Yesterday, I spoke with Rep. Judy Clibborn, chairwoman of the House Transportation Committee. We talked about transportation funding — and she gave me a sneak preview of the $10 to $15 billion transportation funding package that she says the governor will talk about in her State of the State address today.

Tags: House, transportation

Here’s a relaxing photo to enjoy before you hear the bad news: Ferry fares are going up.

Earlier this week, the Washington State Transportation Commission adopted a 2.5 percent general fare increase, effective Oct. 1. A 3 percent increase will go into effect May 1, 2012, and every fare will have a capital surcharge of 25 cents. In addition to that, vehicle fares will be restructured to encourage people to bring smaller vehicles onto the ferry.

The changes will help bring in $310 million as required by this biennium’s transportation budget.

While fares are going up, some of the changes are designed to encourage ferry riders to ride bicycles or drive smaller cars to save space. The restructured vehicle fares, for example, will eventually mean that those driving cars under 14 feet long will pay significantly less for their vehicle fare. And the annual bicycle permit is eliminated: Those with multi-ride cards, monthly passes or an ORCA card can bring a bike for free (except for in the San Juan Islands, where only multi-ride cardholders will be able to bring a bike for free).

There’s one more change that might not be as popular as free bike passes: A fuel surcharge. The surcharge would only go into effect if gas hits $4.08 per gallon, and the surcharge would be capped at 10 percent. Changes will be assessed quarterly and customers will get a 30 day notice if any surcharge changes are made.

All these changes are aimed at making the Washington State Ferry system slightly more sustainable. Currently, funding from the Legislature and fares doesn’t match costs. TVW’s Jessica Gao has spent the last month talking with ferry experts around the state and is preparing a documentary on the system that will air Tuesday, Sept. 27. Stay tuned to this blog for more information!

Tags: documentary, fares, ferries, transportation, TVW

Last week, I spoke to Tim Eyman about his latest initiative and how it would affect tolling across the state. This week, I spoke with Doug MacDonald, former secretary of transportation. He retired in 2007, just after the Tacoma Narrows Bridge opened. He’s an opponent of the initiative. Here’s what he had to say.

Q: First, what does this initiative do from your perspective?
MacDonald: Well, the worst part of the initiative is that it’s going to stop a whole lot of progress that’s been made on roadway improvements. I’m not sure that Tim Eyman, when he drafted this initiative, understood what some of its effects would be. But the kind of bomb that it dropped that’s most significant is on the 520 bridge project, because that’s structured to be financed by tolls to pay back bonds that would pay for some of its cost. That’s a good thing because it means that costs get paid in part by the users and not fall on taxpayers across the state. That’s a plan that’s been very attractive.

But the initiative says that tolls have to be set by the Legislature, which is absolutely not consistent with tolls being used to pay back that kind of a bond. And the confirmation of that isn’t coming from people like me, it’s coming from our state treasurer, Jim McIntire. McIntire has analyzed all this and he has put out a statement, reflected in the OFM fiscal analysis, that says that investors won’t buy bonds at as favorable a rate if there’s the political uncertainty of having tolls being set by the Legislature. (more…)

Tags: Doug MacDonald, funding, initiative 1125, Q&A, taxes, Tim Eyman, tolls, transportation

The bill would allow counties to impose a two-year congestion reduction charge of up to $20. The money would be used to complete a congestion reduction plan. People would pay the extra fee when they renew their registration.

Supporters of the bill said it creates a local option for funding things like transit, particularly King County Metro, which helps people get to work and assists them in daily errands. But those opposing the fee said it is just another tax on drivers.

The original bill was passed out of the Senate with a 26 to 23 vote. Similarly in the House, the vote was 51 to 46, but not before it’s members amended the measure. When the Senate refused to concur a conference committee was appointed. The final proposal is based on the conference committee’s report.

“I did agree to the changes that were made in the conference report…but I still can not support this bill,” said Sen. Curtis King. He said that the people of King County should get to vote on the topic.

“King County is the economic center of this state,” said Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen. “This a tool to get through the next two years…this is the first time that we have ever had business, labor, citizens down testifying in favor.”

It just passed the Senate by a 25-21 vote  and has been immediately transmitted to the House.

Tags: Senate, transportation

Sen. Joe Fain is now discussing the state patrol portion of the Senate Transportation budget.

One of the highlights, Fain said, is how they’ve handled “narrow banding” – the shrinking of radio frequencies that the state can use. “We have made a $40 million in this year’s budget in providing funds to move toward narrow-banding,” he said. If the state moved to narrow banding without making the additional investment, Fain said troopers would have less coverage in some areas.

