
Funding in the proposed budget continues the state’s $1 billion commitment toward the bi-state project to replace the Interstate 5 Bridge over the Columbia River; $138 million would go to the project
Brett Davis
The Center Square Washington
The Washington State Senate has proposed a $12.9 billion transportation budget, including $7 billion for capital projects and programs, and $5.9 billion for operating programs.
Last year the Legislature passed and Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law the 16-year, nearly $17 billion “Move Ahead Washington” transportation package.
“It was important in this budget that we continued the essential work we started by passing the Move Ahead Washington plan last year, and I feel that we’ve done that,” Transportation Committee Chair Sen. Marko Liias, D-Everett, said in a news release regarding the Wednesday morning unveiling of the Senate’s transportation budget.
He continued, “You can’t just reimagine the way transportation is funded once. We follow those same values in this budget, investing heavily in projects that will further position our state as a leader in green jobs and innovation, while keeping our promise to complete critical projects on time across Washington. We can do both.”
Among the funding in the Senate’s proposed transportation budget:
- Highway improvements and preservation would get more than $5 billion altogether, with $4.5 billion going to highway improvements and $707 million going to highway preservation.
- Approximately $830 million would go toward green projects, $758 million of which is derived from the quarterly auction of emissions allowances under the cap-and-trade program established by the Climate Commitment Act. The inaugural auction was held last month and brought in just under $300 million. Those green projects include increasing safe routes to schools, e-bike and school-based bike programs, ferry electrification and ultra-high-speed rail.
- Continuing the state’s $1 billion commitment toward the bi-state project to replace the aging Interstate 5 bridge over the Columbia River between Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon, $138 million would go to said project.
- Washington State Ferries would get $74 million for Jumbo Mark II hybrid electric vessel conversions and terminal electrification, and $46.8 million for the first Hybrid Electric Olympic class vessel.
- The Washington State Patrol would get $13.7 million to purchase body cameras and upgrade car cameras and tasers for troopers, as well as $4.7 million to fund two lateral academies to help fill trooper vacancies and $1.9 million for recruitment bonuses.
“Last year was the single most fatal year in history for travelers on Washington’s roads and part of the complex issue we face is a shortage in peace officers,” said Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, co-vice chair of the committee and a former trooper with the Washington State Patrol.
There were 745 traffic fatalities recorded in 2022, according to preliminary data from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, the most in the state since 825 in 1990, an 11% increase over 2021.
“This year, we met the challenge head-on with a multipronged bipartisan effort to bump up the number of police training academies, diversify the force with an influx of female officers, fine tune our vehicular pursuits policy and more,” Lovick said. “This was a big year for traffic and community safety and an important step in the right direction.”
A second supplemental transportation budget for the current 2021-23 biennium in the amount of $10.6 billion was also introduced in the Senate on Wednesday.
This report was first published by The Center Square Washington.
Also read:
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- Opinion: Interstate Bridge Replacement Program incompetence and deceptionRetired Engineer Bob Ortblad believes a new study of an immersed tunnel by a consultant independent of the IBR must be done.
- Paying more and getting less for transportation in Portland areaTransportation tolling plan sparks outrage as promised freeway lanes disappear, impacting traffic and affordability in the Portland area.
- Washington lawmaker joins bipartisan call for carbon tax overhaul to ease gas painsState Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, is urging legislative action to lower the price at the pump for Washington motorists paying the second-highest gas prices in the nation, including scrapping or modifying the state’s carbon tax.
- Tolling in Oregon still on target to charge for driving former freewaysOregon’s tolling plans face uncertainty as the state indefinitely pauses I-205 projects and grapples with a $3 billion funding gap, impacting commuters between Oregon and Washington.
Maybe they will have enough money to fix our highways around here. I for one am getting tired of trying to spot and avoid pot holes on 14, 205, and I5. Just when you think you know where they are and how to avoid them, more pop up. The band aids they have been doing for the past few years only last for a few months. Getting tired of paying registration fees every year and wondering where the money is really going ( Seattle area trains and ferrys).
“The Washington State Patrol would get $13.7 million to purchase body cameras and upgrade car cameras and tasers for troopers” – Is it just me, or does this seem like a ridiculous amount of money for cameras and tasers. Maybe I am just ignorant. How much does a body cam cost? A taser? A dash cam?
I was trying to read this page and a pop-up got in the way…asking for comments. Please correct this glitch.