Transportation
Across the nation, our infrastructure is facing a breaking point. Many of our roads and bridges are badly in need of new investments that will modernize our infrastructure while ensuring public safety. In order to strengthen our economy, we need transportation solutions that efficiently move people and goods. Washington is the nation’s most trade dependent state. To stay competitive, we must improve connections to our ports, facilitate trade, help connect people to their jobs and spur economic growth.
Congress must get past the hyper-partisanship that has caused so much gridlock and pass a long-term transportation bill. A new transportation bill should repair our crumbling roads, bridges and improve the speed and performance of our mass transit systems. Making investments in our infrastructure will allow us to safely maintain our transportation system and create high paying jobs.
More on Transportation
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that Washington state will be the recipient of $35 million in federal funding from the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief (ER) program. The funding may be awarded to repair or reconstruct Federal-aid highways and roads that have suffered serious damage as a result of natural disasters or catastrophic failures. Congresswoman Suzan DelBene issued the following statement:
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2014 released today includes $440,000 to help continue progress on Kenmore’s project to conduct maintenance dredging of the City’s Navigation Channel. A significant amount of local commerce and local businesses depend on Kenmore’s Navigation Channel to move goods and supplies by barge. Without regular maintenance to the channel, transportation networks that depend on the channel are disrupted, and the transportation costs go up.
BELLINGHAM - Bellingham International Airport is receiving two federal grants totaling about $1.1 million to upgrade the aircraft de-icing facility and to fix an apron used by private aircraft.
The de-icing project is meant to enable crews to handle more aircraft quickly during the winter, at a cost of $500,000. A second grant of $655,000 will help rehabilitate a general aviation apron that has reaching the end of its useful life.
BOTHELL - Rep. Suzan DelBene, WA-01, and Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, today announced that the Port of Bellingham will receive two grants totaling approximately $1.1 million to support the expansion and upgrade of Bellingham International Airport’s existing de-icing facility and the rehabilitation of an existing general aviation apron.
WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, members of the Washington delegation announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will make available $15.6 million in emergency funds to support repairs to the I-5 Skagit River Bridge.
Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Patty Murray (D-WA), and U.S. Representatives Rick Larsen (WA-02) and Suzan DelBene (WA-01) announced that the USDOT Emergency Relief funds will be used to support the temporary and permanent replacement of the bridge, which collapsed on May 23.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene introduced bipartisan legislation today to stop the creation of a land border crossing fee.
Last month, the Department of Homeland Security included in its Fiscal Year 2014 budget request legislative language to authorize a study assessing the feasibility of charging admission for travelers coming into the United States at land crossings.