Negotiations on the Move Ahead WA package have finally come to a close. The transportation chairs, Sen. Liias and Rep. Fey, unveiled the compromise package on Wednesday, March 9, just one day ahead of sine die.

On the revenue side, funding for the 16-year package includes:

• $5.4 billion in Climate Commitment Act funds;
• Anticipated federal dollars from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA);
• Various vehicle and license fees;
• A one-time $2 billion dollar transfer from the operating budget;
• An ongoing annual $57 million general fund transfer; and
• An annual $57 million transfer from the Public Works Trust Fund (aka Public Works Assistance Account).

Though the PWAA transfer is less than the originally proposed $100 million annual sweep, it is still a devastating hit to cities that depend on the fund for critical infrastructure projects.

Though the PWAA transfer is less than the originally proposed $100 million annual sweep, it is still a devastating hit to cities that depend on the fund for critical infrastructure projects.

While the original package proposals made no investments in local preservation and maintenance, $5 million annually has now been dedicated to the Transpiration Investment Board (TIB) for city street preservation over the 16-year period (totaling $80 million). This investment is appreciated but remains a substantial underinvestment in what cities need to adequately address significant preservation and maintenance costs.

Initial package proposals included an additional councilmanic-approved 2% utility tax on natural gas, steam energy, or telephone utilities, but was ultimately removed. However, the increase from 1 cent to 2 cents (indexed by inflation) on a voter-approved border fuel tax and councilmanic authority to add an additional 0.1% increase to TBD sales and use tax remain. Additionally, AWC priority legislation was incorporated into the bill, allowing voters to reauthorize multiple 10-year extensions of a TBD sales and use tax.

Other key provisions of the final package:

• Expands authority to place traffic cameras in park, school, and hospital zones; also grants authority to new cities to place one camera per 10,000 in population;
• Establishes a Rural Roadway Departures Program;
• Creates a Railroad Crossing Grant program; and
• Institutes a Complete Streets Design program at WSDOT, directing the agency to work with cities to enhance system connectivity.

The Move Ahead Washington Package makes significant investments in electric vehicles, multimodal transportation and transit, and fulfills outstanding Connecting Washington Projects. The plan also dedicates significant funding to state preservation and maintenance needs. Collective city needs, however, were largely ignored.

AWC has been a consistent partner in supporting the passage of a transportation package. We remain optimistic that future budget discussions will take a more holistic approach to addressing the needs of our integrated statewide system, incorporating city and preservation and maintenance priorities.

For more detailed information on the transportation budget, visit our budget comparison matrix and the Move Ahead WA resources summary.