Transportation Stimulus

Like most states, Washington is facing a serious shortfall of revenue - but we are committed to improving transportation using dedicated revenue sources like gas taxes and federal funds that are constitutionally restricted from being used to balance the general budget.

As part of the American Recovery & Investment Act, our state is getting $492 million in Federal Stimulus Highway Funds, including $341.4 million that will be allocated directly by the state to projects based on selection criteria that include:

Creating jobs
Enhancing safety
"Shovel Ready" timeframes
Regional and statewide improvements
Advancing existing project commitments

An average of 10 jobs are created or retained for each $1 million in highway spending – meaning that this stimulus will not only provide needed highway improvements, but will also put thousands of people to work within three months, and keep thousands more on the job for a year or longer.

Better yet, these projects will put people to work on highway improvements all over Washington, including projects like:

US-395 paving improvements (7LD)

• $9.03 million from Loon Lake to Inmel Road beginning within 90 Days
• $2.83 million from Spokane Co. Line to Loon Lake beginning within 90 Days

I-82 between Granger and West Grandview (15LD)

• $11.42 million in improvements beginning within 90 Days

I-90 in the vicinity of Easton (13LD)

• $11.48 million in improvements beginning within 90 Days
• An addition $10million in improvements within 120 Days
• A further $23million in improvements within 270 Days

I-90 between Snoqualmie Summit and Hyak (13LD)

• $5.02 million in improvements beginning within 90 Days

I-5 from North Kelso to Castle Rock (18, 19LD)

• $9.49 million in concrete rehabilitation beginning within 90 Days

I-5 in Tacoma (25, 27, 29LD)

• $70 million to add HOV lanes beginning within 180 Days

In addition to the $341.4 million in state transportation projects funded by the federal stimulus, Washington is investing over $4 billion in other transportation projects all over our state in the next two years.  A complete list is available at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects