Date:
Monday, June 30, 2008
Contact:
Lloyd D. Brown, WSDOT Communications, 360.705.7075
OLYMPIA – The final 1.5-cent gas tax increase from the 2005 transportation revenue package takes effect July 1.
Meanwhile, the Washington State Department of Transportation is more than half-way to completing the nearly 400 projects funded with 2003 and 2005 transportation revenue increases.
“We take seriously our responsibility to build, maintain and manage the state’s transportation system and that includes delivering on the expectations from the 2003 and 2005 transportation revenue packages,” said Paula Hammond, Secretary of Transportation. “The last step from the 2005 legislation is a good time to check in on how the projects already delivered are making a difference for drivers.”
As of June 30, WSDOT has successfully delivered 148 of the 391 projects funded by the 2003 and 2005 revenue increases. WSDOT completed 19 projects in the three months from March to June 2008. The projects built by WSDOT have made highways safer, eliminated bottlenecks and chokepoints and preserved an aging transportation infrastructure. Just a few of the projects completed from the 2003 and 2005 revenue increases include:
- Up to six miles of new HOV lanes on I-5 through Everett
- Ten miles of new HOV lanes on SR 16 from Gig Harbor to Tacoma
- A mile-long collector distributor roadway on I-5 through Tacoma
- Widening I-5 from Salmon Creek to I-205 in Vancouver
- A 10-mile truck climbing lane on I-90 near Vantage
- Widening six miles of SR 270 east of Pullman
- Eliminated a 40-mile detour for trucks by replacing the Potato Hill Bridge over I-90 near Moses Lake
- Widening I-405 through Kirkland
The 129 projects completed as of March 2008 were collectively delivered for almost $6 million less than the $1.3 billion legislative budget expectation.
- 91 percent of individual projects were delivered early or on time.
- 84 percent of these projects were under or on budget.
The 1.5-cent increase on July 1 will raise the typical fuel bill by $9 per year per vehicle (see chart).
What Does the Average Driver Pay Annually in Gas Tax?
(assumes 12,000 miles of driving per year)
| implemented |
|
30 mpg |
20 mpg |
10 mpg
|
| July 1, 2003 (Nickel Gas Tax) |
5¢ |
$20.00 |
$30.00 |
$60.00 |
| July 1, 2005 (portion of the 9.5¢) |
3¢ |
$12.00 |
$18.00 |
$36.00 |
| July 1, 2006 (portion of the 9.5¢) |
3¢ |
$12.00 |
$18.00 |
$36.00 |
| July 1, 2007 (portion of the 9.5¢) |
2¢ |
$8.00 |
$12.00 |
$24.00 |
| July 1, 2008 (portion of the 9.5¢) |
1.5¢ |
$6.00 |
$9.00 |
$18.00 |
| subtotal of increases |
14.5¢ |
$58.00 |
$87.00 |
$174.00 |
| existing state gas tax |
23¢ |
$92.00 |
$138.00 |
$276.00 |
| total state gas tax |
37.5¢ |
$150.00 |
$225.00 |
$450.00 | |
In 2005, the Washington State Legislature enacted a revenue package to pay for the construction of a specific list of projects throughout Washington. The 9.5-cent gas tax increase was phased in over four years (3 cents in July 2005, 3 cents in July 2006, 2 cents in July 2007, 1.5 cents in July 2008). The last increase takes place July 1.
What’s Coming Next?
WSDOT continues to deliver the 2003 and 2005 revenue package projects. We have 85 projects funded from the 2003 and 2005 revenue packages that are either under construction or advertised for construction. In the coming six months 18 projects valued at approximately $836 million are scheduled to advertise. More than 40 additional projects will be advertised for construction within the next year.
Work also continues on the SR 520 bridge replacement and the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct projects. WSDOT, King County, the City of Seattle, and FHWA are moving forward to replace or repair approximately half of the Alaskan Way Viaduct by 2012.
This summer, WSDOT also is helping motorists make choices about how they will commute. We are working with local cities and counties to quickly expand available park and ride lots by coordinating agreements with churches, grocery stores, malls and other locations. We also are upgrading Rideshareonline.com, a tool that helps commuters find carpool and vanpool matches. Since March, Rideshareonline.com registrations have grown by 50 percent.
Project Delivery – Real Projects, Real Benefits
Safety
WSDOT’s highway construction program is making highways safer. Forty-nine projects that WSDOT completed between October 2003 and September 2005 resulted in a 6 percent reduction for all types of collisions (1,118 compared to 1,191), and a 19 percent reduction in all injury/fatal collisions (407 compared to 504). In addition, these projects reduced fatal and serious injury collisions by 14 percent (26 compared to 31).
Congestion
The 2007 Texas Transportation Institute’s annual congestion report, shows that delay in the Seattle urban area (which combines Tacoma, Seattle, and Everett) is well below the national mean (45 hours per traveler delay compared to 54 hours, the average of similarly-sized urban areas).
The institute’s rankings show that Seattle’s per traveler delay and travel time values have largely remained the same over the past 10 years. That means that as other cities’ traffic has worsened, Seattle’s rankings relative to other cities has actually improved – from being rated the second worst congested urban area in 1999 to 19th in 2007.
Washington’s robust economy continues to grow, meaning more people want to travel on the same roads at the same time. Between 2004 and 2006, the central Puget Sound population and economy continued to flourish. In 2007, Forbes Magazine ranked Washington as the 5th best state for business. Between 2004 and 2006, the Puget Sound’s transportation system absorbed 107,000 new residents and 91,000 new jobs.
There is no simple solution for traffic congestion. WSDOT has for years kept up with growing transportation demands through clearly defined goals and strategic planning in cooperation with numerous agencies and local governments. WSDOT is organizing its congestion-fighting strategy, called Moving Washington, into three key components that together will ensure that people and goods can move freely well into the future.
The Moving Washington strategies include:
- Adding capacity strategically
- Operating the system we have efficiently
- Providing choices to assist with managing demand
Preservation
Preservation is critically important for safety and congestion reasons, but also for protecting the public’s investment. The estimated replacement cost for the Washington State highway system is approximately $266 billion in 2006 dollars. This estimate includes approximate construction costs for all state-owned highways, major and minor bridges and structures, the ferry system vessels and terminals, and right-of-way and real estate costs. It does not include state owned airports and other non-highway modes.
The state’s roads, bridges and ferries are generally in good condition. But rising fuel prices and inflation for construction materials is eroding our ability to keep up. WSDOT continues to optimize the funds available for preserving and maintaining the system.
More information on WSDOT’s project delivery record and the state’s gas tax can be found on-line.
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