Issue Position: Transit & Transportation

Issue Position

Commuters tell me that they spend too much time getting to and from work instead of enjoying time with loved ones. Businesses spend more time than necessary moving goods along our highways. People feel as though they are having to pay for the toll lanes twice. This affects quality of life and economic development.

I fought for smart transit and transportation investments on the Kirkland City Council, and in the Legislature I will continue to be an advocate for common sense transportation solutions that help families and workers get where they need to be.

Congestion is a multi-faceted problem with no simple solution. A contributing factor is that there is not enough affordable housing in a reasonable proximity to where people work, creating the "drive till you qualify" phenomenon. More affordable housing and expanded opportunities to telecommute can help reduce the number of commuters on the roads. We also need to add more frequent and reliable bus options, plan for rail, strengthen the incident response system on our highways so that blockages can be cleared up more quickly, and allow hard shoulder running for buses during peak times.

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