Tygart Media

Tag: infrastructure

  • Build on Alpha SDKs — and the case for waiting until GA

    Build on Alpha SDKs — and the case for waiting until GA

    A Second Take on a working decision: whether a solo operator should build production-grade infrastructure on alpha SDKs, or wait for general availability. This is not a hypothetical. Yesterday a fleet of ten Notion Workers shipped in three hours on an alpha SDK — eight of them working end-to-end, two of them gated behind capabilities that have not been enabled. Today the question is whether that was leverage or whether that was a detour. Both cases get made here.

    The Thesis from the First Take

    The argument for building on alpha software is older than software itself. It is the argument every operator who ever shipped early made to themselves: the people who get to the new surface first do not just get there first. They shape what arrives. They become the reference customer. Their friction becomes the roadmap. The ones who wait until everything is polished are buying the polish someone else paid for — and giving up the position that polish makes invisible.

    In the specific case of Notion Workers, the argument is even stronger. The SDK is free until August 11, 2026. The fleet built in one session validated four full capability shapes — tool, sync, sync-with-external-HTTP, and webhook with HMAC. The friction points discovered were specific enough to compile into a Slack-ready writeup to Notion’s product-ops team. The auth gotcha that cost four OAuth attempts at the start of the session is now a documented doctrine that any future operator on Windows-WSL will inherit for free. That is the trade you make on alpha. You pay in friction. You earn in surface knowledge and the right to be a voice in what gets built next.

    There is a deeper version of this argument that matters more than the tactical one. Production infrastructure is not built by people who watch other people build production infrastructure. It is built by people who put their hands on the actual surface, find the actual edges, and develop the kind of tacit understanding that no documentation, however good, can transfer. Reading about how a Worker handles a webhook signature is different from having one fail at 11 PM because the secret was not pushed. That second experience is what gets called intuition later. It cannot be downloaded. It has to be earned.

    The first take, then, is not really about Notion Workers at all. It is about the deeper claim that the people who learn the new surfaces first are the people who define what those surfaces are for. Everyone else inherits a category that was already decided.

    And the Case for Waiting

    Now the counter.

    The same fleet of ten Workers that proved four capability shapes also revealed something that the celebration glosses over. Two of the ten — the automation Worker and the AI connector Worker — could not be tested at all. They deployed clean. The code is fine. The bundles are sitting in the Notion infrastructure. They do not run because the user account does not have alpha access to those specific capabilities. The fix is not a code change. The fix is a permission grant that has to come from inside Notion. Until that happens, two of the ten Workers are not Workers. They are receipts for work done that cannot ship.

    That is the first hidden cost of alpha. The capability gates are not announced. They become visible only at the moment of attempted use, which is the most expensive moment to discover them. A solo operator’s time is the binding constraint of the entire operation. Spending it on bundles that cannot run because of an upstream permission is a worse trade than it looks on the surface.

    The second hidden cost is the dispatch gap. The Workers SDK in its current state assumes a developer running commands from a laptop. The `–local` execution mode requires a WSL Ubuntu environment with the right environment variables exported, the right token loaded into the right config file, and a human being to type the command. There is no remote trigger surface available through the Notion MCP server. There is no scheduled execution that an external system can verify. There is no way for an AI assistant working from a mobile session to invoke a Worker, even one already deployed and working. The Workers exist. They can be triggered. But only from one specific laptop, by one specific human, sitting in front of it.

    That gap turns out to matter more than any individual capability. The reason for building Workers in the first place was to remove the operator from the critical path of routine operations. If the operator still has to be physically present to start the Worker, the Worker has not removed the operator from the critical path. It has just changed the operator’s job from doing the work to invoking the thing that does the work. The leverage is real but smaller than advertised.

    The third hidden cost is the one nobody talks about. It is the cost of being early on a surface that may never become widely adopted. Every hour spent learning the idiosyncrasies of an alpha SDK is an hour not spent on a surface with broader applicability. If Notion Workers become the standard automation pattern for the platform, the early learning compounds for years. If Notion deprioritizes the SDK, retires it quietly, or pivots to a different model — none of which are unlikely for an alpha product — that learning has a shelf life measured in months. The operator who waited for GA still has all of the time they did not spend on the deprecated surface. The early adopter has bills receivable in a currency that no longer trades.

    The case for waiting, then, is not a case for timidity. It is a case for opportunity cost. Every alpha SDK is competing with every other thing that operator could have built in the same window. The question is not “is the alpha SDK valuable” — it usually is, in some narrow technical sense. The question is “is the alpha SDK more valuable than the next-best use of the same hours.” For a solo operator, that comparison is often unflattering to the alpha.

    What the First Take Gets Right

    The first take is correct that surface knowledge cannot be downloaded. The team that put hands on the alpha now knows things about how Notion Workers authenticate, how the schema module differs from the builder module, how the webhook HMAC pattern resolves, and how the capability registration phase fails in five different ways. None of this is in any document anyone has written. All of it will be implicit in every future architectural decision the operator makes about Notion as a platform. That is not nothing. That is a kind of capital.

    The first take is also correct that the price of alpha is paid once, while the position earned can compound. The four OAuth attempts that cost an hour of frustration on Worker number two cost zero hours on Worker number three. The capability shape that took thirty minutes to validate the first time took twelve minutes the second time and would take five minutes the next time it appears. Learning curves are nonlinear in the operator’s favor. The cost is front-loaded. The return, if the surface survives, is durable.

    And the first take is correct about something the counter-argument tends to miss: there is no neutral position. The operator who waits for GA is not pausing. They are doing something else with that time. If the something else is also valuable, the wait is rational. If the something else is consuming content about other people’s builds, the wait is just deferral dressed up as discipline.

    What the Second Take Gets Right

    The second take is correct that capability gates are real, that dispatch gaps are real, and that the operator’s time is the binding constraint on everything. None of those are abstract concerns. The two gated Workers from yesterday’s session are sitting in the infrastructure right now, doing exactly nothing, because a permission grant has not arrived. The eight working Workers cannot be triggered from anywhere except one specific laptop. The operator who wanted to invoke a Worker from a mobile session this morning could not.

    The second take is also correct that the deeper question is opportunity cost. If the same three hours had gone to building a Cloud Run service that wrapped the same logic, the result would be a working dispatch surface that any system could invoke — Slack, Notion automations once they’re enabled, scheduled cron, a webhook, an AI assistant on a phone. That service would not have been blocked on alpha permissions. It would not have required a specific WSL environment to invoke. It would have been ready for use the moment it deployed. The Workers fleet is more capable per line of code than the equivalent Cloud Run service would be, but it is less invokable. For an operator whose problem is “I want this to run when I am not there,” the less-invokable solution is the worse solution, even if it is more elegant.

    And the second take is correct that the rhetoric of “shaping the product” tends to flatter the early adopter beyond what the evidence supports. Most early adopters do not shape products. They use products that other early adopters shaped before them, and they generate friction reports that get triaged into a backlog that may or may not produce changes before the product changes direction. The reference customers who actually get heard tend to be the ones with the largest accounts, the most followers, or the deepest relationships with the product team. A solo operator is rarely any of those things. The Slack message to Notion’s product-ops team yesterday was a good message. Whether it produces changes in the SDK is a question whose answer is mostly out of the operator’s hands.

    The Test That Decides It

    Both takes are partially right, which is what makes the decision interesting rather than obvious. The test that decides between them, for any specific operator on any specific alpha SDK, is not whether the SDK is interesting or whether the friction is tolerable. It is a simpler test, and it is the only test that matters:

    Does the alpha SDK shorten the path to a result the operator already wanted, or does it create a new path to a result the operator did not previously care about?

    If the SDK shortens an existing path, alpha is leverage. The operator was going to solve the problem anyway. The alpha tool reduces the time and cost of solving it. The friction is just the friction of any new tool, and the early-mover advantage is real because the operator’s underlying intent was real.

    If the SDK creates a new path to a new problem, alpha is a detour. The operator is now solving a problem the SDK suggested rather than a problem the business required. The friction is no longer in service of any pre-existing goal. The early-mover advantage is hypothetical because there is no business outcome the alpha is actually serving — only an interesting tool that happens to exist.

    The Notion Workers case fails this test on the strict reading. The operator did not have an existing need to schedule recurring Notion automations. The Workers SDK suggested that need. The fleet was built to validate the SDK, not to solve a pre-existing operational problem. By the strict test, this is a detour.

