FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Environmental Organizations Endorse Roads and Transit Package Largest Expansion of Transit in History of Washington State
Washington state - Today a slate of leading environmental organizations announced their endorsements of Roads and Transit. The package will provide more transportation options while improving our quality of life and the environment. The organizations announcing their endorsement are: Transportation Choices Coalition, Washington Conservation Voters, Futurewise, Environment Washington, Tahoma Audubon, and Washington Environmental Council.
Contact: Jessyn Farrell, Transportation Choices Coalition
206.329.2336
Washington state - Today a slate of leading environmental organizations announced their endorsements of Roads and Transit. The package will provide more transportation options while improving our quality of life and the environment. The organizations announcing their endorsement are: Transportation Choices Coalition, Washington Conservation Voters, Futurewise, Environment Washington, Tahoma Audubon, and Washington Environmental Council.
With the passage of the joint ballot this fall, voters will give regional transit the biggest boost in state history bringing new light rail, improved service and more transit to Snohomish, King and Pierce counties. "This is a groundbreaking expansion of transit - the largest ever in the state. It is a once in a generation opportunity to change the way we move people and goods," said Jessyn Farrell, Executive Director, Transportation Choices Coalition.
Roads & Transit creates transportation choices for people to get out of their cars by:
·Building an additional 50 miles of light rail to connect Bellevue,
Redmond's Overlake area, Mercer Island, Northgate, Shoreline, Mountlake
Terrace, Lynnwood, Alderwood, the 164th Street/Ash Way area, Des
Moines, Federal Way and Tacoma
"Fifty new miles of light rail paired with strategic road investments will transform the way our region grows, helping us build livable communities and thriving urban areas," added Aisling Kerins, Associate Director, Futurewise. In addition to the transit projects, most of the roads projects in the package focus on safety and improve the movement of people and goods.
The Puget Sound area is expected to add another 1.6 million people by 2040. "This commitment to regional transit, combined with the focus on safety and maintenance of roads is good for the environment," said Kurt Fritts, Executive Director, Washington Conservation Voters. "We know that voters care about the environment and also want transportation solutions, so this package makes sense for the future of our state."
The majority of global warming emissions come from the transportation sector in Washington State. New transit projects will help combat climate change and reduce global warming emissions by giving commuters additional choices. "We must give people better alternatives to driving if we have any chance of combating climate change," said Bill LaBorde of Environment Washington.
"This is a positive package for the future of our region," said Joan Crooks, Executive Director of Washington Environmental Council. "We're excited that such a strong commitment is being made to transit. And the majority of the roads projects are ones that can help increase safety and improve mobility for people and goods."###
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