The Seattle Metro Chamber, and its partner the Portland Business Alliance, are celebrating today because Gov. Jay Inslee signed the bill for Move Ahead Washington – the state’s new transportation package. Below are quotes from leaders of these organizations:
Rachel Smith, Seattle Metro Chamber
“The Seattle Metro Chamber is thrilled that legislators made transportation infrastructure a priority this legislation session by passing Move Ahead Washington, which was signed into law by the governor today,” said Chamber President and CEO Rachel Smith. “It was a short session and given the complexities of funding and projects that were on the table, it would have been easy to punt this year. But instead – led by Chairs Sen. Marko Liias and Rep. Jake Fey – legislators put their shoulders in and got the negotiations done. Transportation is a key element in making this a competitive place to do business, and communities are grateful for these investments. They will move Washington state toward a more equitable, accessible, affordable, and resilient transportation system.”
Andrew Hoan, Portland Business Alliance
“The Portland Business Alliance is immensely grateful to the legislature and Governor for coming to the table with significant investments through ‘Move Ahead Washington’ towards the funding of the I-5 Bridge Replacement,” said Alliance President and CEO Andrew Hoan. “Prioritizing infrastructure connecting our states is a vote in support of increasing the linkages between Portland to Seattle and beyond, and is a major step towards building a sustainable recovery in the Pacific Northwest. Let’s move ahead on a bridge replacement design that is seismically resilient and moves people and goods efficiently between Oregon and Washington.”