    But the strict test misses something. The operator did have an existing need — to remove themselves from the critical path of routine operations. That need pre-dated the SDK by years and survives the SDK if it gets retired. The Workers SDK was one possible tool to serve that need. Cloud Run was another. Notion’s own automations product was a third. The fleet built yesterday tested whether Workers was the right tool for the existing need. The answer, on the evidence, is: partially. Workers are excellent at the work itself. They are not yet good at the dispatch problem. That is useful information, and it was acquired in three hours at zero dollar cost.

    By the strict test, the build was a detour. By the deeper test, it was a calibration run on a candidate tool for a real need. Both readings are defensible. The operator will know which is correct when the next decision arrives: whether to invest in the dispatch gap that would make Workers fully production-ready, or whether to redirect that investment toward a Cloud Run service that solves the dispatch problem natively. That decision is the verdict. Until it is made, the build is neither leverage nor detour. It is a question still open.

    The Verdict

    The verdict, for this specific case, leans toward continuation but with a different framing.

    Notion Workers are not a production automation platform yet. They are a research investment in what a production automation platform on the Notion surface might look like. The eight working Workers are not deliverables. They are experimental rigs that produced specific knowledge about a specific surface. That knowledge is valuable independent of whether Workers ever become the standard pattern. It is also valuable independent of whether the operator continues to use Workers at all.

    The right next move is not to abandon the Workers fleet. It is also not to keep building Workers as if the dispatch problem will solve itself. The right next move is to add a Cloud Run dispatcher — a small service that accepts authenticated POST requests and, internally, triggers the appropriate Worker. That dispatcher would close the dispatch gap immediately, would work for any future Worker without further integration, and would also work for any non-Worker job the operator wants to invoke from anywhere. It would cost less to build than the original Workers fleet because it would inherit all the lessons.

    That move makes both takes correct. The first take wins on the claim that the alpha investment paid for itself in surface knowledge and capability shape validation. The second take wins on the claim that the dispatch gap is the binding constraint and that the path through Cloud Run is the better answer for that specific gap. Neither take is wrong. Both takes describe a real part of the trade.

    The deeper lesson, if there is one, is that the question “should an operator build on alpha SDKs” is the wrong question. It is too general to answer. The right question is “does this specific alpha SDK shorten a path the operator already cares about, and what is the operator’s plan for the parts of the path the SDK does not yet cover.” If both halves of that question have answers, the alpha investment is rational. If either half is missing, the alpha investment is a detour wearing the costume of leverage.

    For Notion Workers, the first half has an answer. The second half got its answer today. The Cloud Run dispatcher is the missing half. Once it is built, the fleet that looked like a possible waste yesterday becomes the foundation of something usable. That is the way alpha investments usually work, on the cases where they work. They look like a detour right up until the moment the missing piece arrives. Then they look like infrastructure.

    And that, finally, is the second take. Not “wait for GA.” Not “always ship on alpha.” Something more specific: build on alpha when the SDK shortens a path you already care about, and when you have a plan for the parts of the path the SDK does not yet cover. If both conditions hold, alpha is leverage. If either fails, alpha is a detour. The Workers fleet is not yet a finished case. It is a case in progress, and the progress depends on what happens next, not what happened yesterday.

    The original take ran here yesterday, in a different form, when a fleet of ten Workers was treated as proof that alpha investments pay off. This take argues that the proof is still pending — and names the move that converts the pending proof into a finished one.

  • PUD 3 Cloquallum Fiber Deadline May 31 and Belfair Sewer Study Moves Forward — Mason County Infrastructure Update

    PUD 3 Cloquallum Fiber Deadline May 31 and Belfair Sewer Study Moves Forward — Mason County Infrastructure Update

    Two significant infrastructure developments are unfolding across Mason County this week — one offering a limited-time opportunity for hundreds of rural residents to lock in free fiber internet connections before the end of May, and another marking a new chapter in the long-running debate over how to handle Belfair’s wastewater future.

    Act Now: PUD 3’s Free Fiber Application Window Closes May 31

    More than 680 homes and businesses along the Cloquallum Road corridor in north Mason County are now eligible to apply for high-speed gigabit fiber internet — and the free application window closes in just three and a half weeks.

    Mason County Public Utility District No. 3 announced in February 2026 the completion of Phase 2 of its Cloquallum Communities Fiberhood project, triggering a new round of application letters to property owners in the Wivell Road, Loertscher Road, and Cloquallum Fiberhoods areas. But the window is closing fast: PUD 3 has waived the standard $250 construction application fee only through May 31, 2026. After that date, anyone who applies will owe the full $250 upfront.

    The stakes are real. When the Cloquallum Communities project reaches full completion — targeted for October 2026 — residents in these rural stretches will go from dial-up-like speeds of roughly 1.5 Mbps to symmetrical gigabit internet at 1,000/1,000 Mbps, among the fastest residential broadband available anywhere in Washington state. Monthly service is expected to run approximately $85 per month through PUD 3’s open-access fiber network.

    That “open access” model is worth understanding. PUD 3 builds and owns the physical fiber infrastructure, but multiple retail internet service providers can deliver service over that single cable. Residents choose their own provider — and can switch providers without needing a new connection installed. The model has already delivered results: more than 3,000 homes and businesses across Mason County are now connected to PUD 3 fiber through prior Fiberhood builds.

    The Cloquallum project is funded in part through an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant awarded to PUD 3 by the Washington State Broadband Office in late 2023. Phase 1 of the project wrapped in July 2025, bringing the mainline fiber network to the Lake Arrowhead, Star Lake, Bulb Farm, and Lost Lake areas near Cloquallum Road. Phase 2 focuses on the Wivell Road and Loertscher Road communities and the broader Cloquallum Road Fiberhood area, running from west of Bear Trap Boulevard east toward Rock Creek Road.

    Residents who have already received an announcement letter should apply as soon as possible at pud3.org. Those who live in the project area and have not received a letter should contact PUD 3 directly to verify their eligibility before the May 31 deadline passes. After five years of engineering, grant-writing, and construction, gigabit internet is finally arriving in one of Mason County’s most historically underserved broadband corridors — but only to those who get their applications in on time.

    Belfair Sewer: Bremerton Now on the Hook for Feasibility Study

    About 20 miles to the south, a very different infrastructure question is moving forward — carefully.

    Mason County commissioners in February 2026 signed off on revisions to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the City of Bremerton regarding potential sewer service to the Puget Sound Industrial Center, a business corridor in north Belfair. The key change in the updated agreement: Bremerton is now required to pay for Mason County’s share of the feasibility study before the work can begin.

    Under the revised MOU, both parties have committed to a comprehensive feasibility study including preliminary engineering and a financial evaluation of the capital, operational, and long-term costs involved. If Bremerton pays, the study must be completed within 180 days. Mason County commissioners will then have 90 days to determine whether moving forward is in the best interest of county ratepayers.

    The Belfair sewer system has been under pressure for years. The Belfair Wastewater Reclamation Facility (WWRF) storage pond has a documented structural concern — a suspected sinkhole first flagged by the Washington State Department of Ecology in 2016 — that the county has not fully remediated. Questions about whether extending service to serve Bremerton’s industrial interests would be fair to existing Belfair ratepayers generated significant debate when commissioners first considered the original MOU.

    Adding further complexity, the Belfair WWRF sits within the usual and accustomed fishing area of the Squaxin Island Tribe, and any expansion carries potential implications for salmon habitat in Coulter Creek. Under the revised agreement, Mason County is required to consult with tribal representatives before making any final decisions on expansion.

    For residents who use or are considering connecting to the Belfair sewer system, the next several months will be worth watching closely. If Bremerton initiates payment, a 180-day study clock begins ticking — and commissioner briefings, public meetings, and Belfair Sewer Advisory Committee sessions will be where the real debate plays out. If Bremerton does not pay, the study stalls — and the question of Belfair’s long-term wastewater capacity remains unresolved.

    What to Watch

    On the fiber front, May 31 is a hard deadline. Whether you live off Wivell Road, Loertscher Road, or anywhere along the Cloquallum Road corridor in north Mason County, submitting a construction application before that date saves you $250. Visit pud3.org or contact Mason County PUD No. 3 at their Shelton office for details on the application process.

