OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington state House and Senate released their proposed transportation budgets this week. Both versions are around $14 billion and have key focuses on roadway preservation and increased funding for Washington State Ferries.
The House released its proposed $14.3 billion supplemental budget on Monday. The budget is an increase of $821 million from the enacted biennial budget. The House’s proposal includes increased funding for highway improvements, ferries, traffic safety, fish passages and more.
Here’s a list of what the House budget would fund:
- $150 million for fish passage barrier corrections
- $66 million for traffic management, law enforcement and traffic safety
- $58 million for construction of five hybrid-electric ferries
- $24 million for ferry preservation and maintenance
- $23.5 million for cost increases to materials required for highway maintenance
- $22 million to support Washington State Ferries workforce and service delivery
Laid out in the House budget is $600 million of federal grant funding for the Columbia River Interstate Bridge Replacement and advancing $200 million from Move Ahead Washington by seven years.
Another $340 million of additional revenue from carbon emission allowance auctions would also be made available to support safe routes to schools, bicycle/pedestrian projects, electric school buses and 2026 World Cup planning.
The House said the increase in spending for the Department of Transportation would be made possible by re-appropriating federal funding, increasing cap-and-trade revenue and accelerating Move Ahead Washington spending.
The Washington state Senate released its $14.6 billion proposed supplemental transportation budget on Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, we’ve been experiencing unexpected cost increases on many transportation projects — including new vessels for our state’s ferry system, new highway projects and maintenance of our roadways, and federally-mandate corrections to barriers that impede fish passage,” said Chair of the House Transportation Committee Rep. Jake Fey, D-Tacoma. “What we aim to do with this proposal is avoid getting into further difficulty and increase our deficit."
The Senate's version also includes $150 million toward fish barrier removal.
Here's the breakdown of the Senate's proposed budget:
- $150 million for preservation of roadways and preservation
- $53 million toward Washington State Ferries staffing
- $31 million overall for traffic safety measures
- $13 million for the Washington State Patrol
- $5.5 million to combat impaired driving
- $1.3 million to curtail speeding
The Senate version also includes $875 million for the Columbia River Interstate Bridge Replacement, $600 million of which is from federal funding. $261 million from the Climate Commitment Act would go directly toward efforts to build new ferries, including hybrid-electric vessels.
“Our transportation system is the lifeblood of our economy, and this year’s budget makes critical investments in ferries, traffic safety, and improving mobility statewide,” said Senate Transportation Committee Chair Sen. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds. “We make important investments and ensure that we don’t go backwards in any area, but the needs of our state continue to outpace the resources available."
