| Washington state Legislature passes transportation budget The Washington State Legislature passed a transportation budget in the final minutes of the regular session that includes $57 million in new spending this biennium for roads and highways, public transit, the ferry system, freight mobility and public safety. 5 million to support the Washington State Patrol and restore the auto-theft program. $2. The revenue changes will drive $183 million of investments over the full two years of the next biennium. The fee hike most people will see is an increase in the cost of renewing a driver's license that amounts to $4 a year—but the renewal will last for six years rather than five years. The investments include: $7 million in highway preservation and maintenance. $9 million for ferry operations. 5 million for the Safe Routes to Schools Program. $6. $7 million to help you cities and counties repair and preserve local infrastructure. The investment package also includes $32 million over three years to do preliminary work on future projects, such as a fix to I-5 traffic congestion near Joint Base Lewis-McChord. $9 to help you transit agencies, which have been hammered by lost local revenues. The new investments are fueled by modest hikes in a number of transportation-related fees that were passed in separate bills earlier in the day. Getting a head start on these projects will avoid costly delays as lawmakers search for new approaches to fund transportation in the face of in decline revenues. $750,000 for Freight Mobility and Strategic Investment partnerships. 5 million to support $130 million in bonds for a second 144-car ferry. " . |
Sunday, 11 March 2012
Washington state Legislature passes transportation budget
