Almost $1 billion in funding for bike, pedestrian and transit projects that the legislature just passed in the transportation package is at risk. Right now, the Governor faces with a false choice between funding critical transit, biking, and walking infrastructure and enacting a low carbon fuels standard.
The Governor has been put in a terrible position by the Senate leadership, who inserted a “poison pill” into the transportation package which zeroes out funding for multi-modal if a low carbon fuels standard is enacted.
Let us be clear, if the Governor chooses clean fuels, we would lose nearly $1 billion worth of multi-modal funding. Investments that are essential for our environment, economy and health.
What’s at stake?
If the low carbon fuels standard is enacted, we will lose funding for:
- Transit projects such as SWIFTII bus rapid transit in Everett and Snohomish County, expansion of Rapid Ride bus rapid transit to Burien and Delridge, and the Spokane Central City Line.
- Important bike and pedestrian investments like the Northgate pedestrian bridge, Shuster Parkway in Tacoma, and expansions of bike trails in Anacortes, Tumwater, and Yakima.
- The critical Commute Trip Reduction tax credit will be defunded, an award-winning program that helps keep thousands of cars off the road.
- Effective grant programs such as Safe Routes to School and Regional Mobility which fund much-needed bike, pedestrian and transit investments in communities around our state.
We would lose projects that keep our children safe, our communities healthy, and our economy moving, while writing the Senate a blank-check.
We encourage the Governor to find a solution that keeps these important multi-modal investments while working to create a path forward on clean fuels.
What can you do?
This is a difficult situation, pitting against each other two important and interrelated goals. We believe there is an opportunity to do both without eliminating critical transit and multi-modal investments.
Please email the Governor and urge him to find a solution that keeps these important multi-modal investments while working to create a path forward on clean fuels.
