On the road to the future 🛣️

Guess who visited our neighborhood? Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg!

Yesterday, Secretary Buttigieg toured the Port Orchard Marina to speak about the $9.4 million RAISE grant awarded to the Port of Bremerton to replace Port Orchard Breakwater. The breakwater was built in 1974 and has been in disrepair for years despite sheltering a marina that is a destination for tourists, a working ship port, and a community gathering place

Then, I met the Secretary at the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal. We discussed the $11.6 million in funding from the Federal Transit Administration to improve and electrify the Washington State Department of Transportation's ferry fleet.

Our ferry system is essential to Washintonians, but was hit hard during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as ridership dwindled and maintenance was halted due to a shortage of workers. Now, with reinvestments, our ferry system will be restored. Sec. Buttigieg put it well:

"People understand that transportation means trains, planes, and automobiles — it also means ferries, and there are tens of thousands of people a day who really depend on facilities like the Ferry Terminal here in Mukilteo...This funding is going to make a big difference for ferry commuters across Washington state — and there's no substitute for seeing it firsthand."

I am grateful that the Secretary took time to visit our community and that he understands that the rapid growth experienced in Washington state demands a comprehensive and forward-thinking approach to infrastructure.

When we invest in infrastructure like an electrified ferry system, we are investing in more than just transportation. We are fostering economic growth, creating jobs, improving broader transportation networks, and being proactive about the threats of climate change.

With upwards of 350 projects in Washington that have been identified for funding, there is no shortage of sites to visit. Today, Secretary Buttigieg is visiting Washougal to discuss investments that will promote safety, shorten emergency response times, and strengthen supply chains.

More soon,

Rick