Environmental groups like the Transportation Choices Coalition were under the impression that the death of the 2007 “roads and transit” ballot measure also doomed the Cross Base Highway in Pierce County—a four-to-six-lane highway that would cut through Fort Lewis and the McChord Air Force Base in Pierce County and connect to I-5.
Not so fast. Last week, state officials broke ground on what is being called the first segment of the highway, which is not fully funded. Cross Base was one of the most controversial elements of the unsuccessful roads and transit measure, because it would destroy wildlife habitat and stimulate sprawl in rural and exurban Pierce County, environmental groups like the Transportation Choices Coalition and the Tahoma Audubon Society say.
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Spanaway this past Saturday, Pierce County state Rep. Tom Campbell (R-2) pointed through the trees and declared, “I can see I-5 from here.” I-5 is about six miles away from the initial segment, through the last remaining oak-woodland prairis in Western Washingotn.
Although groups like TCC insist that the failure of roads and transit was supposed to also doom Cross Base, along with the rest of the 182 miles of new highways in the proposal, supporters seem optimistic that they’ll secure funding for the rest of the $400-million-plus project.
“The good news is that we’ve got the right-of-way secured, we’ve got all the lawsuits settled, now we just need to secure funding,” Campbell says. ” They said we would never build this first segment. I’ve got a good track record of winning these fights, and I’m going to win this one and we’re going to build it.”
Project engineer John Ho sounds less optimistic about the highway’s prospects, noting that “there is currently no construction funding for the project, so we are not working on it.
“This project is currently on hold.”
But Campbell says he’ll push in the upcoming legislative session to secure funding, despite a state budget shortfall that, last year, amounted to about $9 billion. As TCC director Rob Johnson puts it, “Why would you build the Cross Base Highway when there are so many other projects that aren’t controversial that need funding? … Our job is to convince [legislators] that there are a lot of other projects they should be funding.”
Campbell counters that Pierce County hasn’t been getting its fair share. “Here in Pierce County, that road is so important for congestion relief and the military base as well. It’s a critical need,” Campbell says. “Pierce County has raised its head on transportation issues and it’s going to stay up. We’re not going to lay down on the ground and let the money go out the door like we have in the past. We’re going to start getting our money out here to build the infrastructure that we need.”
Campbell says state Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen (D-10), head of the Senate transportation committee, “has a bee in her bonnet” about completing the project. Haugen was in Okanagan County with no cell reception today and could not be reached for comment.
Campbell also said he was in discussions with Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy—a supporter of the proposal—as well as Congressman Adam Smith (D-9, second from left above) to talk about other funding sources. Smith spokesman Michael Amato says Smith definitely supports the project, and says the Congressman may seek federal funding through in this year’s transportation appropriations bill. McCarthy has not yet returned a call for comment.
Cross Base supporters could potentially face another lawsuit by environmentalists, who unsuccessfully sued to stop the highway in 2006. Campbell says he isn’t worried. “Once you lose a lawsuit, you can get rid of [further lawsuits] pretty fast. We’ve made reasonable accomodations. It’s not like it’s been some arrogant get-out-the-bulldozer type of thing. I think a judge will see that in court.”
