Or merely felt the heat?

$525M plan for highways

By DAVID AMMONS AP Political Writer

OLYMPIA -- Gov. Gary Locke, who once insisted the state can't afford to fix the state's vexing traffic problems without a new source of revenue, on Tuesday cobbled together a $525 million plan for new construction.

Democrats in both houses hailed the proposal and predicted something similar will pass this year. But the Republican co-chairwoman of the House Transportation Committee, Maryann Mitchell of Federal Way, said, "I'm looking for a lot bigger number."

She will outline the GOP view on Friday. Senate Republicans previously suggested selling bonds to finance all or most of the $686 million worth of highway projects that are on the chopping block.

Still, Locke drew plaudits for moving off his original position that lawmakers forgo any big transportation fix this session, and instead await the recommendations from a blue-ribbon commission this December.

Looks Like Benton may get his way after all.

-- (craigcar@crosswinds.net), February 16, 2000

Answers

Felt the heat, is my guess.

-- (zowie@hotmail.com), February 16, 2000.

If we defer the Narrows Bridge project, the $525 million could become $575 million.

-- Matthew M. Warren (mattinsky@msn.com), February 17, 2000.

Yup,he does. Guv. Gary is not necessarily seeing the light; He sure is feeling the heat! His handlers/manglers see where the citizens want government to go. This is 2000,an election season, and he's up for re-election. Sound familiar.

-- Grassroots (grassroots3@earthlink.net), February 18, 2000.

And he continues to feel the heat, at least to the point of trying to cut his losses, accept a partial defeat, and undercut the support for I-711. He apparently learned his lesson from trying to ignore I-695 while it built momentum.

Tuesday, March 14, 2000, 11:44 p.m. Pacific

Locke: Open car-pool lanes on weekends

by Tan Vinh and Dionne Searcey Seattle Times staff reporters Gov. Gary Locke entered the debate on car-pool lanes yesterday, saying the lanes should be open to all traffic on the weekends.

-- (craigcar@crosswinds.net), March 14, 2000.

Yeah, but he's breaking the precedent. If all of the "bad things" that are being used as an excuse NOT to do this (interfere with bus schedules, get people out of the habit of respecting HOV lane signs, confusing people with when they are and when they aren't REALLY HOV, and all the other lame excuses) suddenly don't apply on weekends, why should they at other non-rush hour times? Seems like he's taking his finger out of the dike (no comments from you, zowie) and hoping that it won't erode away.

Mikey

-- Mikey (m_alworth@olympusnet.com), March 14, 2000.