Lawmakers grappled with managing the impacts of revenue decreases, workforce shortages, and cost increases while developing the 2024 Supplemental Transportation Budget. Managing significant cost increases on mega projects was an area of debate, and ultimately legislators provided additional funds to keep many projects moving forward, while extending timelines for others.
Revenue projections continue to trend downward in later years of the Move Ahead Washington (MAW) transportation budget passed in 2022. Additionally, repeal of the Climate Commitment Act is on the ballot in November. The cap-and-invest program funds nearly a third of the original MAW budget investments and the legislature invested another $334 million from the act in the 2024 supplemental budget. Addressing transportation budget shortfalls will certainly be an ongoing state policy discussion.
PSRC will be engaging with lawmakers on Road Usage Charge policy development, funding for ferries and addressing decreased transportation revenue and costs during the interim.
Highlights of the 2024 Supplemental Transportation Budget
This summary only highlights non-ferry transportation investments. Go here for in-depth analysis of ferry funding.
Project Increases
- $52m SR 520 Corridor Improvements - West End/Portage Bay, assumes $140m in sales tax deferral
- $21m SR 167
- $253m I-405/Brickyard, also delays 3 projects 2-10 years
Joint Transportation Committee Work Groups on Project Delivery:
- $450k for alternative project delivery methods & innovative practices
- $375k with MSRC for work group on local project streamlining and delivery methods
- $81k to WA State Transportation Center to evaluate and provide recommendations on workforce shortages in civil engineering, land surveying, and related disciplines
Road Usage Charge
- $250k for the Transportation Commission to carry out engagement with stakeholders on results of Forward Drive research program to inform next steps on road usage charging
- Report due 12/1/24
Electrification and Zero Emission Vehicles
- $35.5m port electrification
- $41m for zero emission vehicle and infrastructure
- $15.7m electric school buses
- $7.75m for Zero Emission Vehicle Bus facilities
- $5m Tribal boat electrification
Other Funding
- $31m Safety including Washington State Patrol, funding for WA Traffic Safety Commission for education enforcement and outreach and wrong-way driving prevention
- $100m highway preservation
- $22m active transportation
- $150m fish passage barrier removal
- $25m for continued work on high-speed rail
- $1m planning and other rail investments
Budget documents: