Politicians from three gridlocked Puget Sound-area counties endorsed a $6.9 billion roads package Thursday that supporters say would alleviate congestion and make highways safer.
Whether Pierce County voters get a chance to have a say on it remains unclear.
The executive board of the Regional Transportation Investment District approved a measure that would pay for major road projects in Pierce, King and Snohomish counties. It includes money for Highway 167, Highway 162 and Interstate 5 in Pierce County.
But it lacks key funding for the county’s proposed cross-base highway, and the fallout might scuttle the roads measure here. Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg has threatened to veto the measure if it doesn’t include the highway, and it’s unclear whether there are enough votes on the County Council to override his veto.
Ladenburg, who didn’t attend Thursday’s meeting, says he has enough votes on the council to get his way.
If he’s right, King and Snohomish counties could move forward without Pierce County on the November vote, and Pierce road projects could be stripped from the ballot. Pierce voters would still get a say on $10.8 billion mass transit plan that will be part of the ballot measure.
The News Tribune interviewed all seven Pierce County Council members this week in an effort to determine where each stands on the issue. Based on those conversations, the fate of the roads package is uncertain. Some council members say they want more information before making a decision.
Councilman Shawn Bunney, chairman of the investment district board, said he’s trying to find common ground with Ladenburg that would avert a showdown. He believes there’s strong support on the County Council for the roads package approved Thursday.
“I think the council will see the wisdom of giving voters the choice on this,” Bunney said after the investment district vote.
The $17.7 billion roads and transit measure includes 50 miles of light rail and major road construction projects in Pierce, King and Snohomish counties.
The measure would help pay for Pierce County’s top transportation priority: extending Highway 167 from Puyallup to the Port of Tacoma. It also would widen Highway 162 near Sumner and Orting.
The measure would pay to improve I-5 interchanges at Thorne Lane and Gravelly Lake Road. And it would speed up the widening of 176th Street East and possibly a portion of Canyon Road.
But widening 176th would mean diverting $50 million originally intended for the cross-base highway. That prompted Ladenburg’s veto threat. He also has said he would step down as chairman of the board of Sound Transit, the agency sponsoring the transit portion of the ballot measure, and lobby against the ballot measure.
The cross-base highway, which has long been a Pierce County priority, would link Highway 7 and Interstate 5 between Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base.
Supporters say it would alleviate traffic congestion and provide better access to industrial areas in Frederickson.
But environmental groups oppose the highway, saying it would destroy some of the last remaining oak prairie in the region. They have threatened to lobby against the ballot measure if it includes the cross-base highway.
Bunney has promoted the widening of 176th as a means to alleviate traffic congestion in Frederickson while postponing a fight with environmentalists that could hurt the ballot measure’s chances in November.
Bunney stressed that with the funding for the I-5 interchange improvements, the roads package covers 60 percent of the cost of the cross-base highway.
“I think this is an extraordinarily strong package for the citizens of Pierce County and the region,” Bunney said.
At Thursday’s investment district meeting in Seattle, most of the public testimony concerned the cross-base highway. Some spoke in favor of it.
Spanaway resident Marianne Lincoln said the highway would shorten her long commute to Redmond.
“I have spent five hours a day in my car,” Lincoln said. “I have arrived angry at work.”
But most who testified spoke against the cross-base highway, including representatives of Futurewise, Tahoma Audubon, the Washington State Public Interest Research Group and other environmental groups.
“It’s going to be impossible for us to galvanize the environmental community if the cross-base highway is on the list,” said Rob Johnson of the Transportation Choices Coalition.
Ultimately, the executive board approved the plan without the cross-base highway by a vote of 6-1.
Pierce County Councilman Calvin Goings cast the dissenting vote. He said the package doesn’t include enough money for the Highway 167 project. The investment district’s plan would build only two lanes of Highway 167 to the Port of Tacoma instead of the four envisioned, and wouldn’t include an interchange at I-5.
Goings, serving as an alternate member in place of regular board member and County Councilman Tim Farrell, questioned spending money on Highway 162 when Highway 167 was inadequately funded.
The next hurdle for the roads package comes June 8, when the development board’s planning committee – which consists of the 21 County Council members from Pierce, King and Snohomish counties – votes on the measure.
It then would have to be approved by each County Council to be placed on the ballot.
If the measure fails in Pierce County, Goings held out hope that the county could craft its own roads package and take it to county voters next year.
Where COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS stand
The News Tribune contacted Pierce County Council members this week to find out where they stand on the regional roads package that does not include key funding for the cross-base highway. The council would need four votes to approve the roads package and five votes to overturn a threatened veto by County Executive John Ladenburg.
Here’s what council members said:
Shawn Bunney, R-Lake Tapps: Supports proposed package.
Roger Bush, R-Graham: Wants to see details before making up his mind.
Tim Farrell, D-Tacoma: Supports proposed package.
Barbara Gelman, D-Tacoma: Leaning against proposed package.
Calvin Goings, D-Puyallup: Opposes proposed package, saying it doesn’t spend enough on Highway 167.
Terry Lee, R-Gig Harbor: Wants more information before making up his mind.
Dick Muri, R-Steilacoom: Supports proposed package. What’s next
What: Regional Transportation Investment District planning committee – the 21 County Council members from Pierce, King and Snohomish counties – will consider $6.9 billion road construction plan. If they approve the measure, each County Council must approve it to send it to ballot.
When: 10 a.m. June 8
Where: King County Council Chambers, King County Courthouse, 10th floor, 516 Third Ave., Seattle
On the Net: www.rtid.org
David Wickert: 253-274-7341
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