Oregon Public Broadcasting

Minority Republicans in the Washington State legislature say they have a plan to reduce highway congestion and fund key projects. And it won’t require a tax hike.

GOP lawmakers unveiled a proposal Tuesday they say would raise $6 billion over ten years. Olympia correspondent Austin Jenkins reports.

Legislative Republicans say it’s time for a new approach to transportation in Washington State.

They want to privatize construction of Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct. Funnel some of the tax dollars collected on auto sales into road building. And plow the sales tax on road projects back into transportation.

State Representative Doug Erickson is the ranking Republican on the House Transportation Committee. He says these and other moves would net more than $6 billion for new projects.

Doug Erickson: “Entrenched bureaucrats will continually fight change, they like the system as it is and we believe that in order to fix the system we need real change and real solutions to move us forward. And the third thing you need is money.”

Republicans propose to use the $6 billion to build several projects including a new 520 bridge over Lake Washington and new bridges over the Columbia River. Plus a north-south freeway in Spokane.

Democrats oppose privatization and say taking money from the general budget to fund transportation is a non-starter.