    On the sewer front, the clock starts when Bremerton writes the check. Mason County residents can track developments through masoncountywa.gov and the Belfair Sewer Advisory Committee page at masoncountywa.gov/ac/belfair-sewer/.

    Related Expansion Coverage

    This beat post was expanded into a full knowledge cluster by the Mason County Minute Variant Expander on May 8, 2026:

  • Snohomish County’s Federal Asks Are Being Made in Washington Right Now — Inside the EASC DC Fly-In Underway This Week

    Snohomish County’s Federal Asks Are Being Made in Washington Right Now — Inside the EASC DC Fly-In Underway This Week

    What is the EASC DC Fly-In and what does it have to do with Everett’s waterfront?
    The Economic Alliance Snohomish County (EASC) is leading a delegation of business, government, and community leaders to Washington, D.C. from May 5 through May 7, 2026, to advocate directly with members of Congress and federal agencies on the region’s federal priorities. The fly-in is presented by The Boeing Company, with support from the Tulalip Tribes and Desimone Consulting Group. It’s the most concentrated federal advocacy push our region runs all year — and it’s happening right now.

    A Snohomish County Trip Most Residents Don’t Hear About

    Most of the conversation about Snohomish County’s federal priorities happens in obscure rooms: legislative committee hearings, agency briefings, advocacy board meetings inside the EASC offices on Rucker Avenue. The work is real, but the public-facing moment is rare.

    The annual EASC DC Fly-In is the closest thing to a public-facing moment this advocacy ever gets. For three days each May, a delegation of Snohomish County leaders — business owners, mayors, port commissioners, tribal leaders, education officials — travels to Washington, D.C. to make the case directly to the people who write federal budgets and run federal agencies.

    This year’s trip is happening as you read this. The delegation arrived on Tuesday, May 5, for a welcome reception. Wednesday, May 6, and Thursday, May 7, are full days of meetings on Capitol Hill and at federal agencies. The schedule wraps Thursday evening with a farewell reception before the delegation flies home.

    If you live in Everett and pay any attention at all to Sound Transit, the Port of Everett, federal aerospace research dollars, water infrastructure grants, or the Snohomish River flood mitigation work, then someone at this fly-in is probably in a room arguing for something that affects you.

    What the Fly-In Actually Does

    The EASC DC Fly-In is a coordinated federal advocacy program. The delegation does three things over the course of three days.

    First, it sits down with Washington’s congressional delegation. That includes Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell, and the House members representing the 1st, 2nd, and other relevant districts. These are direct meetings, not a stop-by-the-office handshake. Members and their staff hear specific federal asks tied to specific projects in Snohomish County.

    Second, it meets with federal agencies. EASC has a federal lobbyist who handles the agency calendar — meetings with the Department of Transportation, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, the Maritime Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, and other agencies that touch the region’s industries. These meetings turn into formal grant applications, project endorsements, and technical assistance.

    Third, the delegation participates in panel discussions with policy experts and staff from major think tanks and federal offices. This is the listening half of the trip — what’s coming in the next federal funding cycle, where the discretionary money is going to be steered, what the technical requirements look like for upcoming grant rounds.

    The fly-in is presented by The Boeing Company, the largest single employer in Snohomish County and the most consistent fly-in sponsor over time. The Tulalip Tribes and Desimone Consulting Group are additional supporters this year. EASC is described in its own materials as “the largest business advocacy organization in Snohomish County” and serves as the regional business voice in both Olympia and Washington, D.C.

    What’s on the Federal Asks List

    EASC has not published a public document listing the specific 2026 federal asks the delegation is carrying this week. The agenda is built around the agency’s broader Regional Federal Priorities, developed with the Advocacy Board.

    What we can say from the publicly stated framework is that EASC’s federal priorities are organized around four broad categories: multimodal transportation and utilities infrastructure, an educated and skilled workforce, support for key regional industries, and a competitive business environment for innovation and entrepreneurship.

    For Everett specifically, the development-side priorities most likely on the table this week — based on EASC’s public advocacy positions over the past year and the projects with active federal funding components — include:

    Sound Transit Everett Link Extension. A $7.7 billion segment of the regional light rail system that depends on a combination of local subarea funding, state contributions, and federal transit grants. The Sound Transit Board meets May 28 to choose between three approaches that determine whether the line reaches downtown Everett Station or stops at the SW Everett Industrial Center. Federal funding posture matters at the agency level.

    Port of Everett infrastructure investments. The port’s $11.25 million federal Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) grant for the Pier 3 structural rebuild was announced April 27. That single grant is the kind of federal-state-port partnership the fly-in exists to nurture. The port has a $70 million 2026 budget and is in active investment cycles on the working waterfront, the Mukilteo waterfront acquisition, and Marina bulkhead modernization (the final $6.75 million Bergerson Segment E phase wraps in May 2026).

    Snohomish River flood mitigation and stormwater. The $8.7 million Lenora Stormwater Treatment Facility broke ground in April 2026 with state grant funding under WQC-2025-EverPW-00177. Future phases of the citywide combined sewer overflow program — including the recently approved $113 million West Marine View Drive pipeline that feeds the planned Port Gardner Storage Facility — depend on a mix of federal and state matching dollars.

    Aerospace research and workforce. Boeing’s North Line at Paine Field opens this summer building 737 MAX aircraft. The Aviation Technical Services MRO operation, ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric flight testing, and the broader aerospace ecosystem in Snohomish County all benefit from federal research funding and workforce development grants.

    Naval Station Everett. The $282.9 million FF(X) frigate contract awarded to Ingalls in April 2026 reframed the conversation about NAVSTA Everett’s homeport bid. Federal advocacy on military construction, family housing, and base infrastructure is an annual priority.

    Paine Field commercial terminal expansion. Federal Aviation Administration coordination on additional gates and terminal capacity, particularly with the June 10, 2026 launch of Alaska Airlines’ Paine Field-Portland nonstop, is part of the airport’s ongoing growth conversation.

    Why This Trip Matters More in 2026 Than Most Years

    Three things make this year’s fly-in higher-stakes than usual.

    The first is the Sound Transit timeline. The May 28 board meeting is precisely three weeks after the delegation lands in DC. Federal agency posture on transit grants, especially under the New Starts and Capital Investment Grant programs, is one of the variables board members weigh when picking between approaches. A clear signal from the federal side that the full 16-mile spine is grant-eligible can shift the calculus at the local level.

    The second is the broader federal funding environment. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding rounds are still actively being awarded. The CHIPS and Science Act has reshaped advanced manufacturing grant pipelines. Defense industrial base initiatives have created new funding streams that overlap with the Naval Station Everett and Boeing footprints. The window for shaping how those dollars land in Snohomish County is open right now.

    The third is the SR 529 / Edgewater Bridge moment. The new $34 million Edgewater Bridge opened on April 28, 2026, after years of delays. That gives the delegation a concrete success story to present in DC — federal-state-local infrastructure partnerships actually delivering — at exactly the moment when the next round of bridge and roadway funding is being shaped.

    The Boeing Sponsorship Is a Signal, Not a Conflict

    It’s worth saying out loud: the Boeing Company presenting the fly-in is not unusual, and it’s not a conflict to be apologetic about. Boeing is the largest employer in Snohomish County. The 737 North Line opens this summer in Everett. The 777X is on the runway at Paine Field. Tens of thousands of paychecks and the property tax base of multiple cities run through Boeing’s Everett facilities.

    What the Boeing sponsorship tells you about the delegation’s posture is that this is a business-led advocacy effort, not a city-government-led one. The asks are framed in terms of regional economic competitiveness — workforce, supply chain, infrastructure that supports private investment — not in terms of social policy or regulatory positions. That’s the EASC lane.

    The Tulalip Tribes’ support broadens the picture. Tribal economic priorities in Snohomish County — including waterfront, environmental, and infrastructure interests — get a seat at the same table.

    What Comes Back to Everett From This Week

    The deliverable from any fly-in is rarely a single decision. It’s a set of relationships, a refreshed understanding of the federal funding calendar, and a more specific picture of what the next round of grant applications has to look like to be competitive.

    The concrete things to watch over the next 60 days:

    • Whether any of the federal agencies the delegation met with announce new grant rounds or technical assistance programs that align with the asks Snohomish County brought to the table.
    • Whether the May 28 Sound Transit Board vote shifts in any way that suggests the federal posture on transit grants influenced the room.
    • Whether the Port of Everett’s next federal grant submission — particularly under PIDP and Maritime Administration discretionary programs — reflects coordination that came out of this week’s meetings.
    • Whether the Snohomish River flood mitigation and stormwater program picks up additional federal matching commitments in the next federal budget cycle.

