Tag Archives: Transportation

Sen. King statement on proposed Senate transportation budget

Sen. Curtis King, ranking Republican on the Senate Transportation Committee and R-Yakima, issued this statement on Proposed Substitute Senate Bill 5214, the 2019-21 Senate transportation budget unveiled by Senate Transportation Committee Chair Steve Hobbs on Tuesday:

“This is generally a minimal transportation budget. It doesn’t spend as much as prior budgets, and I plan to support it in committee this week – but with a few concerns. I think we need to take a hard look at the expenses associated with the state ferry system, especially the cost of converting ferries to diesel-electric power. Hydrogen-fueled vessels could be an option and should be considered, but hydrogen wasn’t even looked at.

“Also, this budget covers all of the salary increases for the State Patrol and State Ferries that the governor negotiated. We can’t just keep increasing salaries and expect their salary budgets to remain sustainable and viable. “What I really like about this budget is that it offers some flexibility regarding money that for some reason doesn’t get spent as originally intended. We have said to WSDOT, ‘here is a list of projects that you can move up from the Connecting Washington package if you realized you have monies that you’re not going to be able to spend. These are the projects that you can bring up and continue or complete.’ By doing this, we don’t need to do a big reappropriation at the end of every biennium.”

King receives award for work on transportation issues

Sen. Curtis King has been honored by the Washington State Good Roads & Transportation Association for his work on transportation issues.

King, formerly the chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and currently its ranking Republican member, was named Legislator of the Decade by the association at its 2019 Legislative Breakfast Tuesday. The other Legislator of the Decade honoree is former 41st Legislative District Rep. Judy Clibborn, who served as the House Transportation Committee chair for several years until retiring from the Legislature last year.

“I’m honored to be recognized by the Goods Roads & Transportation Association in this way,” said King, R-Yakima, who serves the 14th Legislative District. “Representative Clibborn and I worked well together on transportation issues during our time as transportation chairs.”

King and Clibborn were the main architects of the Connecting Washington transportation package that was approved by the Legislature in 2015.

“The Connecting Washington package was a well thought out and negotiated start to the repair and restoration of our transportation system,” according a brochure produced by the association about the awards. “It incorporated significant resources to complete projects and finish gaps in the system. Listening to local communities and feedback statewide they (King and Clibborn) crafted a bipartisan package to begin repair of our transportation system.”

Department of Transportation in good hands with Roger Millar at helm, says Senator King

In a unanimous vote today, the Senate confirmed Roger Millar as Secretary of the Department of Transportation. Mr. Millar is a second-generation civil engineer with thirty-eight years of experience including as a public works director, a city and county planning director, and vice-president of a multi-national engineering firm. He served as acting secretary from February 2016 to August 2016, and was appointed secretary in August.

Sen. Curtis King, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, gave strong support to Millar’s confirmation.

“As secretary, Mr. Millar has been open and transparent in how he runs the department,” said Sen. King. “His forthcoming style kept me well-informed of key issues at DOT and he has shown a willingness to work through any challenges that come up. He has a solid engineering background, has done a fine job to this point, and I believe that he will continue to lead his department in a positive direction.”

Olympia Update May 2014

“On time and on budget” is how I describe the 2014 legislative session that ended March 13 in my latest Olympia Update. Read here about session, my bill Gov. Inslee signed prohibiting minors from using tanning beds and what I’ve been up to since returning home from Olympia.

74 residents testify at Senate’s first transportation feedback forum held in Bellevue

Hundreds of Washington citizens turned out to share their thoughts and ideas on state transportation issues at Stevenson Elementary School in Bellevue Tuesday evening. Senate Transportation Committee co-chairs, Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, and Sen. Tracey Eide, D-Federal Way, heard from 74 transit advocates, business representatives and daily commuters during the three-hour public forum.

“For over two hours, we listened to the concerns and comments of transportation taxpayers and that was just the tip of the iceberg,” King said. “I expect tonight’s forum in Everett to be equally well-attended, and I’m looking forward to receiving input from hundreds more as we embark on our feedback forum tour around Washington.” Continue reading →