Sen. Fred Jarrett, D-Mercer Island, successfully amended the Senate transportation budget proposal April 1 to reaffirm the state’s commitment to build the R8A HOV center lane and Sound Transit’s voter approved East Link project on the I-90 corridor.

The amendment was approved on a 29-18 vote before the budget was approved 41-6 and further directs the state’s Department of Transportation to negotiate an airspace lease with Sound Transit to allow the project to go forward.

“We have inadvertently given the impression that the state does not support East Link across the I-90 corridor. I don’t believe that’s correct,” Jarrett said in a floor speech. “I think it’s important for us to make that plain and clear.”

I think it’s important for us to make the statement that we as a state are supportive of Sound Transit and I think we need to make this amendment to restore a sense of trust between two governmental agencies that have to work together in order to meet the needs of all our constituents,” Jarrett said.