Washington Senate Rolls Out $4.4 Billion Transportation Budget

By Austin Jenkins | March 25, 2009 3:28 p.m. | Olympia, WA

The Washington State Senate has rolled out a $4.4 billion transportation budget.  It would fund more than 400 projects over the next six years. That includes the state’s share of several mega-projects. But Senate Transportation Chair Mary Margaret Haugen has a warning to local officials: don’t let bickering over details hold up projects.  Mary Haugen: “I really probably shouldn’t say this but I would hope that those people building those mega-projects would make some decisions and move forward because the legislature is only going to have so much patience.” Despite the record transportation spending, lawmakers say they’re facing a $6-billion dollar shortfall in the state’s 16-year road building plan. That means more than 30 projects that were promised when Washington’s gas tax went up in 2003 and 2005 will be delayed because of a lack of funding.  

© 2009 KUOW

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