Commitment kept to key projects, thousands of jobs
OLYMPIA – House lawmakers today approved an $8.9 billion transportation budget that would keep projects moving forward and generate more than 43,000 jobs. The bill moved forward on a strong, bipartisan vote of 89-6.
The two-year proposal, House Bill 1175, takes a multi-modal approach to planning for future needs with investments in highways, ferries, commercial and passenger rail, transit, and bicycle and pedestrian improvements.
“This is a responsible budget to keep projects moving forward during tough economic times,” said Rep. Judy Clibborn, D-Mercer Island, chair of the Transportation Committee. “Maintaining and expanding our infrastructure is essential to our economic recovery.”
The budget maintains the momentum of existing projects across Washington, including the 2003 “Nickel” and 2005 Transportation Partnership Program packages, of which nearly 300 projects are already completed. About $3.9 billion is provided to continue remaining projects in the next biennium.
Rep. Marko Liias, vice chair of the Transportation Committee, sees the budget as a strength for the state as it grows out of the recession.
“These investments will keep kids in our community safe, restore bus service for seniors and the disabled, and put tens of thousands of people back to work across the state,” said Liias, D-Edmonds.
Taking into account the diversity of transportation preferences across the state, the budget makes significant multi-modal investments, including $402 million for passenger rail, $237 for ferry terminals and vessels, $88 million for urban and rural transit, $44 million for freight rail and $11 million for the Safe Routes to School and bicycle-pedestrian safety programs.
Budget writers included several belt-tightening measures. Transportation agencies will trim their daily operational expenses by $29.5 million. A three-percent salary reduction will save $18 million, and the suspension of cost-of-living increases for Plan 1 retirees will save $14 million. Tolling operations at the Tacoma Narrows Bridge will achieve $4.5 million in savings due to efficiencies in using contracted services.
The budget now moves to the Senate for further consideration. For more information, the proposed budget is available here.