WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Legislative Update from Rep. Moeller

Transportation
House Democrats led the way last biennium by passing a transportation package that would have built much-needed infrastructure, reduced traffic congestion, and repaired crumbling roads and bridges.

As Gov. Jay Inslee said, “…traffic gridlock is so bad now, people are reading War and Peace while they’re stuck on I-5.”

A transportation package would help fix that gridlock while creating jobs and giving more options for those who can’t afford a car. Also, it would have funded projects in our neighborhoods like the Fisher’s Landing Park and Ride or there would have been more money to improve freight transit. We could have moved forward on big projects like the Mill Plain Blvd interchange and the Interstate 205 to SE 174th street improvements.

Unfortunately, the Senate refused to vote on this critical legislation. Failing to provide the infrastructure necessary to move goods and people quickly threatens our global competitiveness and our ability to create jobs for Washington residents.

The Transportation dollars fund more than roads and bridges. Such as providing 75% of funding for the State Patrol.

Washington’s system of funding transportation infrastructure has a revenue problem. The principal method of financing new projects and repairs is our gas tax revenue however not all of that goes to roads.

Our system for funding is complicated:

  • The Gas Tax – The revenue forecast for 2015-17 predicts $2.4 billion in biennium revenue will be available for state and local highways; 24.46 goes to state highway program; State ferries receive 1.09 cents and local governments receive 11.95 cents.
  • Federal Funding 18.4 cents per gallon which can be used to contribute to the improvement and preservation of the transportation system.
  • Washington’s 18th Amendment restricts the expenditure of gas tax and vehicle license fees deposited into the motor vehicle fund to “highway purposes” (This constitutional protection is extremely important in the distribution of these funds)
  • Tolling funds are dedicated to a specific project such as the SR 520 floating bridge and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

Plus there are smaller agencies such as the Transportation Improvement Board and the Traffic Safety commission who also depend on transportation dollars.

Addressing all of these interests in the final budget will be challenging. At this time we really do not know what the final transportation budget will look like.

We know that we need to make these investments. Without action, there will be a 52% cut in the maintenance budget. 71 bridges will become structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, commute times will continue to rise and our ability to move good efficiently will be diminished.

However, I can promise you to continue to push to find solutions to traffic gridlock and more options for getting where you need to go, because that will help people and businesses today while creating jobs and building a better Washington for our kids and grandkids.

I welcome your comments and suggestions. You can reach me at 360-786-7872 or send me an email at jim.moeller@leg.wa.gov.

 

 

 

 

Representative Jim Moeller