SULTAN — Supporters of U.S. 2 improvements on Monday are set to discuss how to lobby for money to improve the dangerous and congested highway.
The U.S. 2 Safety Coalition, a grass-roots group of local people and businesses that aims to make the highway safer, is set to meet Monday in Sultan. The meeting is open to the public.
“What I really want to talk about is the future of our U.S. 2 strategy,” said Fred Walser, who leads the group.
A $17.8 billion transportation tax package failed in the Nov. 6 election. The package would have paid for a portion of a U.S. 2 bypass around Monroe.
The bypass needs to be built to ease congestion in Monroe, but the question is how to lock in money for it, said Neil Watkins, executive director of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce.
“I don’t know anybody who knows what a Plan B is. We are looking for the answer,” Watkins said.
The meeting on Monday is also expected to have a presentation about designating U.S. 2 as a safety corridor, Walser said. The new designation, announced by Gov. Chris Gregoire in October, would make it easier to land federal money to improve the highway.
The state released a new study on U.S. 2 in November, saying that it would cost up to $1.84 billion and take more than 20 years to finish overall improvements on the highway. The study, which cost $1.3 million, outlines 56 projects, including expanding the highway from two to four lanes in segments. Only one project has money.
Over the last eight years, 46 people have died from injuries related to crashes and accidents on U.S. 2 between Snohomish and Stevens Pass, according to state crash data.
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