    The delegation flies home Thursday night. The follow-up calls start Monday morning.

    If you want to know what Snohomish County is asking for in DC right now, the EASC DC Fly-In is the answer. We’ll keep watching what comes back.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What dates is the EASC DC Fly-In happening in 2026?
    The 2026 EASC DC Fly-In runs Tuesday, May 5 through Thursday, May 7. The welcome reception is May 5 evening, full meeting days are May 6 and May 7, and a farewell reception caps the trip Thursday evening.

    Who is on the EASC delegation in DC this week?
    EASC has not published the full 2026 attendee list. The delegation typically includes business leaders, elected officials from cities and the county, port commissioners, tribal leadership, education representatives, and EASC staff including the federal lobbyist. The fly-in is presented by The Boeing Company with support from the Tulalip Tribes and Desimone Consulting Group.

    Are Everett’s specific federal priorities published?
    EASC develops Regional Federal Priorities through its Advocacy Board but does not always publish them in granular form. The framework focuses on multimodal transportation and utilities infrastructure, workforce development, support for regional industries, and a competitive business environment.

    Does the fly-in directly affect the Sound Transit Everett Link decision?
    Not directly. The Sound Transit Board’s three-approach decision on May 28 is a regional governance decision. But federal posture on transit grants — Capital Investment Grants, New Starts, FTA technical assistance — is one variable board members consider when evaluating which approach is fundable. Federal advocacy this week feeds that posture.

    What was the most recent federal grant announcement for Everett-area infrastructure?
    The Port of Everett’s $11.25 million Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) grant for the Pier 3 structural rebuild was announced April 27, 2026. The Lenora Stormwater Treatment Facility uses an $8.7 million state grant (WQC-2025-EverPW-00177) and broke ground in April 2026.

    Where can residents track outcomes from the 2026 EASC DC Fly-In?
    EASC’s news center at economicalliancesc.org/news-center publishes post-trip summaries and key advocacy outcomes. Federal grant announcements typically lag the fly-in by 30 to 90 days as agency calendars and appropriations move forward.

    Is there a way for residents to support EASC’s federal asks?
    Direct advocacy from residents is most effective with the congressional delegation: Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell, and the U.S. Representatives covering Snohomish County districts. EASC’s advocacy page at economicalliancesc.org/advocacy/advocacy lists current legislative priorities and ways to engage.

  • Sound Transit’s May 28 Board Meeting Is the Most Important Everett Light Rail Vote You Haven’t Heard About

    Sound Transit’s May 28 Board Meeting Is the Most Important Everett Light Rail Vote You Haven’t Heard About

    Why does the Sound Transit board meet on May 28, 2026, and what does it decide for Everett?
    On May 28, 2026, the Sound Transit Board of Directors meets in Tacoma to consider three “approaches” for closing a $34.5 billion long-term funding gap and updating the ST3 System Plan. Two of the three approaches preserve the full 16-mile Everett Link Extension to downtown Everett Station; the third truncates the line at the SW Everett Industrial Center. The board is expected to recommend one approach by the end of June. The May 28 vote is the technical decision that shapes everything that follows.

    The Vote Everyone Is Watching Without Realizing It

    Most of the Everett Link conversation this spring has rotated around a single date: June 30, 2026. That’s when the Sound Transit Board is expected to formally adopt an updated ST3 System Plan. Headlines have framed it as the “do-or-die” vote on whether trains will reach downtown Everett.

    But there’s a vote a month earlier that matters more in practical terms — and it has flown almost completely under the radar.

    On Thursday, May 28, 2026, the Sound Transit Board of Directors meets from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Ruth Fisher Board Room at 401 Jackson St. in Tacoma. That meeting is where the board is expected to choose between three “approaches” the agency has put on the table for closing its $34.5 billion long-term funding gap and updating the ST3 System Plan. The June 30 vote then ratifies whatever the May 28 meeting recommends.

    In other words: by the time the calendar flips to June, the substantive decision will already be made.

    We’ve spent the last six weeks talking about whether the public would be heard. The May 1 public-input survey closed last week. So now the question shifts. With the survey closed and the board’s options narrowed to three, what is actually being decided on May 28? And which approach gets Everett to the finish line?

    What the $34.5 Billion Gap Actually Is

    Sound Transit calls the planning effort the Enterprise Initiative. It’s the agency’s response to a long-term funding shortfall that has grown well past anyone’s original estimates.

    The number to remember is $34.5 billion. That’s the total budget gap projected over the next 20 years across the Sound Transit district. Roughly $30 billion of that gap is concentrated in the North King and South King County subareas, driven by capital cost growth on the West Seattle and Ballard Link extensions.

    That last detail matters for Everett. Each of Sound Transit’s five subareas — Snohomish, North King, South King, East King, and Pierce — has its own dedicated funding pot. According to Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, who chairs the Sound Transit Board, “the Snohomish section is almost fully funded.”

    In other words, the funding crisis is not a Snohomish County crisis. It’s a King County cost-overrun crisis. But because the board has to update the entire system plan as one document, Everett ends up on the table whether the local money is there or not.

    The Three Approaches in Plain English

    Here is what the Sound Transit board is actually choosing between on May 28. We’ve simplified the agency’s published descriptions for a non-transit-nerd reader.

    Approach 1 — Spine first, hold the West Seattle and Issaquah extensions.
    Funds the full Everett Link Extension to downtown Everett Station. Funds full construction to the Tacoma Dome. Funds West Seattle to Alaska Junction only. Funds South Center only. Defers everything else. This approach finishes the Federal Way-to-Everett spine before spending on east-west extensions.

    Approach 2 — Spine plus a partial Ballard.
    Funds the full Everett Link Extension to downtown Everett Station. Funds construction to Smith Cove (a partial Ballard build). Funds full construction to the Tacoma Dome. Funds the South Kirkland-Issaquah Extension. Defers other deferrals. This approach is similar to Approach 1 but trades the full West Seattle build for a partial Ballard build.

    Approach 3 — Phase everything, stop short of downtown Everett.
    Truncates the Everett Link at the SW Everett Industrial Center, not downtown Everett Station. Truncates the Tacoma extension at Fife instead of the Tacoma Dome. Funds Delridge in West Seattle, South Center, and several infill stations including Graham and Boeing Access. Funds initial phases only on the T Line and South Kirkland-Issaquah extensions. This approach phases every project rather than fully completing fewer of them.

    All three approaches deliver roughly 86 to 87 percent of the original ST3 ridership target, and all three involve major changes to the Ballard Extension as originally promised in 2016.

    What Approach 3 Would Actually Mean for Everett

    Approach 3 is the one Snohomish County is fighting against.

    The most important consequence is geographic: it would end the Everett Link line at the SW Everett Industrial Center — roughly the area near the Boeing factory and Paine Field — rather than continuing the line into downtown Everett Station. That is a meaningful difference on a map and a much bigger difference on the ground.

    Downtown Everett Station is the planned multimodal hub adjacent to the Sounder commuter rail platform, the Everett Transit and Community Transit bus integration, the under-construction stadium and outdoor event center site, and the heart of the city’s downtown housing and retail core. SW Everett Industrial Center is a job site — important, but not where most riders live, eat, or change between buses and trains.

    Approach 3 also pushes the schedule. The Everett Link is currently expected to open between 2037 and 2041 depending on phasing. Under Approach 3, the downtown segment would be deferred indefinitely, with no committed funding to extend service the rest of the way once the SW Everett Industrial Center segment opens.

    That’s why Mayor Cassie Franklin, who sits on the Sound Transit Board, has been making the public case for the full spine. In an April 27 letter to the board summarized by the Lynnwood Times, Franklin laid out the case that Everett is now home to a Boeing factory, an expanding Paine Field commercial terminal, minor league baseball, hockey, an under-construction event center, and a growing industrial base — and that “it is the spine from Everett to Tacoma that is actually going to connect this region.”

    Why the May 28 Meeting Beats the June 30 Meeting in Importance

    The June 30 vote is the formal vote on the updated ST3 System Plan. It’s the procedural moment when the board adopts the new document.

