News from County Executive Dave Somers: March 2019

Snohomish County, Washington sent this bulletin at 03/06/2019 01:18 PM PST

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March 2019

Paine Field Airport Flights Take Off!

Executive Somers before the first flight takes off from Paine Field

After years spent forging new partnerships, addressing local concerns, and constructing a state-of-the-art facility, the passenger terminal at Snohomish County’s Paine Field Airport opened on March 4, 2019 to much fanfare. This is an exciting time for Snohomish County and the entire Puget Sound region! Through our innovative partnership with Propeller Airports, we have finally realized our dream and the vision of those who built Paine Field 83 years ago. Snohomish County has a new gateway to the world.

The two-gate passenger terminal at Paine Field (PAE) will be serviced by Alaska and United Airlines, with United starting service later this month. The airlines have announced 24 flights per day, connecting Snohomish County with nine domestic destinations, including major leisure and business travel destinations and international hubs.

Snohomish County’s Paine Field is already the economic engine of the county, and adding commercial air service will make us much more attractive for businesses looking to invest and for tourists wanting to visit the Pacific Northwest. It will also be extraordinarily convenient for our residents.

I was very proud to join other local elected officials and dignitaries on the first flight to Portland. As we roared down the runway and lifted off into perfectly clear skies, I felt gratitude for all of those who had worked so hard to realize this dream.

To learn more about the Paine Field Passenger Terminal, please visit: https://flypainefield.com.

Dave Somers
County Executive

3000 Rockefeller Ave.,

M/S 407
Everett, WA 98201

425-388-3050

County.Executive@snoco.org

www.snohomishcountywa.gov

Public Advocate

425-388-3365

Snowmageddon 2019

The entire Puget Sound region was blanketed in snow last month, with Snohomish County being especially hard hit by the storm. Starting Super Bowl Sunday, inches of snow accumulated across the county, followed by extended periods of freezing temperatures, creating hazardous road conditions. Schools and businesses throughout the community were closed for days. Living in a rural part of the county, I received over two feet of snow! While Hewitt was happy, it made for a tough few days.

I really appreciated all of the road maintenance crews and others who worked tirelessly, 24/7 for the duration of the storm event to keep our roads open. Our greatest concern was that power would get knocked out for a significant period of time, endangering people trapped in the cold. Through lots of hard work and sleepless nights, people cleared the way for power crews, first responders, and others who had life-saving tasks. On February 9^th alone, our county crews cleared over 2,000 miles and sanded 1,536 miles of roads throughout unincorporated Snohomish County.

To show our thanks, I joined with the County Council to pass a joint resolution thanking everyone who played a part in snow fight 2019.

As beautiful as the snow was, I am looking forward to the start of spring on March 20!

Please be prepared for the next snow storm or earthquake or other potential disaster. A little bit of preparation now could make a world of difference. For more information, visit https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/622/Preparedness.

Light Rail is Coming to Lynnwood

Lynnwood Link Design

As the former chair and current member of Sound Transit’s Board of Directors, I’ve been intimately involved with the expansion of Link Light Rail into Snohomish County. In late December, we received notice that $1.17 billion in federal funding had been secured for Lynnwood Link. Shortly thereafter, the Board approved the first significant construction contract for the project. We are on our way!

Despite previous mixed messages at the federal level, our congressional delegation helped move the Lynnwood Link project forward and ensured grant funding.

This spring, we will break ground on construction of the 8.5 mile light rail extension and four new stations between Northgate and Lynnwood. Lynnwood Link light rail service is scheduled to commence in July 2024 and will provide much needed options for those who must endure the congestion on the I-5 corridor. To learn more, please join us this spring for an upcoming open house in Mountlake Terrace or Lynnwood: https://www.soundtransit.org/system-expansion/lynnwood-link-extension/news-updates.

Projects of Countywide Significance

Fostering economic development in Snohomish County is one of my top priorities. I am committed to using every available tool to help our partners in the business community create jobs and diversify our economy. To further these goals, I declared two areas of the county--an undeveloped portion of Paine Field and the Arlington Marysville Manufacturing Industrial Center (AMMIC)--to be potential locations of “Projects of Countywide Significance” to encourage new businesses or existing businesses to locate or expand to these areas.

By declaring these areas as potential locations for “projects of countywide significance,” I committed to assigning professional staff to facilitate and expedite any permitting work when needed. I am confident that Snohomish County has everything a business needs to be successful: infrastructure, a well trained workforce, relatively affordable housing, and the most beautiful landscape on the planet. As those in our community or outside our region are looking for a place to expand or invest, we want them coming to Snohomish County.