Mayor Piercy and other local leaders just returned from the annual United Front trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with members of our congressional delegation and federal agencies and advocate for support for local priorities. The Cities of Eugene and Springfield, Lane County Lane Transit District Springfield Schools and Willamalane have worked together on the effort over several years to strengthen the region’s voice in Washington. Congressman Peter DeFazio presented Mayor Piercy with a flag that has flown over the Capitol as a gift to honor her for her service and recognize her role as dean of the United Front effort over the last 12 years.
The United Front (UF) partners visited Washington DC between Sunday January 31st and Thursday February 4th. In addition to visits with Senators Wyden and Merkley, as well as Congressman DeFazio, the UF delegation met with a number of federal agencies to discuss elements within the targeted River Districts project.
Focal areas of discussion included funding and support for Eugene’s high speed fiber project, public safety for 2021 World Championships, transportation upgrades in the Franklin Corridor, housing, a current brownfields grant, and opportunities to utilize the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) designation for projects including the Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) Catalytic Project.