ICYMI: Secretary Buttigieg Visits Washington State Infrastructure Projects, Announces $1 Billion to Repair and Replace Culverts from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Last week, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg traveled to Washington state to tour infrastructure projects that will improve safety, speed up the movement of goods, support the local economy, and make transportation more sustainable and resilient for the future. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a historic, $1.2 trillion investment in our nation’s roads, bridges, rail, public transportation and more, is helping communities across the country move forward on infrastructure projects of all kinds.
Secretary Buttigieg started his visit in Wenatchee — the “Apple Capital of the World” — where he met with local farmers and agricultural exporters about the ways the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests in supply chain infrastructure, including ports. He then joined Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell, Congresswoman Kim Schrier (WA-08), Wenatchee Mayor Frank Kuntz, and other local leaders to highlight Wenatchee’s Apple Capital Loop improvements project. The project, made possible with the support of a $92 million INFRA grant from USDOT, will benefit Wenatchee with a series of improvements to local roads to reduce congestion and improve safety.
The Secretary then traveled to King County, where he formally announced the Culvert Grant Program alongside Senator Murray, Senator Cantwell, Representatives Schrier and Rick Larsen (WA-2), Muckleshoot Tribe Chair Jaison Elkins, and other local leaders. This grant program will help communities remove, replace and repair culverts found under roads that can cause flooding and prevent fish passage. Outdated culverts are especially problematic for coastal and Tribal communities for whom thriving fish populations are critical to the regional economy and way of life.
You can learn more about the Culvert Grant Program here.
Secretary Buttigieg also joined Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, WA State Representative Tara Simmons and Tulalip Tribes Chairwoman Teri Gobin for a listening session with key organizations and leaders from across King County who are working to address barriers and create inclusive pathways into transportation professions, especially for people with convictions. The session included representatives from the Seattle Clemency Project, Dream.org, the Freedom Project, the Washington State Building Trades and others.
Secretary Buttigieg rounded out the trip with a stop at the Port of Tacoma, where he spoke with Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards and port workers and leadership about what it takes to keep port operations running smoothly and how the Biden-Harris administration and USDOT can ensure that the port has the resources it needs to thrive.
Selected media coverage:
KING 5 News: Transportation Sec. Buttigieg says federal funds coming to Sea-Tac
KING 5 News: Buttigieg visits Washington state, celebrates grant program aimed at helping fish passage
Q13: Transportation Secretary Buttigieg Visits Washington
KIRO News 7: Pete Buttigieg visits Washington, promises federal grant program to fix culverts
KPQ News: U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg Visits Wenatchee
“Here we are today celebrating another massive achievement, which is the funding of Confluence Parkway, a new transportation part of our valley that is going to make huge changes to our region, both in terms of safety, moving pedestrians helping link just an incredible project and we’re so excited to be celebrating that today,” [Wenatchee Mayor] Kuntz said.
KSTW News Now: U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spends two days in Washington
“This is our time to make things right. One of my relatives — she said in order to heal our people we have to heal the land. So, this is an opportunity to heal the land, to restore the natural streambed so the salmon can enjoy the habitat,” remarked Muckleshoot Tribe Chair Jaison Elkins.
KUOW NPR News: $1B up for grabs to help salmon get to where they’re going
Seattle Times: Buttigieg wades into Northwest salmon transportation
“What is Washington state without salmon?“ said Murray in her brief speech Thursday. “We need to continue making salmon recovery a priority on every level of government. It’s got to an all-hands effort.”
Saw it on social:
@nwtreatytribes: Joined by officials including U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Muckleshoot Tribal Chairman Jaison Elkins helped mark the start of a $1 billion federal program to remove, replace and restore culverts that thwart fish passage.
@PattyMurray: Whether it’s transporting our iconic apples or giving families a place to get outside, I helped secure funds for the Apple Capital Loop project because it’s the heart of Wenatchee. Glad to welcome @SecretaryPete here to see our progress firsthand.
@RepKimSchrier: In addition to visiting Wenatchee, this week I joined @SecretaryPete for a visit to a culvert project in Issaquah where he announced that a national program has been launched to fix and replace culverts that obstruct fish passages and leave roads vulnerable to flooding.
@RepRickLarsen: This is a major investment that will benefit communities in #WA02 & across Washington state. Thank you to @SecretaryPete & his team at @USDOT for emphasizing the importance of removal & repair of fish barrier culverts to the regional economy & environment!
@SecretaryPete: The Apple Capital Loop project in Wenatchee, WA will improve lives by making it easier to get goods from trucks to shelves and creating safer intersections for drivers and pedestrians. It’s one more example of our work to build a better America.
@USDOT: For many coastal and tribal communities, thriving fish populations are critical to their economy and way of life. @USDOT ‘s new program to remove, restore, or replace culverts will support local economies.
