Mark Blondin
It’s no secret that many members of the Machinists Union have recently lost their jobs at Boeing. The effect of this job loss on their families and our communities is shocking. Even though the personal financial picture of some of my union brothers and sisters now has great uncertainty, I support the governor’s transportation plan and its proposed gas-tax increase.
There are some issues here in the Puget Sound region, and across the state, that are bigger than individual pocketbooks — like the very future of our state economy. Truth is, each of my friends stands to gain if we can find a long-term solution to our transportation gridlock.
Having a transportation system that works means other companies won’t follow Boeing’s lead and move their offices or operations out of our state. It means our economy won’t be stifled but, instead, will expand and prosper. It means the jobs we now have in Washington will stay here. It means workers will spend less time on the highways sitting in traffic to get to and from work and have more time at home. It means the creation of new jobs — all of which could be good news to the thousands of wage earners who will be looking for good jobs paying family wages.
With the Boeing layoffs and a high unemployment rate, many people now, more than ever, will be counting every penny and making sure they’re getting their money’s worth. Fortunately, the same thing is occurring at the state level in our existing transportation system. The Legislature worked with Gov. Gary Locke to enact transportation reforms and efficiencies. This year’s transportation omnibus reform bill was designed to, among other things, establish performance measures recommended by a Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation, provide for contracted construction engineering staff, institute some changes in prevailing wage practices, and set up new expectations for transportation planning and efficiency.
It’s time to move on to the really big issue: a transportation plan that will make our roads and highways safer, provide more transportation choices and address congestion. If we don’t, our economy will stagnate, our jobs will disappear and there will be lots more unemployed people.
The Legislature needs to pass a plan supported by the governor that would make improvements to highways and bridges throughout the state and put thousands of people to work. The package would include an expanded HOV system reaching Everett, as well as improvements to U.S. 2, including the U.S. 2/ Highway 522 bypass at Monroe.
Throughout the state, key transportation routes that are vital for the free flow of commerce would be improved. Four new Washington state ferries would replace aging ferries.
Without a remedy, our traffic woes are not going to disappear. When Boeing Commercial Airplane CEO Alan Mulally testified in Olympia, he made it clear they if Washington didn’t improve transportation and regulations to make it easier to move parts and build airplanes, they would go somewhere else that would accommodate their needs. I don’t think we want to risk losing any more Boeing jobs.
Today, we have about 10 million daily trips throughout the central Puget Sound area. By 2030, we’re estimated to have 16 million daily trips. Our traffic headaches are on the road to becoming traffic nightmares.
And those nightmares won’t be limited to traffic. Our economy will strangle, and people like those in my union will remain unemployed.
Mark Blondin is president of the International Association of Machinists District 751.
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