Shabro seeking highway money

Published 1:45 pm Thursday, December 11, 2008

Rep. Jan Shabro, R-Lake Tapps, has been instrumental in obtaining funding for two highway projects in the 31st Legislative District.

Phase II of the state Route 164 corridor study would receive $650,000 and state Route 169 would receive $1 million for an initial corridor study under the House budget plan.

"Both these highways are in critical need of expansion and safety work due to high volume traffic," said Shabro, a member of the House Transportation Committee. "Particularly with the expanding development between Renton, Maple Valley and Enumclaw, as well as the development between Enumclaw and Auburn, the need is dramatic."

Shabro also noted that both highways are main roads to one of Washington’s major tourist attractions, Mount Rainier.

"It's important to provide safe, uncongested highways for Washington citizens and the two million tourists who travel through our state, making Mount Rainier National Park one of their destinations," said Shabro. "Tourism is a vital economic development tool, and anything we can do to help improve our state's tourism industry is a wise investment of our tax dollars."

The transportation budget will now be considered by the Senate.