OLYMPIA, Wash. – In response to significant weather impacts in Washington, Governor Bob Ferguson announced a $2.1 billion investment in transportation infrastructure.
This funding will focus on preservation and maintenance, using existing revenue and bonding from a previous legislative session. Governor Ferguson emphasized that taxes will not be raised.
Ferguson stated this is the largest preservation investment in the last two decades. The breakdown includes $1.1 billion for preserving bridges, $164 million for summer paving projects and an additional $756 million for paving over the next decade. Additionally, $160 million will go toward projects like slope control along the passes.
“The deterioration that happens when we delay preservation work leads to costly construction or replacement, which can often be three, four, five times more expensive than if we’d simply timely resurfaced or rehabilitated structures,” Ferguson said.
The governor highlighted that this new investment represents a 34% increase in preservation funding.
The Secretary for Transportation at WSDOT joined the announcement, stating that this investment is critical and the right thing to do. She noted that in response to the recent storm, the department has opened 80 roads and is working around the clock to complete the recovery efforts.
For more details on the transportation projects, visit the Washington State Department of Transportation’s website.
