A new report to the Washington State Transportation Commission reveals a dire funding situation for the state's roads, bridges, and ferries. The legislature consistently underfunds these critical infrastructure needs, leading to deteriorating conditions and safety concerns.
The state of Washington is facing a multi-billion dollar deficit, and the incoming governor is calling for a 6% cut in spending. This raises concerns about the impact on the condition of the state's roads and bridges. A recent report to the Washington State Transportation Commission highlights the chronic underfunding of transportation infrastructure. The report reveals that the legislature consistently fails to allocate sufficient funds for road, bridge, and ferry maintenance.
For example, the legislature falls short by $980 million annually in funding needed for road preservation. This lack of investment results in deteriorating road conditions, with cracks and potholes left unaddressed. Currently, only 40% of the funding required to maintain these infrastructure elements in good repair is being provided.Adding to the transportation woes, the state's public transportation, facilities, and ferry systems face a combined funding gap of $1.05 billion annually. The actual need to prevent these vital services from crumbling is $2.49 billion. The ferry system, in particular, requires an estimated $6 billion to reach an acceptable state of repair. However, the legislature has only allocated $1.8 billion, leaving a $4.6 billion shortfall. Eighty percent of these costs are attributed to the construction of new vessels. The federally mandated fish culvert work also requires additional funding. The initial estimate for this project was $4 billion, but the legislature needs to find another $5 billion by 2030 to fulfill its obligations. The report concludes that the state urgently needs $10 billion in funding to address the maintenance of its aging roads, bridges, and ferries. It warns that with the current control in Olympia, this funding deficiency is unlikely to change.
WASHINGTON STATE TRANSPORTATION FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE ROADS BRIDGES FERRIES UNDERFUNDING TRANSPORTATION CRISIS
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