End of Session Update: Delivering Transportation Solutions for Tacoma

Here in Tacoma and Pierce County, we continued advancing projects that people rely on every day: 

• Ongoing improvements along the I-5 corridor through Tacoma, helping reduce congestion and improve reliability for commuters and freight
• Continued progress on the Gateway project, including the new Port of Tacoma Road interchange, a critical connection for our region.
• Investments supporting the Port of Tacoma and freight mobility, keeping goods moving and supporting local jobs
• Funding to maintain and preserve local roads, bridges, and highways, ensuring long-term safety and reliability 

This budget prioritizes fixing what we have and making sure our infrastructure keeps up with the needs of a growing region. 

One of the biggest changes this year is a renewed focus on maintenance. 

We increased highway maintenance funding and made significant investments to preserve roads and bridges statewide, because keeping our existing system safe and functional has to come first. 

For our region, that includes addressing urgent infrastructure needs like the Fairfax Bridge closures and investing in long-term solutions that improve safety, reliability, and access. For Tacoma and communities across the South Sound, that means fewer disruptions from aging infrastructure and a transportation system people can count on every day. 

We continued critical work to stabilize and modernize Washington State Ferries, including: 

• Investments in new vessel construction
• Funding to advance ferry terminal electrification
• Planning and operational improvements to increase reliability 

These investments are essential for connecting communities and reducing emissions across our transportation system.  

We also made investments to expand transportation choices and reduce congestion: 

• Support for transit and regional mobility programs, including maintaining service during major construction like Revive I-5
• Continued investment in Amtrak Cascades, including free youth fares
• Funding for electric vehicle infrastructure and hydrogen fueling, helping transition to cleaner transportation options 

These investments give people more ways to get where they need to go while reducing pressure on our roadways.  

At the end of the day, this work is about people. 

It’s about the person commuting down I-5, the worker moving goods through the Port, the family catching a ferry, and the student taking transit to school. 

I’m proud that this budget reflects the needs of Tacoma and Pierce County, and that we are making real progress toward a transportation system that is safer, more reliable, and built for the future. 

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.