Today begins the next 10 years. Well, every day does, but today more than most, because the Connecting Washington Task Force will meet for the first time at noon today in Seattle.
Gov. Chris Gregoire created the task force in July to develop a 10-year transportation investment and funding plan that it will present to the 2012 Legislature. You can learn all about the agenda for today’s meeting, and the task force’s membership and mission at the Connecting Washington Task Force pages
As the governor said in her press release announcing the task force, more that 90 percent of the projects funded by the 2003 and 2005 transportation revenue packages have been completed on time and under budget. The challenge is that our population and transportation needs will continue to grow, but after the next biennium more than 90 percent of the 2003 and 2005 revenue packages will cover debt service.
The task force charged with meeting this challenge is a veritable Who’s Who of transportation leaders in every sector, region and level of government in Washington. One of the top leaders making a presentation today is the HDC’s own Rep. Judy Clibborn (D-Mercer Island), who chairs the House Transportation Committee and also serves as the presiding chair of the Legislature’s Joint Transportation Committee.
The event has gathered so much attention that the Puget Sound Regional Council expects overflow crowds. But don’t worry. You can watch a live webcast of the event via the Puget Sound Regional Council Web Page or TVW.
