TO THE HONORABLE ROGER MILLAR, SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION, AND TO THE WASHINGTON STATE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, AND TO THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION:

We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

WHEREAS, Russell Gilbert Blount was a Public Works Director, Deputy City Manager, and Interim City Manager for the City of Fife for 20 years between 2002 and his untimely passing in 2022; and

WHEREAS, Russ Blount was a leader on transportation issues in the State of Washington, Pierce County, and the City of Fife in a public service career that spanned over two decades; and

WHEREAS, Russ Blount had a passion for the State of Washington, Pierce County, City of Fife, public works, and public transportation infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, Russ Blount served on committees for infrastructure projects of statewide and regional significance including the Puget Sound Gateway Project and Sound Transit's Tacoma Dome Link Extension; and

WHEREAS, Russ Blount served on the Puget Sound Regional Council's Regional Project Evaluation Committee, where he was vice chair, the Puget Sound Regional Council's Regional Staff Committee, where he was an alternate vice chair, the Pierce County Transportation Coordinating Committee, where he was chair from 2011 to 2022, the Freight Advisory Committee, and the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee; and

WHEREAS, Russ Blount provided staff support to elected officials who served on the Puget Sound Regional Council's Executive Board, the Puget Sound Regional Council's Operations Committee, the Puget Sound Regional Council's Transportation Policy Board, the Puget Sound Regional Council's Project Selection Task Force, and the Pierce County Regional Council; and

WHEREAS, Russ Blount was instrumental in solving various disagreements, competing desires, funding challenges, and equitable distribution of grant funds, and did so with absolute honesty and integrity; and

WHEREAS, Russ Blount advanced major transportation infrastructure projects in the City of Fife that included Pacific Highway East, 70th Avenue East, Valley Avenue East, Wapato Way East; and

WHEREAS, Russ Blount led a transportation project of statewide significance known as the Interstate 5 and Port of Tacoma Road Interchange, phase one of which was constructed in 2020 and phase two of which is included in the state transportation budget to be constructed starting in 2024; and

WHEREAS, The Interstate 5 and Port of Tacoma Road Interchange project would not have happened were it not for Russ Blount's vision, leadership, creativity, and determination; and

WHEREAS, Your Memorialists, the City of Fife, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, the Port of Tacoma, Pierce County and all the Reginal Access Mobility Partnership (RAMP) partners support naming a feature of said project after Russ Blount; and

WHEREAS, Part of the Interstate 5 and Port of Tacoma Road Interchange project includes a new overpass over Interstate 5 at 34th Avenue East in the City of Fife;

NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the Washington State Transportation Commission commence proceedings to name the future 34th Avenue East overpass in the City of Fife as the Russ Blount Memorial Bridge to honor Russ Blount's vision, leadership, creativity, and determination as a leader on transportation issues in the State of Washington, Pierce County, and the City of Fife in a public service career that spanned over two decades.

BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Roger Millar, Secretary of Transportation, the Washington State Transportation Commission, and the Washington State Department of Transportation.