Contact Information

  • Governor's Office, 360-902-4111

Governor Gregoire Announces Citizen Transportation Advisory Committees to Get Washington Moving

For Immediate Release: June 8, 2006

Committees to consider regional transportation authority, review viaduct and SR 520 projects

OLYMPIA � Governor Chris Gregoire and the House and Senate Transportation Committee chairs today announced the appointment of eight members to an expert review panel that will review the Alaskan Way viaduct replacement and SR 520 bridge replacement projects. The panel will report to the public whether the current plans to replace the two highways are achievable. These two critical highway structures are both facing the end of their useful life and do not meet current seismic safety standards.

Governor Gregoire today also announced the appointment of nine members to a commission that will develop recommendations for the consolidation of regional transportation agencies.

�This commission needs to be forward thinking � I want them to consider our transportation needs in 2030, not only 2010,� said Governor Gregoire. �I know that these recommendations will get mixed reviews, but I hope that everyone, including transit providers, local governments and the Department of Transportation will work with the commission to reach a solution that helps to fight traffic congestion in the Puget Sound region.�

Regional Transportation Commission

Norm Rice and John Stanton have been appointed to co-chair the commission. John Stanton was selected from the list of names submitted by the House Republican Caucus and Norm Rice was selected from the list of names submitted by the House Democratic Caucus.

Dan McDonald was also selected from the list of names submitted by the Senate Republican Caucus and Reid Shockey was selected from the Senate Democratic Caucus list.

Mary Gates from King County, Dave Johnson and Tim Farrell from Pierce County and Gigi Burke from Snohomish County were also appointed to the commission. An appointee from Kitsap County has yet to be confirmed.

Expert Review Panel

Jane Garvey was selected to chair the expert review panel. Ms. Garvey served as the first ever five-term administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, as the acting administrator (previously deputy administrator) of the Federal Highway Administration, the director of Boston�s Logan International Airport and commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Works.

Also serving on the panel will be Lee Baker, P.E., HDR Engineering; Rodney Brown, J.D., Cascadia Law Group; William Edgerton, Jacobs Associates; Don Forbes, P.E., HNTB; Kenneth Kruckemeyer, AIA, ASCE, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Dave McCracken, P.E., self- employed; and Lyn Wylder, P.E., David Evans and Associates.

Washington House Bill No. 2871 Establishes Committees

�The Regional Transportation Commission has a lot of work to do in a short time and we appreciate their willingness to lend their expertise and improve transportation in Washington�s most populous region,� said Senate Transportation Committee Chair Mary Margaret Haugen. �The state of Washington is investing a significant number of our limited transportation dollars into the viaduct and SR 520. We must be assured that these two projects can be completed for the costs being estimated by WSDOT and the Expert Review Panel will assist us greatly.�

�The Regional Transportation Commission is charged with the most important responsibility of moving transportation in the Puget Sound region into the 21st century,� said House Transportation Committee Chair Representative Ed Murray. �I look forward to their work and to the panel�s findings that tell us whether we can move forward with replacing SR 520 and the Alaskan Way viaduct. The city of Seattle and the Puget Sound region cannot afford to be without these critical corridors.�

The 2006 Washington State Legislature directed the formation of a regional transportation commission to make recommendations on transportation governance and fiscal issues for the central Puget Sound region. The commission contains nine members appointed by the Governor, with the director of the Department of Transportation serving as an ex-officio member. The Governor selected four members based on recommendations from the four legislative caucuses and the Governor selected the additional five members with input from local governments, business organizations, labor groups, environmental groups and other transportation organizations. The findings are due to the Governor and Legislature on January 1, 2007.

The Legislature also directed the formation of an expert review panel to determine whether the finance and implementation plans are feasible for the replacement of the Alaskan Way viaduct and SR 520 bridge. The panel, which begins work at the end of June, will meet frequently through the summer. The findings are due to the Governor and Legislature on September 1, 2006.


###