Sen. Hawkins Says Money In The Works to Build Pedestrian Undercrossing in Leavenworth

Twelfth District State Senator Brad Hawkins is vowing to find state money for the Confluence Parkway project in Wenatchee this year, but is settling for a smaller victory right now.

Hawkins has secured $4.5 million for a planned US 2 Pedestrian Undercrossing in Leavenworth, although it still must get full approval in the legislature.

The undercrossing is seen as a way to ease traffic flow in Leavenworth, which is a tourist destination that often has an overflow of people on foot.

Hawkins says he's still trying to get $85 million for the Confluence Parkway project, although his efforts have been rejected so far.

He's a Republican who has been lobbying for funding in the $16 billion transportation package endorsed by the Democratic majority known as “Move Ahead Washington”.

A portion of the package was approved Monday morning by the Senate Transportation Committee, which Hawkins sits on.

He says the committee chair did not accept his proposal for nearly $170 million for Wenatchee Valley projects.  Hawkins ended up voting against the package.

"It seems pretty clear to me – at least at this stage – that the package of projects was essentially pre-determined by House and Senate Democratic members, with votes secured and not much availability in funds to add new projects," said Hawkins.

Hawkins office told KPQ is an email that he's now actively working to include funding in the supplemental state transportation budget for the Confluence Parkway project.

The Pedestrian Undercrossing in Leavenworth is one of 44 projects included in the $317 million Pedestrian and Bike Safety Projects portion of the Move Ahead Washington package, which still needs to move through the legislature before it could become available.

The undercrossing concept was included in a bill from Hawkins this year to study improvements to the U.S. 2 corridor between Wenatchee and Monroe. The bill received a hearing in committee, but failed to move forward.