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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence - BOCCFebruary 21, 2023 GRANT COUNTY OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS P O Box 37 EPHRATA WA 98823 (509) 754-201 1 Re: Support of Funding for Port of Warden's Truck Access/Bypass Road Project To whom it may concern, I am writing in support of the funding request for the "Port of Warden Truck Access/Bypass Road Project", which would build a bypass road from/to SR 170 to/from Port -owned industrial zoned properties in southwest Warden, WA to help trucks bypass disadvantaged residential neighborhoods on that side of town and to help handle the increasing growth in freight from industrial, food processing and agricultural shippers. In the past few years, a great deal of economic development and freight growth have occurred at the Port of Warden, including a canola crushing and canola oil refining facility, a new fertilizer distribution facility, additional fresh produce packing and frozen and dehydrated food processing, and the associated warehousing for these products. While the economic growth in Warden is very positive, Warden is still defined as a rural socioeconomically disadvantaged community (in eastern Washington) in which nearly 85% of the students qualify for free and reduced -price school lunches. As a result of the growth and expansion of these industries in the Port of Warden, road infrastructure in Warden is near capacity and a truck access/bypass road is needed to allow for the related growth in truck freight coming from and going to Port of Warden to service the above industries, and also to attract new industries. More importantly, this project will help the Port build a truck bypass road so that trucks won't have to travel through the middle of disadvantaged residential neighborhoods in Warden in the future. In conclusion, I support the funding request for the "Port of Warden Truck Access/Bypass Road Project", an important safety, environmental, and job -creating transportation and freight mobility infrastructure project, which would improve road infrastructure to better route trucks around neighborhoods in Warden, WA. Si Rob Jones, District 2 Commissioner Danny E. Stone Rob Jones Cindy Carter District 1 District 2 District 3 "TO MEET CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS, SERVING TOGETHER WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES? WHILE FOSTERING A RESPECTFUL AND SUCCESSFUL WORK ENVIRONMENT."