OLYMPIA—The House Transportation Committee today released its proposed transportation budget, making strategic investments in critical areas while acknowledging the significant funding shortfalls that continue to challenge Washington’s transportation system. The budget, which allocates $4 billion in additional revenue, prioritizes preservation, safety, and essential projects while underscoring the need for additional long-term funding solutions.
House Transportation Chair Representative Jake Fey (D-Tacoma) and Ranking Minority Member, Representative Andrew Barkis (R-Olympia), will be available to speak with the media on Monday at 4:00 p.m. to discuss the budget proposal and the difficult decisions that shaped it.
“This budget is built on our commitment to maintaining the transportation system that millions of Washingtonians rely on every day,” said Rep. Fey. “We are making the best use of available funding to preserve our roads, keep safety projects moving, and continue our work on fish passage barrier removal, but the reality is that the size of our needs far exceeds available revenue.”
Despite the increase in funding, balancing this budget involved delaying some investments in highway construction, multimodal transportation (like bike paths or public transit), and other infrastructure projects.
Among the key priorities reflected in the budget are:
- Preservation and maintenance – Ensuring that Washington’s roads, bridges, and highways remain safe and functional.
- Ferries – Continuing work to support the state’s ferry system and improve reliability.
- Fish passage barrier removal – Meeting commitments to repair culverts and protect Washington’s waterways.
- Safety projects – Advancing initiatives that make roads safer for all users.
- Reserve funds – Setting aside contingency funding to address inevitable cost increases on projects.
Also, in the proposal and in response to public feedback on data privacy and equity concerns surrounding the originally proposed Road Usage Charge, the House transportation budget introduces a Highway Use Fee, modeled after Virginia’s approach. This updated framework provides a simpler, more privacy-conscious way to ensure drivers contribute fairly to maintaining Washington’s roads. Instead of tracking miles driven, the Highway Usage Fee is a flat fee based on vehicle MPG and average miles driven in Washington, ensuring all drivers pay their share while addressing the decline in gas tax revenues. This shift reflects our commitment to balancing transportation funding needs with public concerns, creating a more equitable and sustainable system for the future.
The budget proposal will move through the legislative process in the coming weeks, and lawmakers will continue working toward solutions that address the state’s long-term transportation funding challenges.
Media Availability:
Who: Rep. Jake Fey, Chair, and Rep. Andrew Barkis, Ranking Minority Member, House Transportation Committee
When: Monday, March 25, 4:00 p.m.
Where: House Rules Room, Washington State Capitol Building
Public can view this media availability event on TVW.