    The May 28 meeting is when the board takes the chair’s recommendation and signals which of the three approaches will form the basis of the final plan. By the time June 30 rolls around, the public deliberation about which approach will be over. The June meeting becomes a yes-or-no on a specific package, not a choice between three options.

    That makes May 28 the real decision date for anyone trying to understand where the Everett Link ends up.

    It also makes May 28 the last realistic moment for public comment to land. The May 1 online survey is closed. Written comments to the board can still be submitted, and the board takes verbal public comment at meetings. The May 28 meeting accepts virtual attendance via Zoom — the link is published on the Board of Directors event calendar at soundtransit.org.

    What Snohomish County Is Saying Right Now

    Two votes on the Sound Transit board come from Snohomish County: County Executive Dave Somers, who chairs the board, and Mayor Franklin.

    Somers has framed the spine completion as the priority. At the April 14 town hall in Everett, he told a standing-room crowd that board support for finishing the spine is the strongest he has seen, and that the funding crisis is concentrated in King County, not Snohomish. He has floated the idea of a King County subarea levy, public-private partnership investment, or other localized revenue tools to close the West Seattle and Ballard cost overruns without sacrificing the spine.

    Franklin’s $7.7 billion letter — the figure roughly matches the projected cost of the Everett Link Extension as currently scoped — went directly to the board on April 27 and was reinforced by an April 30 unanimous Everett City Council letter demanding the full 16-mile extension.

    That posture is local policy now. Whether it carries the May 28 vote is a different question.

    What Riders and Future Riders Should Do This Month

    If you live in Everett and care about the outcome, the practical to-do list for the next three weeks is short:

    1. Email the full Sound Transit Board. Mayor Franklin made the point at the April 14 town hall: she and Somers can vote, but the board has 18 members. The three approaches will be decided by a majority of the room. Email addresses for board members are published at soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/board-of-directors.

    2. Attend the May 28 meeting in person or on Zoom. The meeting runs 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 401 Jackson St., Tacoma. Public comment is accepted at the meeting. Virtual attendance details are on the agency’s Board of Directors event calendar.

    3. Check whether your city council has joined the chorus. Everett City Council voted unanimously on the full extension. Mukilteo, Lake Stevens, Mill Creek, and Snohomish councils have varying public positions; if your council hasn’t weighed in, that’s the kind of action that gets noticed at the board level.

    The April 14 town hall in Everett showed the agency is listening. What the board does on May 28 will tell us how loudly.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When and where does the Sound Transit Board meet on May 28, 2026?
    Thursday, May 28, 2026, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., Ruth Fisher Board Room, 401 Jackson St., Tacoma. Virtual attendance via Zoom is available — the join details are published on the Board of Directors calendar at soundtransit.org.

    What happens if the board picks Approach 3 on May 28?
    Approach 3 would truncate the Everett Link Extension at the SW Everett Industrial Center rather than continuing to downtown Everett Station. The downtown segment would be deferred without committed funding, pushing the Everett Station opening past the current 2037-2041 window indefinitely.

    Is the Everett Link Extension fully funded under Approaches 1 and 2?
    According to Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, the Snohomish County subarea is “almost fully funded.” Approaches 1 and 2 both preserve the full 16-mile line from Lynnwood to downtown Everett Station. The funding crisis is concentrated in North King and South King County subareas.

    What is the difference between the May 28 vote and the June 30 vote?
    May 28 is when the Sound Transit Board chooses among the three approaches and signals direction for the updated ST3 System Plan. June 30 is the formal adoption of the new plan. By June 30, the substantive choice is already made.

    How can the public still weigh in if the May 1 survey has closed?
    Email all 18 Sound Transit Board members directly, attend the May 28 meeting in person or on Zoom, and provide written or verbal public comment at the meeting. City council resolutions also influence the regional conversation.

    What is the $34.5 billion gap?
    A 20-year projected shortfall across the Sound Transit district. Roughly $30 billion of the gap is in the North King and South King County subareas, driven by West Seattle and Ballard cost overruns. Snohomish County’s section is almost fully funded according to Somers.

    When would Everett Link service actually open under Approaches 1 or 2?
    Sound Transit currently lists 2037 as the SW Everett Industrial Center opening target, with downtown Everett Station service following by 2041 under current financial constraints. Approach 3 would push the downtown opening indefinitely past those dates.

  • Mason County Business Owner’s Guide: PUD 3 Gigabit Fiber for Business and the Olympic Highway Parking Decision

    Mason County Business Owner’s Guide: PUD 3 Gigabit Fiber for Business and the Olympic Highway Parking Decision

    Two infrastructure projects moving through Mason County in 2026 have direct implications for local businesses. The completion of PUD 3’s Three Fingers Fiber Project means that businesses in the Grapeview area that previously operated without reliable broadband now have access to symmetrical gigabit fiber — a connectivity baseline that changes what’s operationally possible. And for businesses operating on or near Olympic Highway North in Shelton, the city’s $6 million road reconstruction project means a design decision about parking and traffic flow is coming, and the window to influence it is open right now.

    What Gigabit Fiber Means for Mason County Businesses

    The Three Fingers Fiber Project completion isn’t just about residential internet. Businesses in the Three Fingers area of Grapeview — whether retail, service-based, agricultural, or home-based — are now on the same fiber network that urban businesses have built their operations around. PUD 3’s open-access gigabit fiber delivers symmetrical 1,000/1,000 Mbps speeds for approximately $85 per month. Symmetrical upload speed is the detail that matters most for business use: cloud backups, video conferencing, point-of-sale systems, and file transfers all depend on upload, not just download.

    The open-access model gives Mason County businesses something rare: genuine provider competition on a single physical network. PUD 3 owns the fiber infrastructure; multiple retail ISPs compete over it. Businesses can compare service-level agreements, support quality, and pricing between providers — and switch if a better option emerges — without any new wiring or construction. For businesses that have been locked into a single slow provider by geography, this changes the economics of operating from rural Mason County.

    Businesses in Three Fingers that haven’t yet applied for service can reach PUD 3’s Telecom Team at pud3.org. An Engineering Designer will assess the specific construction needed to reach your location.

    Cloquallum Businesses: Fee Waiver Expires May 31

    If your business is in the Cloquallum Communities area — PUD 3’s next active fiberhood — an application fee waiver is in effect through May 31, 2026. After that date, the standard application fee applies. For businesses evaluating the cost of getting fiber established, applying before the deadline is a straightforward way to reduce the upfront expense. Visit pud3.org for current program details.

    Olympic Highway North: What Business Owners Need to Know Now

    The City of Shelton is in the process of selecting a design for the reconstruction of Olympic Highway North, the stretch from C Street to Wallace Kneeland Boulevard. The road last saw pavement in 1989 and the city has secured up to $6 million in funding — including a $3.7 million Washington State Transportation Improvement Board grant — to rebuild it from the ground up. That TIB grant requires bike lanes in the final design. The question is how those bike lanes are configured, and what that means for on-street parking.

    Consultant Transpo Group has developed four design options. For businesses along the corridor, the core variable is customer parking access:

    • Option 1: Parking on both sides retained; traditional painted bike lanes
    • Option 2 (city staff recommendation): Parking on one side; buffered bike lanes that physically separate cyclists from vehicle traffic
    • Option 4: All on-street parking removed; businesses would rely on on-site or side-street parking

    City staff recommend Option 2, citing the balance between safety, parking retention, and the TIB grant requirements. For businesses whose customers depend on on-street parking — retail, food service, personal services — the difference between Option 1 and Option 4 is material. Construction isn’t until summer 2027, but the design is being locked in this winter.

    If you operate a business on or near Olympic Highway North between C Street and Wallace Kneeland Boulevard, attending a city public comment process or submitting input online at sheltonwa.gov is the most direct way to influence the outcome. Once Transpo Group finalizes the design this winter, the configuration is set.

    For more on what PUD 3 fiber means for Mason County businesses, see What PUD 3’s Gigabit Fiber Means for Mason County Business Owners in 2026. Full infrastructure context at Mason County Infrastructure Update — May 2026.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How does PUD 3’s open-access fiber network benefit Mason County businesses?

    PUD 3 owns the fiber infrastructure and multiple retail ISPs compete to deliver service over it, giving businesses genuine provider choice without requiring new wiring. Businesses pay approximately $85/month for symmetrical 1,000/1,000 Mbps gigabit service — with matching upload and download speeds critical for cloud operations, video conferencing, and large file transfers.

