March RAMP Meeting Recap

On March 6, 2013, 60 people joined RAMP to hear presentations on the Point Defiance Bypass Rail Project and the Washington State House transportation proposal.

The Point Defiance Bypass Project will reroute passenger trains to a rail line along the Westside of I-5 through south Tacoma, Lakewood, and DuPont, upgrading tracks, laying new tracks, updating safety equipment, and creating a new Amtrak station in Tacoma. This will allow two additional round trips between Seattle and Portland and improve on-time performance. The Federal Road Administration (FRA) recently issued a Finding of No Significance Impact (FONSI), moving the project forward. Construction is set to begin in 2015 and service in 2017.

The 2013 Washington State House transportation package, Connecting Washington, outlines several transportation projects and revenue sources that amount to about $10 billion and 56,000 jobs over ten years. State Route 167 combined with SR 509 are at the top of the project list, although they were slated for significantly less funding than what is required to finish the projects.

Stay tuned to the RAMP blog for next month's meeting on Wednesday, April 3.

RAMP 3/6 @ 8 AM

AGENDA  -  March 6, 2013

The Fabulich Center

3600 Port of Tacoma Road; 98424

8:00     Welcome & Self-Introductions                                  

            Tom Pierson, Co-Chair, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber President & CEO                     

8:05     Point Defiance Bypass Rail Project

            David Smelser, Cascades High Speed Rail Program Manager

            Carol Lee Roalkvam, WSDOT Environmental Policy Branch Manager

8:25     Washington State Legislature House Transportation Proposal

            Michael Shaw, Lobbyist, Pierce County Government

            Michael Transue, Lobbyist, TPCC

8:45     Round Robin

     

9:00     Closing Remarks & Adjourn

            Pat McCarthy, Co-Chair, Pierce County Executive

           

Next RAMP Meeting

Wednesday, April 3rd – Details TBD

RAMP is a regional coalition including business, labor, public and private organizations and citizens dedicated to improved mobility in the South Sound and Washington State.  Our mission is to ensure a healthy regional economy associated with the development of an effective, efficient transportation system and the resources to sustain it. RAMP is co-chaired by Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy, Port of Tacoma CEO John Wolfe and Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber President & CEO Tom Pierson.