Each year, the city of Ridgefield sets an agenda to advocate for key projects that support infrastructure, public safety, and overall community well-being with state and federal legislatures

RIDGEFIELD – Ridgefield City Council members recently traveled to Olympia and to Washington, D.C., to serve as advocates for the Ridgefield community, ensuring that local priorities are heard at both the state and federal levels. 

Each year, the city of Ridgefield sets an agenda to advocate for key projects that support infrastructure, public safety, and overall community well-being with state and federal legislatures. City Council members play a vital role in this advocacy by traveling to meet directly with lawmakers, building relationships and championing Ridgefield’s needs. Their personal engagement strengthens the city’s voice and helps secure resources critical to Ridgefield’s growth and success. 

In February, Mayor Matt Cole, Mayor Pro Tem Judy Chipman and Council Members Rian Davis and Lee Wells attended the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) Action Days in Olympia. This annual event provides an opportunity to connect with state policymakers, participate in workshops on local government issues, and network with other community leaders. During their visit, Ridgefield’s leaders met with eight legislators from Southwest Washington, urging their support for projects vital to the city’s future, including: 

• Bank stabilization along Pioneer Street in the curves to maintain this important access road. • Design and pre-construction for the South Ridgefield I-5 Access, a project that will improve Ridgefield’s connection to the region by connecting Hillhurst Road to I-5. 

• A Southwest Washington Regional Law Enforcement Training Center, located in Ridgefield, to speed up training for new police officers and keep recruits close to the communities they will be serving. 

Last week, Mayor Cole and Mayor Pro Tem Chipman took Ridgefield’s priorities to Washington, D.C., meeting with Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Senator Maria Cantwell, and staff from Senator Patty Murray’s office. These meetings allowed Ridgefield’s leaders to personally advocate for federal funding to support major infrastructure projects, including:

• Building the 11th Street Overpass, a vital link between east and west employment districts that will relieve backups on the Pioneer Street overpass and connect the east side of Ridgefield with growing retail and services at Pioneer and Royle. 

• South Ridgefield I-5 Access, a regional priority that will relieve Ridgefield’s sole interchange, and the 179th Street interchange, to improve regional mobility and accommodate population and employment needs. 

• Construction of the final phase of the South Royle Road Corridor Improvement Project, a key connection that will extend bike lanes and sidewalks from neighborhoods along S Royle to Hillhurst Road, creating a safe route to school for hundreds of students. 

A lighthearted moment during the D.C. visit included spotting Ridgefield-themed coasters in Representative Gluesenkamp Perez’s office – a little piece of Ridgefield in D.C. City Council members are not only elected representatives who set policy in Ridgefield, but also dedicated advocates for Ridgefield’s livability, local economy and well-being. 

By meeting face-to-face with decision makers, they forge relationships that translate into tangible support for the city’s most pressing needs. These advocacy efforts ensure that Ridgefield’s voice is heard in the places where key funding decisions are made, securing resources that benefit residents today and for years to come.

Information provided by the city of Ridgefield.