Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 8, 2001
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Transportation plan would benefit Southwest Washington, Locke says

VANCOUVER - Expansion and improvements to Interstates 5 and State Route 14 are among the top Southwest Washington priorities in his transportation proposal, Gov. Gary Locke said today.

The governor discussed his 10-year, $17.2 billion transportation proposal before the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce Transportation Forum today.

"Vancouver and Clark County are leading the way in regional growth and entrepreneurship," Locke said. "But that won't be the case a decade from now if the clamor of honking horns on the impassable highways drown out the rippling echos of the Columbia River -- and with it, the quality of life you all cherish."

Locke said his Southwest Washington priorities include:

$321 million to widen I-5 lanes from Vancouver north to Grand Mound (south of Olympia)

Over $250 million in lane widening, overpass and bridge replacements, and other capacity

Lane widening on SR 14 in the Camas and Washougal areas
To pay for the package, the governor proposed a 50 percent gross weight surcharge for trucks and a 2 percent sales and use tax increase for new and used motor vehicles. The package, which is contingent upon voter approval, also calls for a 4-cent increase in gas taxes in January 2002 and 3-cent gas tax increase in 2004.

"Under the package for traffic relief I'm proposing, at least 85 percent of new state transportation dollars will stay within the region in which they are raised," Locke said. He added that 100 percent of new regional dollars raised for transportation would stay within the region.

"A partnership of state and regional investment is the smart and fair way of breaking out of gridlock while we improve the whole state transportation system," Locke said.

The governor said his proposal includes improvements from Bellingham to Walla Walla and from Vancouver to Spokane. There also would be investments to continue the state's successful passenger rail program.

Locke called up Vancouver-area business leaders to help him get the Legislature to act on the transportation package as well as complete their work on bills that would streamline permitting and implement other transportation reforms that would save time and money.

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Related Links:
- A State and Regional Partnership to Break the Gridlock
- Regional Empowerment to Cut Traffic Congestion
- Governor Gary Locke's Proposed Ten-Year Transportation Plan
- Governor Gary Locke's Proposed Transportation Project List

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