For Immediate Release:

Friday, June 4, 2004

Senator Murray presents a check to Cowlitz County for the Lexington Bridge that will cross the Cowlitz River between I-5 at milepost 42 and the Sparks Drive/SR 411 intersection in the Lexington area north of Kelso and Longview.

The Bridge will:

• disperse urban area commuter traffic and promote re-development of downtown and west Kelso,
• enable area residents in Lexington to directly access I-5, removing traffic which currently winds its way through residential areas to gain access to the freeway,
• and allow for congestion relief for the SR 4 and Allen Street Bridges in Kelso.

Senator Murray secured $6 million in FY'03 and $1.5 million in FY'04 for the project.

Pictured from L to R: Rep. Brian Blake, (D), 19th Dist. Kent Cash, Cowlitz County, Assistant Director of Public Works / County Engineer Rep. Ed Orcutt, (R), 18th Dist. U.S. Senator Patty Murray George Raiter, Cowlitz County, Commissioner, (D), Chairman Sen. Mark Doumit, (D), 19th Dist. Ken Stone, Cowlitz County, Director of Public Works Bill Lehning, Cowlitz County, Commissioner, (D)