Rep. John Ley, R-Vancouver, has been appointed to serve on three new legislative work committees, including the joint Oregon-Washington Legislative Action Committee (OWLAC), overseeing plans for the new Interstate-5 bridge.
The newly established OWLAC will provide oversight for the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) project, which will connect Oregon and Washington. The $7.5 billion project is the largest public works effort in the history of Southwest Washington and the Portland metro area, a Washington State House Republicans news release stated.
“18th District citizens are extremely concerned about multiple facets of the current proposal. These include the lack of additional through lanes to reduce traffic congestion, the cost of proposed tolls to fund the project, and the inclusion of light rail. I look forward to bringing their concerns to the other members of the committee. My hope is that any final project will reduce traffic congestion, improve freight mobility and save people time,” Ley said in the news release.
Other committee members include senators Paul Harris, R-Vancouver, Jeff Wilson, R-Longview, Annette Cleveland, D-Vancouver and Marko Liias, D-Edmonds. Representatives Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama, Sharon Wylie, D-Vancouver and Jake Fey, D-Tacoma, are also on the committee.
Ley is also appointed to the Work-Integrated Learning Advisory Committee (WILAC), which aims to expand career-based learning in schools, and the Legislative Oral History Committee (LOHC), which oversees the preservation of oral histories from Washington state leaders.
“I’m excited to be a part of all three of these committees and look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to provide the best results for Washington,” Ley said in the release.