    My business is in Three Fingers — what’s the process to get fiber?

    Contact PUD 3’s Telecom Team at pud3.org. An Engineering Designer will assess what construction is needed to reach your specific location and walk through next steps. The Three Fingers project is now complete, so connections are being processed for all businesses that have applied.

    How will Olympic Highway North construction affect my business access in 2027?

    Construction is planned for summer 2027. Specific traffic management and temporary access plans will be set by the contractor selected in spring 2027. The bigger near-term decision is the design: which option is chosen determines whether on-street parking survives. Businesses should submit input on the design options at sheltonwa.gov before winter 2026, when the design locks in.

    What is the TIB grant requirement for bike lanes on Olympic Highway North?

    The $3.7 million Washington State Transportation Improvement Board grant awarded to Shelton for the Olympic Highway North project requires that the final design include dedicated bicycle lanes. This requirement is non-negotiable — it’s a condition of the funding. All four design options presented by Transpo Group include bike lanes in some form; the debate is about configuration and how much parking each option preserves.

  • Mason County Property Owner’s Guide: PUD 3 Fiber Completion, Property Values, and the Olympic Highway Parking Question

    Mason County Property Owner’s Guide: PUD 3 Fiber Completion, Property Values, and the Olympic Highway Parking Question

    Two infrastructure decisions are moving through Mason County right now that property owners should be tracking closely. The completion of PUD 3’s Three Fingers Fiber Project brings gigabit internet connectivity to Grapeview parcels that previously had limited broadband access — a change with measurable implications for rural property values. Meanwhile, Shelton’s planned $6 million reconstruction of Olympic Highway North is entering the design phase with a question that matters directly to commercial and residential property owners along the corridor: how much on-street parking survives the rebuild?

    Fiber Internet and Property Values in Rural Mason County

    The connection between rural broadband access and property values is well-documented. Properties in previously unserved areas that gain access to high-speed internet — particularly fiber — tend to see measurable increases in assessed and market value, driven by expanded buyer pools: remote workers, retirees, and small business operators who require reliable connectivity now consider properties they would have previously passed over.

    For property owners in the Three Fingers area of Grapeview, PUD 3’s April 2026 completion of the Three Fingers Fiber Project represents exactly that kind of step-change. More than 250 homes and businesses are now connected to PUD 3’s open-access gigabit network — the same symmetrical 1,000/1,000 Mbps service available in Mason County’s more developed areas. For parcels that were previously off the broadband map, this changes the calculus for potential buyers evaluating rural Mason County real estate.

    If you own property in Three Fingers and haven’t yet applied for a connection, the process runs through PUD 3’s Telecom Team at pud3.org. An Engineering Designer will assess what drop construction is needed to reach your parcel specifically. A connected property is a more marketable property.

    Cloquallum: Apply Before May 31

    If your property is in the adjacent Cloquallum Communities area, PUD 3 has extended a fee waiver for new fiber applications through May 31, 2026. That deadline is approaching. Owners of Cloquallum parcels — whether primary residences, rental properties, or undeveloped land — should weigh whether getting fiber service established before the waiver expires makes sense for their specific situation. Visit pud3.org for current terms.

    Olympic Highway North: The Parking Question for Property Owners

    Shelton’s $6 million reconstruction of Olympic Highway North — the corridor from C Street to Wallace Kneeland Boulevard — is in the design phase, and the core tension for commercial property owners along the route is parking. The road hasn’t been paved since 1989, and the rebuild is funded in part by a $3.7 million grant from the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board that requires dedicated bicycle lanes in the final design. That grant condition is non-negotiable.

    Consultant Transpo Group has prepared four design options, each with a different approach to the bike lane requirement. The critical variable for property owners is on-street parking:

    • Option 1: Retains parking on both sides of the road; traditional (painted) bike lanes
    • Option 2 (city staff recommendation): Retains parking on one side; buffered bike lanes separating cyclists from vehicles
    • Option 4: Removes all on-street parking; relies on on-site and side-street parking for nearby businesses

    City staff recommend Option 2 for its balance between safety and parking retention, and because it meets the TIB grant funding requirements. Option 4, which eliminates all on-street parking, could significantly affect commercial properties along the corridor whose customers rely on street parking. If you own property or operate a business on Olympic Highway North between C Street and Wallace Kneeland Boulevard, the design selection process happening now is the moment to engage.

    Transpo Group will finalize the design this winter. The project goes to bid in spring 2027 and construction is slated for summer 2027. Provide input now at sheltonwa.gov — once the design is locked, the parking configuration is set.

    For the full infrastructure update, see Mason County Infrastructure Update — May 2026. For Mason County real estate context, see Mason County Real Estate: Prices, Trends and Neighborhoods.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Does fiber internet increase rural property values in Mason County?

    Research consistently shows that rural properties gaining access to fiber broadband tend to see increased market appeal and value, particularly as the remote-work buyer pool has expanded. Properties in the Three Fingers area of Grapeview now have access to PUD 3’s gigabit fiber network following the April 2026 project completion — a connectivity upgrade that changes how potential buyers evaluate those parcels.

    If I own property in Three Fingers, what do I need to do to get fiber connected?

    Contact PUD 3’s Telecom Team at pud3.org. An Engineering Designer will review your specific parcel’s connection requirements and walk through next steps. If you haven’t applied yet, do so now — the project is complete and connections are being processed for applicants.

    Which Olympic Highway North design option keeps the most parking?

    Option 1 retains parking on both sides of the road while adding traditional bike lanes. Option 2 (the city staff recommendation) retains parking on one side with buffered bike lanes. Option 4 eliminates all on-street parking. The design won’t be finalized until winter 2026 — property owners along the corridor should submit input now at sheltonwa.gov.

    When does Olympic Highway North construction start, and how long will it affect access?

    Construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2027 following a spring 2027 bidding process. Specific traffic management and access plans will be determined by the selected contractor. Property owners along the C Street to Wallace Kneeland Boulevard corridor should monitor sheltonwa.gov for contractor updates as the 2027 construction date approaches.

  • Mason County Resident’s Guide: How to Get PUD 3 Fiber and What the Shelton Road Project Means for You

    Mason County Resident’s Guide: How to Get PUD 3 Fiber and What the Shelton Road Project Means for You

    If you live in the Three Fingers area of Mason County and have been waiting for fiber internet, the wait is officially over. Mason County Public Utility District No. 3 completed its Three Fingers Fiber Project in April 2026, meeting its federal deadline and connecting more than 250 homes and businesses in the Grapeview community to symmetrical gigabit fiber. And if you’re a Shelton resident who drives Olympic Highway North, you should know the city is moving forward — slowly but seriously — on a $6 million reconstruction of the corridor that hasn’t been resurfaced since 1989.

    How to Get Fiber Connected to Your Home in Three Fingers

    If you live in the Three Fingers area and haven’t yet applied for PUD 3 fiber service, the process is straightforward. Contact PUD 3’s Telecom Team at pud3.org and an Engineering Designer will review what construction is needed to reach your specific property and walk you through the next steps.

    Once connected, you choose your own internet service provider — that’s what makes PUD 3’s open-access network different from a traditional cable or DSL provider. PUD 3 owns the fiber cable running to your home, but multiple retail ISPs compete to deliver service over it. You can switch providers without any new wiring being installed. Most customers pay approximately $85 per month for unlimited, symmetrical 1,000/1,000 Mbps (gigabit) internet — speeds that match what urban customers in Seattle or Tacoma pay significantly more for.

    What does gigabit fiber mean day-to-day? Streaming video on multiple devices simultaneously with no buffering. Video calls without freezing or dropped connections. Large file uploads that used to take hours finishing in minutes. For households with remote workers, students doing homework, or anyone who has been frustrated by slow rural internet, the practical difference is significant.

    What About Cloquallum? You Still Have Time

    If you’re in the neighboring Cloquallum Communities area rather than Three Fingers, PUD 3’s next fiberhood is underway. An application fee waiver was extended through May 31, 2026 — but that deadline is close. Residents in Cloquallum should visit pud3.org now to check the current status and apply before the waiver expires.

    What the Olympic Highway North Project Means for Your Commute

    For Shelton residents who use Olympic Highway North to get around — the stretch from C Street to Wallace Kneeland Boulevard — the road project is still years away from breaking ground. Design won’t be finalized until winter 2026, bids won’t go out until spring 2027, and construction is targeted for summer 2027. So the cracked pavement you’re driving on now will be there a while longer.

