Tell the Legislature YES to Lid I-5 Funding!
Friend, we have exciting news to share: The Washington State Senate has proposed funding to advance the I-5 lid project to the next level. The proposed supplemental budget (PSSB 5689, section 219.9) provides millions of dollars for the technical studies necessary to advance a central Seattle Interstate 5 lid. The bill also removes the prohibition on I-5 corridor planning and directs WSDOT to conduct an Interstate 5 planning and environmental linkage study. The combined funding for these efforts is $2.5 million, with an intent to allocate $40 million in the years to come.It is vital that legislators hear from you on this proposed spending ASAP! PSSB 5689 is scheduled for a public hearing today, and written testimony is accepted through Tuesday. Here are the ways you can express support:
- Option 1: Go to the Senate Committee Sign In page, choose the Transportation Committee, and choose the 2/21/22 4:00 PM meeting. Select SB 5689 Transportation budget, supp.
- For the quickest method without testimony, select “I would like my position noted for the legislative record” and sign in PRO using the form.
- To submit written testimony, select that option and fill out the form. See our template with comments (and feel free to personalize about why lidding I-5 is important to you). Written testimony is accepted up to 24 hours after the hearing.
- To testify verbally, select that option, fill out the form, and you’ll receive a Zoom link to the meeting. Plan to keep your remarks to a minute or less. See the Legislature’s primer on public hearings.
- Option 2 (use this option after Tuesday): Email key legislators with a note of support. See our template with email addresses and comments (and feel free to personalize about why lidding I-5 is important to you). This is especially helpful for Lid I-5 supporters who live in districts represented by the Seattle transportation delegation, which includes Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (district 37), Sen. Joe Nguyen (district 34), and Rep. Liz Berry (district 36).
Our template messages include solidarity with similarly important efforts to address Highway 99 in Seattle: Reconnect South Park and the Aurora Reimagined Coalition.Thank you especially to the new Senate Transportation Chair, Marko Liias, for spearheading the I-5 lid funding proposal and engaging with community organizations. We also know we couldn’t have made it to this important milestone without the public support demonstrated by people like you. We’ll keep you tuned as we learn more.
Seattleites Support Lidding I-5
A scientific poll conducted by the nonprofit Northwest Progressive Institute last fall found that a supermajority of Seattle voters (over 60%) strongly or somewhat support the I-5 lid concept. We’ll have more details to share when NPI publishes their official findings soon.
Results of Your GivingTuesday Donations
Thank you for your support during the 2021 holiday giving season! Together we exceeded our $1,000 fundraising goal and raised over $1,800 to make a collective statement that we want Seattle’s next big civic project to move forward. Your gifts will go toward our work in community outreach and capacity building to ensure that we leverage infrastructure investments and create a city that works better for people, and just cars.We are so grateful for the continued support for this volunteer-led, visionary effort to create a more connected, equitable, sustainable Seattle by lidding a portion of I-5 with new land for parks, affordable housing, civic amenities, and safer pathways for walking and wheeling.As we reflect on lessons learned from 2021 and look forward to what’s possible in 2022, we’re hopeful that people can come together to work toward complementary solutions that reconnect communities and the heart of our beautiful city.
Lid I-5 