Reconstruction, Snohomish County, WA: This funding will help relieve congestion and improve safety at the intersection and help with the ongoing redevelopment of SR 9 into a five-lane highway.
• $80,000 for 5th Street/U.S. 2 Signalization Improvements, Sultan, WA: This funding will provide for a signal at the intersection of U.S. 2 and 5th Street in Sultan, WA. The signal is needed to allow access in and out of Sultan and increase safety along U.S. 2.
• $480,000 for Sultan Basin Road/U.S. 2 Improvements, Sultan, WA: This funding will help provide for major upgrades at the intersection of U.S. 2 and Sultan Basin Road, including a new signal and a dedicated left-hand turn lane. The improvements are needed to provide better access to Sultan Basin Road and increase safety along U.S. 2.
• $3.18 million for 41st Street Interchange, Everett, WA: The project will help widen the 41st Street bridge over I-5 from three lanes to five and provide better access on and off I-5. $3.5 million for East Marine View Drive Widening, Everett, WA: The funding will complete the widening of East Marine View Drive between I-5 and SR 529. The project will ease congestion and increase freight mobility into and out of the Port of Everett and to I-5.
• $800,000 for the Centennial Trail Project, Snohomish, WA: This funding helps complete the Centennial Trail into the city of Snohomish. The trail provides a safe alternative transportation route and currently runs between Lake Stevens and the edge of Snohomish.
• $140,000 for the Pedestrian Sidewalk Construction, Snohomish, WA: This project will construct and enhance sidewalks in Snohomish in order to increase safety, reduce congestion, and increase economic development in Snohomish.
• $384,000 for U.S. 2/Old Owen Road Intersection, Monroe, WA: This funding will help reconfigure the intersection and provide a dedicated right turn lane from East Main Street to eastbound U.S. 2. It will help increase access and safety along U.S. 2 in downtown Monroe.
• $832,000 for U.S. 2/Kelsey Street Intersection Improvements, Monroe, WA: Funding will help the city of Monroe develop and construct a left hand turn lane onto Kelsey Street from U.S. 2. This will increase accessibility for businesses in Monroe to traffic and increase safety along U.S. 2.
• $2.83 million for Granite Falls Alternate Freight Route, Granite Falls, WA: These funds will continue to help develop and construct an alternate route for trucks to take around the city of Granite Falls. Currently, quarry and logging trucks are forced to drive through downtown Granite Falls to access western Snohomish County and I-5. This project will decrease delays caused by truck traffic and keep commercial traffic off the downtown roads.
• $4.85 million for the Mukilteo Multimodal Terminal, Mukilteo, WA: Larsen and Rep. Jay Inslee combined their efforts to secure the funds that will help complete the Mukilteo multimodal facility that will create a transportation facility for ferry, bus, rail and car passengers. The outdated ferry terminal alone supports 4.2 million passengers and 2.3 million vehicles a year. An expanded Sounder rail stop, transit center and new terminal would ease congestion and give residents of Island and Snohomish Counties real transportation options.
• $880,000 to construct the SR 9 Pedestrian Overpass, Arlington, WA: Funds will construct a pedestrian overpass on highway 9. This overpass will allow students and community members to access two new public schools without crossing a busy state highway.
• $480,000 for the 267th Street NW Pedestrian Path, Stanwood, WA: Funds will help construct sidewalks to increase pedestrian safety near Port Susan Middle School.
• $2.4 million for the 116th Street I-5 Interchange Reconstruction, Marysville, WA: Funds will help improve 116th Street Interchange. These improvements are necessary to improve commuter and freight mobility and prepare the region for growth.
• $250,000 to Realign Airport Road, Springhetti Avenue, and Marsh Road, Snohomish County, WA: This funding will help realign the three roads that connect east of SR 9 in an awkward and unsafe three-way intersection. This project will improve safety and reduce congestion.

