Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, issued the following statement today following the installation of the permanent replacement span on the Skagit River Bridge.

“Gov. Inslee's team led a terrific response that involved quick work on the local, state and federal levels. This repair is a sterling example of how government should work, and will serve as a model for communities around the country.

“Drivers in Northwest Washington and across the country should be able to drive over bridges without worrying about whether they will fall. The collapse of the Skagit River bridge is a wake-up call for policy makers at all levels to invest in our roads, bridges and highways. We simply can’t have a big league economy with little league infrastructure.”

Since the collapse of the bridge five months ago, Larsen has repeatedly urged his colleagues to invest in transportation infrastructure, and joined his colleagues to introduce the SAFE Bridges Act, which would invest $5.5 billion in the nation’s aging bridges, including $159 million in Washington state. Learn more here.