Haugen announces Senate Transportation Budget

OLYMPIA — This morning, the Senate released its proposed supplemental transportation budget for 2008.

“This budget preserves the priorities established in earlier transportation packages, and extends the accountability mechanisms established in those packages to the Washington State Ferry system,” said Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. “It also recognizes current budget conditions while still making necessary investments for the safety, maintenance and growth of our state transportation system.”

Although current economic predictions show state and federal fuel tax revenues falling and construction costs rising, the proposed transportation budget keeps projects currently in the pipeline on schedule. Future projects may benefit by the fact that economic conditions have the caused the Federal Reserve Board to reduce interest rates, which lowers estimated borrowing costs.

Major items in the transportation budget being proposed by the Senate include:

• nearly $2 billion for the SR 520 corridor from I-5 to I-405 — including the Evergreen Point floating bridge
• a continuation of the $915 million “early action” items for the Alaska Way Viaduct
• $74.4 million for SR 519 connection from Port of Seattle to I-90 is fully funded for design/build
• $3.25 million for increased snow and ice removal for unusually heavy storms in the mountain passes
• $3 million in state matching funds for federal assistance to areas impacted by the storm that flooded and closed I-5.
• Funding for Washington State Ferries will include:
  • $283 million for three new ferries that carry 144 vehicles each
  • $85 million for three new vessels to replace the Steel Electric ferries
  • $15 million for refurbishment of the ferry Hyak

Safety measures proposed in the budget include $9 million to begin safety improvements on US 2 and $26.9 million for concrete median barriers on I-5 near Marysville. The Senate is also adding funds to the transportation budgets proposed by the Governor and the House to assign six additional Washington State Patrol (WSP) troopers to the US 2 corridor.

While the budget includes more funding associated with increasing fuel costs for the Washington State Patrol and Washington State Ferries, it also includes a cost savings of $3.8 million by reducing the management staff of the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge and a savings of nearly $5 million in unfilled administrative positions at Washington State Ferries.

Return to Sen. Haugen's home page