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Highway 2, I-5
median barriers
receive $40.8 million
for safety upgrades
Reps.
Pearson, Kristiansen pushed for more funding in transportation budget
A supplemental transportation budget
passed in the House of Representatives today includes $10 million for safety upgrades to
U.S. Highway 2. The final spending plan is in addition to $3.9 million appropriated
in last
year's transportation budget for rumble strips on Highway 2.
Reps. Kirk Pearson
and
Dan Kristiansen
voted for the supplemental transportation budget,
House Bill 2878, which also included $26.9 million for a concrete
barrier on Interstate 5 near Marysville.
The 39th District
lawmakers say the new money for Highway 2 would provide for safety
improvements on some of the most dangerous segments of the 46-mile
corridor between Snohomish and Stevens Pass where 47 people have died
since 1999.
"This funding was
something I was proud to support," said Pearson, R-Monroe. "What's
special about the way the legislation was written is that is allows for
local control. The Highway 2 Safety Coalition will help us determine
where the money is spent and where it will make the most difference.
This way, the funds will go to upgrade and repair the most dangerous
areas. We could not have gotten this far without the community support
and local constituents who traveled to Olympia to speak on behalf of the
victims as well as the many families affected by the dangerous roadway."
"I'm glad we could shine a
bright spotlight on the serious problems of U.S. 2. An 18-inch wide
stripe of yellow line containing rumble strips is not enough to prevent
the serious accidents, injuries and deaths on this highway. We owe it to
the families of the victims who lost their lives on Highway 2 to do more
to prevent future tragedies," said Kristiansen, R-Snohomish. "We've been
told fixing Highway 2 would cost $2 billion. Throughout the session,
I've said we should not wait until we get that amount. Let's do this in
phases, addressing the most dangerous sections of the highway. This $10
million begins that process."
In January, Kristiansen
and Pearson introduced legislation to raise money for Highway 2 safety
improvements from a variety of sources, including the state's rental car
tax, vehicle license plate replacement fees and driver's license fees.
When it became apparent that legislation would not advance, they worked
to secure money in the supplemental transportation budget.
Originally, $5 million was
added by the House Transportation chair for a one-mile passing lane in
an area outside of Sultan where no fatalities have occurred. The final
budget provides $10 million and removes the passing lane provision,
freeing up funding to be directed into more critical areas of Highway 2
near Fern Bluff Road where several people have died.
Pearson was also thrilled
with the additional funding for concrete median barriers near
Marysville. This year, Pearson said, the Legislature has done a lot to
make our highways safer. He looks forward to building on the momentum to
make congestion relief and safety enhancements a top priority again next
year.
The supplemental
transportation budget, approved by the House, 67-28, now heads to the governor for
her consideration.
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For more information, contact:
Bobbi Cussins, Public Information Officer:
(360) 786-7252
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