It’s time to act, invest in our transportation system, future | Guest op

By Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke
and Andrea Keikkala
For the Kent Reporter

Kent, the central Puget Sound and the state of Washington are blessed with economic assets that many other areas would love to have: manufacturing; technology; a culture of innovation; aerospace; and a manufacturing and warehouse-distribution hub that is the fourth largest in the U.S., complemented by two world-class ports.

But our economic assets will be at great risk if we continue to ignore the need to invest in the backbone that connects them all – the transportation network of roads, highways, bridges and public transportation that moves our people and products.

That system is deteriorating and suffering from a lack of investment, and we have to fix it now. This is the same message legislative leaders heard at 10 “Listening Sessions” around the state. Concerned residents, business leaders, local elected officials and transit riders urged that a transportation investment package be passed this year.

It is time to recognize our transportation system is in crisis mode. Interchanges like State Route 167 and Interstate 405 are a gridlocked, brake-slamming mess. The State Route 509 corridor we designed decades ago to connect the Kent Valley to the sea and air cargo hubs at the Port of Seattle is still not finished. Kent and local businesses have put more than $50 million into extending and improving the 228th Street freight corridor to connect to 509 – but we remain $15 million short of finishing one of the grade separations and risk losing state and federal dollars if it isn’t completed.

We also have deteriorating city streets, unmaintained county roads and state highways in need of repair. Bridges throughout the state are labeled as “deficient” and in need of replacement. King County Metro Transit announced last week, which bus routes will be reduced, or go away altogether, as it prepares for a 17-percent cut in lieu of new funding. We have critical gaps in sidewalks and bicycle lanes making it difficult for commuters and for children to get to school safely. The list of needs is very long.

Last June, the House passed a 10-year, $9.5 billion transportation package that would have helped us to finally finish the 509 project and to construct a new interchange that would improve the mess at 405 and 167. The package also included funding for freight mobility, transit, local road improvements and safety projects. Leaders of our State Senate have now heard from the public that there is a drumbeat of support for enacting a transportation package.

This transportation package has Kent’s strong support. Along with dollars for the 167/405 interchange and the 509 corridor, Kent would get direct funding to help with badly needed local roads maintenance, and King County Metro would receive funds to avert significant transit service cuts. There would also be additional grant funding and local funding options that we could take to our voters.

Speaking of options – doing nothing is not a viable one. If we want our businesses to stay, create and grow jobs, and make the recent economic recession a distant memory, we must invest in our transportation system.

We need to act and we need to act now. Together, we urge our governor and state Legislature to convene a special session, this year; so that they can take bi-partisan action to pass a transportation investment package that is vital to the future of our region and our state.

Reach Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke at 253-856-5700 or mayor@kentwa.gov. Reach Andrea Keikkala, executive director of the Kent Chamber of Commerce, at 253-854-1770, ext. 140, or andreak@kentchamber.com.