    What’s being decided right now is what the rebuilt road will look like. The city has four design options on the table from consultant Transpo Group. A $3.7 million grant from the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board requires that dedicated bike lanes be included — that’s not optional. The debate is about how to configure the bike lanes: buffered, traditional, one-sided or two-sided, and how much on-street parking survives in each option.

    City staff are recommending Option 2, which keeps parking on one side of the road and uses buffered (not just painted) bike lanes. If you have an opinion on the design, now is the time to voice it. Visit sheltonwa.gov for the project page and public comment opportunities.

    For more on the broader fiber buildout across Mason County, see When Is Fiber Internet Coming to My Mason County Neighborhood? and the full infrastructure update at Mason County Infrastructure Update — May 2026.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    I live in Three Fingers — how do I sign up for PUD 3 fiber?

    Go to pud3.org and contact PUD 3’s Telecom Team. An Engineering Designer will assess what construction is needed to connect your specific property and walk you through the sign-up process. The Three Fingers project is complete, but individual home connections may still be pending if you haven’t applied yet.

    Can I choose my own internet provider with PUD 3 fiber?

    Yes. PUD 3 operates an open-access fiber network, meaning multiple retail internet service providers compete to deliver service over the same physical fiber cable that PUD 3 owns. You select the ISP you prefer and can switch without any new infrastructure installation. Gigabit service runs approximately $85/month.

    Will Olympic Highway North be closed during construction?

    Construction isn’t expected to begin until summer 2027, so no closures are imminent. When construction does begin, specific lane closure and traffic management plans will be determined by the contractor selected during the spring 2027 bidding process. The City of Shelton will publish project updates at sheltonwa.gov.

    What is the Cloquallum Communities Fiberhood fee waiver?

    PUD 3 extended an application fee waiver through May 31, 2026, for residents in the Cloquallum Communities area — the next fiberhood after Three Fingers. If you live in Cloquallum and want to apply for fiber service with the fee waived, visit pud3.org before May 31.

  • Three Fingers Fiber Complete, Shelton Eyes $6M Olympic Highway Overhaul: Mason County Infrastructure Update May 2026

    Three Fingers Fiber Complete, Shelton Eyes $6M Olympic Highway Overhaul: Mason County Infrastructure Update May 2026

    After five years of engineering, federal permitting, and neighborhood-by-neighborhood construction, Mason County Public Utility District No. 3 has crossed its finish line. The Three Fingers Fiber Project — funded in part by a $2.4 million USDA ReConnect Pilot Program grant — reached its April 2026 federal completion deadline with more than 250 homes and businesses in the Three Fingers area of Grapeview now connected to symmetrical gigabit fiber internet. At the same time, Shelton is taking its first deliberate steps toward the most significant road reconstruction the city has seen in nearly four decades, with a $6 million overhaul of Olympic Highway North moving into the design phase. Both projects represent infrastructure investments that will shape how Mason County residents live, work, and move for a generation.

    Three Fingers Fiber: What the Completion Milestone Means

    The Three Fingers area sits in one of the harder-to-reach pockets of Mason County’s broadband map — a community that until recently had to make do with slow or unreliable connections while the rest of the county moved toward fiber. That changes now.

    PUD 3 was the first utility in Washington state to be awarded a USDA ReConnect Pilot Program grant when it received the $2.4 million award in 2020 to extend high-speed wholesale broadband to the Three Fingers area of Grapeview. Construction of the mainline distribution network was completed ahead of schedule despite early COVID-related delays. Over the final months, PUD 3 crews worked block by block through what the district calls its “Fiberhood” model — connecting individual homes and businesses that had applied for service — to hit the April 2026 federal deadline.

    The completion brings PUD 3’s countywide fiber network to more than 3,000 connected premises across Mason County. The open-access design means residents aren’t locked into a single provider: PUD 3 owns the physical fiber infrastructure while multiple local internet retailers compete to deliver service over it. Customers can choose from providers offering unlimited, symmetrical 1,000/1,000 Mbps gigabit internet, HDTV, and phone service — and switch between them without any new wiring — for approximately $85 per month.

    Residents in Three Fingers who have not yet applied for a connection can contact PUD 3’s Telecom Team at pud3.org. An Engineering Designer will review what construction is needed to reach the home and walk through next steps.

    Cloquallum Communities: The Next Fiberhood

    For residents in the neighboring Cloquallum Communities area, PUD 3’s expansion isn’t finished yet. The Cloquallum Communities Fiberhood is the district’s next active buildout, and an application fee waiver was extended through May 31, 2026, for residents in that service area. Anyone in Cloquallum who has not yet applied should check pud3.org for current terms and timelines before the waiver expires.

    Shelton Eyes $6 Million Overhaul of Olympic Highway North

    On the other end of the county, Shelton is beginning a methodical planning process for the most consequential road project the city has taken on in decades. Olympic Highway North — the stretch running from C Street to Wallace Kneeland Boulevard — was last paved in 1989. After 37 years, the pavement is fractured and deteriorating, and the City of Shelton has secured funding to rebuild it from the ground up.

    The total project cost is estimated at up to $6 million. The largest share of that comes from a $3.7 million grant from the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board — funding that comes with a firm requirement: the final design must include dedicated bicycle lanes. That condition is shaping the conversation among residents and decision-makers about how to balance competing uses on the corridor.

    About 50 residents attended a community meeting at the Shelton Civic Center on March 10 to hear consultant Transpo Group present four design options. Each option addresses the road differently, with varying configurations for travel lanes, on-street parking, and bike lanes.

    City staff have recommended Option 2, which features buffered bike lanes that physically separate cyclists from vehicle traffic, parking retained on one side of the road, and a configuration that meets the TIB grant requirements. The staff recommendation notes that Option 2 “offers the greatest balance of modes within the right of way compared to other options” and that the buffered lanes provide improved safety and comfort for cyclists relative to traditional painted bike lanes.

    Transpo Group is expected to finalize the design this coming winter. The project would then go out for bid in spring 2027, with construction potentially beginning in summer 2027. Residents who want to provide input on the design options can visit sheltonwa.gov for project information and public comment opportunities.

    Two Projects, One Theme

    Taken together, the Three Fingers fiber completion and the Olympic Highway North planning process reflect a county working through the accumulated infrastructure debt of rural communities that grew before modern utility and transportation standards caught up. Fiber internet for Three Fingers closes a connectivity gap that left residents effectively offline in a digital economy. The Olympic Highway reconstruction addresses a road that has outlasted multiple generations of patch repairs. Neither project is flashy. Both are exactly what long-term residents and newcomers alike need from their county and city governments.

    For residents with questions about either project, the contact points are clear: pud3.org for fiber service inquiries, and sheltonwa.gov for Olympic Highway North project updates and public input.

    Related Coverage

    For more context on PUD 3’s broader fiber expansion across Mason County, see Mason County PUD 3 Fiber Internet Is Reaching More Homes in 2026 and When Is Fiber Internet Coming to My Mason County Neighborhood?

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Has the Three Fingers Fiber Project been completed?

    Yes. Mason County PUD 3’s Three Fingers Fiber Project reached its federal April 2026 completion deadline. More than 250 homes and businesses in the Three Fingers area of Grapeview are now connected to PUD 3’s open-access gigabit fiber network. Residents who applied for service and have not yet been connected should contact PUD 3’s Telecom Team at pud3.org.

    What is the USDA ReConnect grant that funded Three Fingers fiber?

    The USDA ReConnect Pilot Program provides federal grants to extend broadband to unserved rural areas. Mason County PUD 3 received a $2.4 million ReConnect grant in 2020 — the first such award to a Washington state utility — specifically to fund the Three Fingers buildout. The grant required the project to be completed by April 2026, a deadline PUD 3 met.

    How much does PUD 3 fiber internet cost in Mason County?

    PUD 3 fiber customers pay approximately $85 per month for unlimited, symmetrical 1,000/1,000 Mbps (gigabit) internet through a retail provider of their choice. Because PUD 3 operates an open-access network — owning the fiber infrastructure while multiple ISPs compete to deliver service over it — customers have a choice of providers and can switch without any new wiring.

    What is the Cloquallum Communities Fiberhood, and can I still apply?

