Washington, D.C. – Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) released the following statement in response to Governor Jay Inslee’s proposal to delay completion of the North Spokane Corridor until 2033 at the earliest.

“Not only is the completion of the North Spokane Corridor critical for improving safety and reducing traffic on our roadways, this project is the key to unlocking new economic opportunities and unleashing the potential of the greater Spokane region,” said Rodgers. “Our community has waited for decades to complete the North Spokane Corridor, yet Governor Inslee is now proposing to delay it by another seven years in order to divert money that has been committed to his priorities and infrastructure projects on the west side of the state. This proposal, which was made without consulting our community, is inexplicable but not surprising. My hope is lawmakers in Olympia will disregard this dishonest proposal, fully fund the North Spokane Corridor, and complete this project once and for all.”

NOTE: The North Spokane Corridor was first authorized in 1946 with construction beginning in 2001. The project was designed to serve as an alternative route through Spokane to improve traffic and motorist safety. While this project has been fully funded at the state level, federally funded projects in the area are being delayed until its completion.