U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) commended President Joe Biden for including appropriations for two Washington state Transit projects in his FY 2022 budget proposal.
The Biden budget includes Capital Investment Grant (CIG) allocations of $55.6 million for the South King County bus rapid transit I Line project and $75.2 million for the Pacific Ave Route 7 bus rapid transit project in Pierce County.
“The fact that President Biden recommended allocations and set aside federal dollars for these two specific projects in his proposed budget shows he understands what I’ve been saying in the other Washington for years—that if the federal government is willing to help, Washington state is ready and willing to invest in transit and transportation infrastructure,” Murray, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said. “These two projects would cut down on pollution and congestion, shorten commutes, and help create jobs and more equitable communities.”
The South King County bus rapid transit I Line project would improve transit service throughout South King County, including the cities of Renton, Kent, and Auburn, through the installation of the RapidRide I Line that would provide high-quality bus rapid transit service to the region.
The Pacific Ave Route 7 bus rapid transit project would construct a bus rapid transit line along Pacific Avenue/State Route 7 south from downtown Tacoma to Spanaway, including the construction of 4.7 miles of dedicated transit lanes, the purchase of 17 articulated BRT vehicles, and the improvement of intersections and sidewalks. Planned service would operate every 10 minutes during weekday peak periods, every 15 minutes during off-peak periods on weekdays, every 30 minutes on weekday evenings, and every 20 minutes on weekends.