Whatcom County:

• $1.04 million for Cascade Gateway Coordination of Binational Planning: The International Mobility and Trade Corridor Project, Whatcom County, WA: Will fund efforts for Whatcom County to identify and promote improvements to the transportation and inspection systems between Washington state and British Columbia.
• $9.78 million for the Port of Bellingham Redevelopment Project in Bellingham, WA: Help fund street and pedestrian improvements that are part of the Bellingham waterfront redevelopment. The money will go toward expanding and enhancing Laurel Street and Bridge and Cornwall Bridge down into the current Georgia Pacific site that the port is redeveloping.
• $3 million for Border Crossing Improvements at Pacific Highway (SR 543/I-5), Blaine, WA: Will help construct an alternative route from I-5 to the border to relieve congestion along the Pacific Highway Truck Crossing (SR 543) and I-5 in Blaine and allow for better transborder freight mobility. As the fourth busiest border crossing on the Northern Border, assisting over 3,000 trucks each day and $15 billion in goods annually, this crossing has witnessed trucks backed up several miles on I-5 resulting in major congestion and safety concerns.
• $750,000 for the West Coast Corridor Coalition, Washington State: Funds will allow the West Coast Corridor project to identify and advocate policies, strategies, projects, and funding to improve the movement of freight and goods through, from, and within the West Coast transportation system, and to mitigate the congestion and community impacts that arise from freight movement.

Skagit County:

• $140,000 for College Way (SR 538) and North 26th Street Signal, Mount Vernon, WA: Funds will help install a signal at the College Way (SR 538) and North 26th Street intersection. This signal will provide access to Skagit Valley Community College and the new Performing Arts Center and ease congestion on College Way.
• $3.2 million for Roosevelt Extension/College Way (SR 538) at Urban Avenue to Cameron Way, Mount Vernon, WA: This funding would help construct a new arterial that would start at the intersection of Cameron Way and City Shop Road, cross Riverside Drive and end at College Way (SR 538). The project will increase access to commercial areas and reduce congestion on College Way $3 million for Bridge Modification and Interstate Highway Protection Project (Skagit River), Skagit County, WA: The funding will help Skagit County move forward with flood mitigation efforts that require bridge extensions over a portion of the Skagit River.
• $960,000 for North Sound Connecting Communities Project Planning Funds, Skagit County, WA: The NSCC project is a coalition of elected, agency and citizen representatives from the five north Sound counties (Whatcom, Skagit, Island, San Juan, Snohomish). Together they will work on regional planning issues, ensuring that county transit and transportation system work together to provide options and access to residents in the region.
• $760,000 for Arterial Improvements at Fruitdale and McGarigle Roads, Sedro-Woolley, WA: This funding will complete the second phase of this project to improve Fruitdale and McGarigle arterial roads. These improvements will stimulate economic development, improve traffic safety, and increase access to Sedro-Woolley’s eastern urban growth area.

Island County:

• $960,000 for New County Road, Whidbey Island, WA: This funding, added to dedicated county funds, will provide an alternate route for SR 525 through an area of Whidbey Island where the state highway provides the only transportation connection from North to South Whidbey.
• $2 million for Island Transit Capital Improvements, Coupeville, WA: The funding will help Island County replace its grossly inadequate and failing operations facility in Coupeville, WA. $1.12 million for Terry’s Corner Park and Ride, Camano Island/Stanwood, WA: This funding will complete the final buildout of an additional 220 parking units and make improvements to Sunrise Boulevard and North Camano Drive which will provide direct access to the facility.
• $836,000 for the Oak Harbor Multimodal Facility, Oak Harbor, WA: This funding will augment and relieve congestions on the island’s single state highway by adding alternative modes of transportation. The transportation facility will benefit transit, pedestrian and seaplane passengers.

San Juan County:

• $640,000 for Guard Street road reconstruction and sidewalk improvements from Marguerite Place to Park Street in Friday Harbor, WA: The funding will help with construction of sidewalk on both sides of the street, storm drainage and safety improvements to the road.