    The Cloquallum Communities Fiberhood is PUD 3’s next active fiber buildout, adjacent to the Three Fingers area. An application fee waiver was extended through May 31, 2026. Residents in the Cloquallum area should visit pud3.org to check current terms and apply before the waiver expires.

    Why does Shelton’s Olympic Highway North project require bike lanes?

    The City of Shelton received a $3.7 million grant from the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board to help fund the Olympic Highway North reconstruction. A condition of that grant is that the final design must include dedicated bicycle lanes. The city is currently evaluating four design options from consultant Transpo Group, all of which incorporate bike lanes in different configurations.

    When will Olympic Highway North construction begin?

    The current project timeline calls for Transpo Group to finalize the design in winter 2026, followed by a bid process in spring 2027 and construction beginning in summer 2027. The road runs from C Street to Wallace Kneeland Boulevard in Shelton and has not been paved since 1989.

    How can I give input on the Olympic Highway North project?

    The City of Shelton is continuing to gather public feedback on the four design options presented by Transpo Group at the March 10 community meeting at Shelton Civic Center. Residents can visit sheltonwa.gov for project information and public comment opportunities as the design process continues through 2026.

  • Fiber Reaches the Three Fingers and Shelton Eyes $6M Road Overhaul: Mason County Infrastructure Update — April 2026

    Fiber Reaches the Three Fingers and Shelton Eyes $6M Road Overhaul: Mason County Infrastructure Update — April 2026

    For residents tucked into the Three Fingers area of Mason County — one of the harder-to-reach corners of the county’s broadband map — the wait is over. Mason County Public Utility District No. 3 has reached the April 2026 completion deadline for its Three Fingers Fiber Project, a five-year effort funded in part by a federal USDA ReConnect grant that has connected more than 250 homes and businesses to symmetrical gigabit fiber internet.

    The milestone caps a project that began in early 2020 when PUD 3 was awarded the ReConnect grant. Construction faced early delays tied to COVID-19 and federal procurement processes, but the mainline distribution network was completed well ahead of the April 2026 federal deadline. Over the final months, crews worked neighborhood by neighborhood connecting individual homes and businesses that had applied for service — a process PUD 3 calls its “Fiberhood” model.

    What the Connection Means for Residents

    The Three Fingers buildout brings the total number of homes and businesses connected to PUD 3’s open-access fiber network to more than 3,000 across Mason County, including areas that previously had no broadband options whatsoever. The open-access design is key: rather than locking customers into one provider, PUD 3 owns the physical fiber infrastructure while a roster of local internet retailers competes to deliver service over it. Customers can choose from multiple providers offering unlimited, symmetrical 1,000/1,000 Mbps gigabit internet, HDTV, and phone service — and switch between them without any new wiring.

    For families in the Three Fingers community, that means the same fiber speeds available in urban centers, delivered to homes that until recently had to make do with slow or unreliable connections. Remote workers, students doing homework, and small home-based businesses all stand to benefit directly.

    Residents who have not yet applied for a connection are encouraged to contact PUD 3’s Telecom Team. An Engineering Designer will review the construction needed to reach the home and walk through next steps. The application fee waiver extended through May 31, 2026, for the neighboring Cloquallum Communities Fiberhood may also still be in effect — residents in that area should check pud3.org for current terms.

    Shelton Eyes $6 Million Overhaul of Olympic Highway North — But Bikes Come First

    On the southern end of the county, Shelton is moving — slowly but deliberately — toward the most significant road reconstruction project in nearly four decades. Olympic Highway North, which runs from C Street to Wallace Kneeland Boulevard, has not been paved in 37 years. The pavement is fractured and cracked, and the City of Shelton is now asking the public to weigh in on what the rebuilt road should look like.

    About 50 residents turned out to a community meeting at the Shelton Civic Center on March 10 to hear consultant Transpo Group present four design options. Each option addresses the deteriorating roadway differently, with varying configurations for travel lanes, parking, and — notably — bike lanes. A $3.7 million grant from the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board comes with a condition: the final design must include dedicated bicycle lanes. That requirement is shaping the conversation and has generated discussion among residents about how best to balance competing uses on the corridor.

    The total project cost is estimated at up to $6 million, with the Transportation Improvement Board grant covering the majority of that figure alongside additional city and grant funding. Transpo Group is expected to finalize the design this coming winter, with the project going out for bid in spring 2027 and construction potentially beginning in summer 2027.

    For now, the city is continuing to gather public feedback on the four design options. Residents who want to weigh in can visit sheltonwa.gov for more information on the Olympic Highway North project. The road serves as a key corridor for residents commuting between the northern neighborhoods of Shelton and downtown, and the reconstruction is expected to improve safety, drainage, and accessibility when it eventually gets underway.

    What to Watch

    On the broadband front, PUD 3’s Cloquallum Communities Fiberhood — Phase 2 of which launched in February 2026 covering the Wivell Road, Loertscher Road, and Cloquallum neighborhoods — has a project completion deadline of October 2026. Residents in those areas who have not yet applied should do so before application windows close.

    For Olympic Highway North, the next public milestone will be the release of the final design, expected winter 2026–2027. Shelton residents with strong feelings about bike lanes, parking, or lane configuration should engage with the city now, while options are still on the table.

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  • Anthropic at Scale: 5 Gigawatts, $30B Revenue Run Rate, and What the Infrastructure Bet Means

    Anthropic at Scale: 5 Gigawatts, $30B Revenue Run Rate, and What the Infrastructure Bet Means

    Last refreshed: May 15, 2026

    Three data points published in the last two weeks of April 2026 define the scale at which Anthropic is now operating: a 5-gigawatt compute capacity commitment from Amazon announced April 20, a disclosed $30 billion annual revenue run rate (up from $9 billion at the end of 2025), and a customer base of more than 1,000 enterprises spending over $1 million per year. Taken together, they describe a company that has crossed the threshold from frontier AI lab to large-scale enterprise infrastructure provider.

    The Amazon Compute Commitment

    Five gigawatts of committed compute capacity is a number that requires context to land properly. For reference, a large data center campus typically consumes 100–500 megawatts. Five gigawatts is the equivalent of 10–50 large data center campuses worth of compute, committed to a single AI company. This is infrastructure at a scale that was historically reserved for hyperscalers building general-purpose cloud platforms — not AI model providers.

    The Amazon partnership is part of a broader compute story that also includes Google and Broadcom’s multi-gigawatt TPU partnership (announced April 6, with capacity launching in 2027). Anthropic is not building this infrastructure itself — it’s securing committed capacity from the two largest cloud providers simultaneously, which is a different and arguably more capital-efficient strategy than building proprietary data centers.

    Revenue: $9B to $30B in One Quarter

    The jump from $9 billion to $30 billion annualized run rate between end of 2025 and April 2026 is the most striking number in the disclosure. That’s not organic growth — that’s a step change that implies either a major enterprise contract cohort closing in Q1 2026, the Cowork and Claude Code adoption curves hitting inflection simultaneously, or both. The 1,000+ customers at $1 million+/year figure is consistent with enterprise adoption at scale: at $1 million average, 1,000 customers represents $1 billion in ARR from that cohort alone.

    For context on what $30 billion run rate means competitively: OpenAI disclosed approximately $3.7 billion in annualized revenue in mid-2024. If Anthropic’s figure is accurate and current, it suggests the competitive landscape has shifted more dramatically than most public coverage has reflected.

    What This Means for Enterprise Buyers

    Enterprise procurement teams evaluating AI vendors weigh financial stability heavily. A vendor that might not exist in 18 months is a vendor you don’t build critical workflows on. The combination of $30 billion run rate, 5 gigawatts of committed compute, and 1,000+ million-dollar customers removes the financial stability objection from the Anthropic procurement conversation in a way that a year ago it couldn’t.

    The Raj Narasimhan board appointment (April 14) is a governance signal in the same direction. Board composition at this revenue scale shapes how enterprise legal and compliance teams assess vendor risk. A mature board with enterprise-credible governance is a procurement unlock, not just a PR announcement.

    The Capacity Question

    The Google/Broadcom TPU capacity doesn’t launch until 2027. The Amazon commitment is a forward contract, not immediately available infrastructure. This means Anthropic is building compute capacity commitments ahead of demand — the right bet if the revenue trajectory continues, a costly overcommit if it doesn’t. The 2027 capacity launch timing will be worth watching against the actual demand curve that develops over the next 12 months.

    Source: Anthropic News