During a work session of the Joint Legislative Task Force on the Economic Resilience of Maritime and Manufacturing in Olympia on Tueday, lawmakers heard from the working waterfront about the interconnection between infrastructure and jobs.

Bob Watters of SSA Marine, the world’s largest stevedoring company, testified on the “dramatic loss” of market share experience by Washington ports. He also called on lawmakers to pass a statewide transportation package to help staunch the bleeding.

Dan McKisson of the International Longshore Workers Union, Capt. Mike Moore of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, Julie Collins of the Port of Tacoma and Gordon Baxter of Inlandboatman’s Union all agreed, repeatedly connecting the lack of freight mobility investments with the loss of trade-dependent jobs in Washington.

Ginger Eagle of the Washington Public Ports Association summed it up best: “You have heard this all before but I will tell you again—we need to finish SR 167 and SR 509.”