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December 1, 2017
Dear Friends and
Neighbors,
During my recent
12th District “listening tour,” a popular topic of discussion was
infrastructure, especially with city, county, port, and school officials.
Access to water, local trails, modernized school buildings, less-congested
roads, and improved air travel are critical to our area’s quality of life and
economic growth.
A good example
of an infrastructure discussion during my listening tour was a visit from
Wenatchee Mayor Frank Kuntz and City of Wenatchee officials. The mayor was
energetic and hopeful about the city’s role in leading a major federal grant
application to improve the region’s transportation infrastructure: the Apple
Capital Loop Project (not to be confused with our loop trail).
Wenatchee Mayor Frank
Kuntz shares a map of the Apple Capital Loop Project, which would significantly
improve transportation in the Wenatchee Valley.
 I appreciate the local interest and
enthusiasm for this project (click on the map for a larger version), and I am appreciative of the city’s leadership
efforts. Transportation is particularly important to our region (from freight
hauling to tourism) and it supports our everyday lives. Good roads are
especially important during natural disasters, such as wildfires. I also like
that the project itself isn’t just about motorized vehicles as the new
pedestrian bridge proposed will improve safety and access over the railroad to
our riverfront loop trail for south Wenatchee residents.
This coalition includes the
Ports of Chelan and Douglas Counties, BNSF Railway, Douglas County, City of
East Wenatchee, Link Transit, Chelan-Douglas Transportation Council, the State
Department of Transportation, and others. Our community has seen the benefits
of teamwork for other recent endeavors, so it is exciting to see it continue
with this effort.
Mayor Kuntz asked if I would support this
federal grant application, and I enthusiastically agreed. There is, of course, national competition for these federal
grant dollars, but I and the coalition supporters are hopeful. Thinking big and
working together can be a very powerful force. We’ll know more about this
project sometime next year.
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Click on the image to read my full letter to the U.S. secretary of transportation in support of the Apple Capital Loop Project.
For more on the Apple Capital Loop Project and
transportation in the Wenatchee Valley:
Thank you again for the opportunity to serve as your 12th
District state senator. Please contact my office if you have any questions.
Brad Hawkins
State Senator
Brad Hawkins
12th Legislative District
E-mail:
brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov
Website: senatorbradhawkins.org
107 Newhouse Building
- P.O. Box 40412 | Olympia, WA 98504-0412
(360) 786-7622 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000
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