Washington State Transportation Budget Must Weigh Megaprojects, Maintenance

Discussions about transportation in the Washington state legislative session will likely be dominated by the vast cost overruns on many of the state’s planned transportation megaprojects.

Across the country, infrastructure and construction projects are ballooning in cost due to inflation and increases in material and labor costs, and Washington is no different. Yet lawmakers have made no indication that they plan to take any major highway projects off the table, writes Ryan Packer in The Urbanist. “With highway megaprojects and culverts eating up a larger and larger share of the state transportation budget due to cost overruns, the state’s maintenance budget is also set to suffer the consequences.” As Packer explains, Complete Streets upgrades are required as a component of any major maintenance project—and could fall by the wayside.

According to Packer, Governor Jay Inslee’s proposed budget is focused on the state’s ferry system. “Inslee’s budget would invest millions in adding vessel crew and dispatch staff, increase staff development programs at Washington State Ferries, and would double the budget that the state has in place to recruit ferry staff from out-of-state.” The proposal also allocates $30.9 million for the Washington State Patrol.