House Transportation Committee Liveblog

The House Transportation Committee is underway to discuss ST3 authority and the broader transpo package. Watch live here and refresh for our updates and commentary. You may also follow us on Twitter.

6:19 Committee adjourns after nearly 3 hours of nearly unanimously favorable testimony. No committee discussion of the bills.

5:57 Clibborn is cutting off oral testimony at 6"after 2.5 straight hours.

5:56 Kemore mayor very unhappy with the effects of toll-related traffic diversion on SR 522.

5:44 Clark County: "We're ready to begin a new conversation" about the abandoned CRC project between Vancouver and Portland

5:35 Eastside Transportation Association says Sound Transit shouldn't get any new authority until they finish all ST2 projects.

5:31 Snohomish County reps appear to have gone all-in on Paine Field. Just about every rep is mentioning it.

5:30 Marysville wants grade separation of rail traffic. That would significantly speed up Cascades.

5:23 "Do you all need to stand up and stretch?" Clibborn: "No, they don't!" She clearly wants to get through this.

5:20 Michael Shaw from Washington Transit Association "You could say we're less than enthused with the multimodal investments in this bill"

5:15 Mercer Island City Councilmember Cero: Gas tax is just, and it scales with use.

5:10 100 minutes later, and we're still just hearing comment from elected, nonprofits, and industry groups. Tons of interest, no actual committee engagement with the bill yet.

5:02 Andrew Austin from TCC: "We need 3 things: full ST3 authority, increased state investment in bike/ped/transit funding, and no poison pill."

4:56 Dupont council talking grade separation at the JBLM Dupont gate I-5 exit. (STB: This must be done in a way that doesn't preclude double-tracking the Point Defiance Bypass.)

4:50 Edmonds Mayor Earling now speaking in favor of the Edmonds sub-sea-level rail trench idea.

4:45Kent Mayor Suzette Cook wants Union Pacific grade separation through the Kent Valley.

4:41 Todd Woosley from the Bellevue Chamber saying that new highway expansion on 405 should be palatable to transit advocates because there's no GP lane increase.

4:40 Lincoln Vanderveen from the Bellevue Chamber: "Please increase the gas tax."

4:38 Deputy Mayor Kevin Wallace talking up bipartisanship, saying he "proud Republican" and Balducci's "proud Democrat" cooperation is a model for the legislature

4:37 Bellevue Mayor Balducci: "Few people who live in Bellevue work in Bellevue. We do a huge swap of people every day." Shows strong support for Bellevue HCT.

4:30 Duke Schaub from the Associated General Contractors of WA actually just used the slogan "Concrete for kids"

4:24 Association of Counties voicing concerns about the dearth of maintenance funding in the Senate bill.

4:22 Kelly Love from Vancouver Chamber now speaking in support. "We're willing to pay our share."

4:21 The Seattle Chamber of Commerce strongly supports the package, specifically supports ST3 authority.

4:19 Austin Neilson from the Tri-City Regional Chamber: Tri-Cities anticipate 50% growth in the next few decades, and they want lots of road funding, new interchanges, etc.

4:17 Kristal Fiser from UPS talking freight mobility, intermodal connections, and congestion.

4:15 Kris Johnson from the Association of Washington Business is now speaking in favor of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard poison pill.

4:12 KC Councilmember McDermott: "My constituents want more transit. Nothing less than the $15B will allow us to meet those demands."

4:10 Redmond Mayor Marchione wants grade separation at SR 520 and NE 40th St in Overlake. Developer saying he can't redevelop the area without a ramp there. Without it, it would be a purely residential project as opposed to residential/commercial. They want it done in 2018 instead of 2023.

4:05 Mayor Murray: We can't accommodate the growth we anticipate in Seattle without light rail.

4:03 ST Board Member Roberts: "This is about building the job base we need." Touts Paine Field as major job center.

4:02: Tacoma Mayor Strickland: "When you get off the plane at SeaTac, you can go to Seattle. You need to be able to go to Tacoma too."

4:00: Dow speaking now. Praises 520, 405, and direct city/county funding of road maintenance. "It remains critical that the Legislature provide the full $15B funding request. Without it we just can't get where we need to go."

3:56: State Treasurer Mcintire: concerned about overuse of gas tax. Wants more tolling, specifically calls out I-90 for tolling.

3:55: Secretary Peterson speaking now: doesn't say much beyond "everyone working together".

3:50: Staff asks committee members if they want to ask any questions. Chair Clibborn: "We have a deal not to ask any questions. We'll go straight to testimony."

3:47: Staff reminding the committee of the proposed ST3 funding sources: .3% MVET, .5% sales, & 10/$1k property tax. If approved, Sound Transit would be banned from receiving state funds.

3:46: Staff report underway. You could have a drinking game using "unless a low carbon policy is adopted" as your prompt. #poisonpill

3:43: Staff report underway now, discussing details of fee modifications etc in ESSB 5987.

3:40: Sen. Liias: "We need you [house cmte] to add in full $15B ST3 authority."

3:38: Sen. Hobbs: "I urge all of you to compromise and take some pain."

3:37: Sen. Hobbs wants the House to put Lander overpass in their version of the bill.

3:36: Sen. Hobbs: "This is a $26B package if you count ST3."

3:34: "There are things in here that each of us don't like"but sometimes that's the mark of a good bill." Sen. Curtis King."

3:33: Chair Clibborn kicking off the meeting by introducing the gang of four Senators who passed their package. They'll testify first.

3:31: 90 people are signed up to testify about transpo revenue!"everyone will get 1 minute each. This could take a while. #waleg