Working Washington Rallies For More Jobs

Eastside commuters traveling along Interstate 90 this morning may have noticed something a little out of the ordinary

Working Washington flew a 100-foot-tall balloon banner from Lake Washington Blvd. at South Irving in Seattle during early morning rush-hour traffic to raise awareness of the American Jobs Act, which includes investments in bridges and other infrastructure. Congress will be considering the act this morning.

"Among those standing with the banner will be retired people, students, and unemployed people from the Renton area who are calling for our political leaders to take action to address the jobs crisis," said Sage Wilson of Working Washington.

Members of Working Washington from Renton joined the Backbone campaign, a grassroots effort to hold elected officials accountable, to hold a banner over I-90 during this mornings commute. The groups plan to to the same for the evening rush hour to draw attention to the jobs crisis.

The Jobs Act could create 9,600 jobs in Washington alone by investing in repairs bridges, roads, and other projects, Wilson said.

"There is plenty of work to be done: nearly 50 bridges in King County alone have been deemed 'structurally deficient,' and 349 more are 'functionally obsolete,'" Wilson said, attributing the numbers to the Federal Highway Administration.

*Editor's Note: Due to a last minute change in plans by Working Washington, the original article mis-stated the location of the banner. The article has been updated to reflect the correct location.