They’d also provide $8.2 million for “mobile office” computers. “This also is very key for public safety,” he said, allowing troopers to run plates immediately.

Finally, “efficiencies” and cuts: “One is on agency use of fuel,” he said — fuel costs have been a big cost driver in the budget. “And finally to simple things like reviewing the uniform policy” — meaning going from dress blues to wash-and-wear uniforms to save money.

Now, Sen. Scott White on public transportation: He said he’s pleased with the priority to provide funding for public transportation.

“Looking to tolling, as we bring bigger and bigger projects online, tolling will continue to be a significant part of how we pay for those projects,” he said. This budget continues tolling on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and the 167 HOT lanes, as well as the 520 floating bridge. “We will make significant progress on that project this biennium.” He said they’re confident in using tolling to help pay for megaprojects.

Sen. Steve Hobbs: He said the budget includes $240 million for bridge preservation and replacement work, and $25 million of that is for higher risk seismic areas. “We got really good news in the rail budget,” he said — more than $700 million from the federal government for improved rail service on the I-5 corridor.

Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen said a “small fee package” for transportation is on the table.

Tags: state patrol, transportation

The Senate is unveiling its transportation budget now. First up, Sen. Curtis King, discussing ferry funding.

“Our ferry system as-is is not sustainable,” he said. This budget is structured differently than in the past, he said. It includes a $21.8 million reduction in the operating side of the transportation budget. “We are not done looking for more savings,” he said. He said the budget also makes savings by delaying some projects. He said ferries will be asked to target non-peak runs for reductions. Each ferry fair would also include a 25 cent ferry replacement surcharge under the Senate’s budget, and exempts ferry vessel fuel from sales tax.

He’s listed a half dozen bills related to ferries, including one to separate managers out and bar them from unionizing. He said increasing ridership is also a must to ensure that ferries succeed.

He said it provides $134 million for vessel fuel costs — $81 million more than the 2009-2011 biennium. “That’s a 153 percent increase and now represents 27 percent” of the operating budget for state ferries.

“We all recognize the value and the necessity of our ferry system,” he said. “This budget, I believe, starts us down that road of making our ferry system efficient” and affordable, he said.

Tags: ferries, Senate, transportation

“It goes without saying that we find ourselves in historic times,” she said. “We are on the road to economic recovery but it is truly a bumpy path to get there,” she said. The solution: Find creative, “transformative” ways to do business.

First up: The ferry system. “Around the globe, people equate our region with Puget Sound and our iconic green and white ferries,” she said, which carry 23 million passengers a year. She said the ferry system has a “stellar safety and on-time record.”

The problem, she said, is that ferries have been dependent on highway funds for the past decade or so because MVET funds disappeared. The ferry system faces a $900 million shortfall over the next decade, even if efficiencies are found, she said.

She said full privatization isn’t a realistic solution. “Passenger fees alone cannot sustain the system,” she said, adding that fares have probably been “tapped out” because as fares increase, ridership decreases.

She proposes forming a Regional Ferry District, with representatives elected by those in the area and others appointed by the governor. (more…)

Tags: DIS, ferries, Gregoire, information services, OFM, transportation

In preparation for tomorrow’s show The Impact, host Jessica Gao just interviewed Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt and Senate Majority Caucus Leader Karen Fraser.

With the session set to kick off next Monday the thing on everyone’s mind is the budget.  Both caucuses are busy trying to figure out how to balance the books with a $4.6 billion shortfall and with what legislators are referring to as  a resounding message from voters last November: no new taxes.

“The voters have spoken,” said Hewitt, R-Walla Walla. “It is a bit schizophrenic to be here these days. They want services but don’t want to pay for them.”

One of those services is Washington’s transportation infrastructure. When asked about the possibility of sending a tax package to the voters in order to fund it both Senators were reluctant to commit to any one idea. Both agreed though, on the importance of the state’s transportation system and its direct link to the economy.

Fraser, D-Olympia, added that there has been talk of exploring traditional sources of revenue for projects like gas tax and tolls as well as new measures.

To watch the entire interview tune into The Impact tomorrow evening at 7 or 10 p.m. on TVW.

Tags: Budget, The Impact, transportation

This morning, Gov. Chris Gregoire will hold a GMAP forum on transportation, where Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond will face questions.

GMAP sessions are meant to ensure accountability in state government by measuring performance — publicly. See the full schedule and read more about it here. Today’s transportation forum will start at 8:30 a.m. and last one hour, and you can watch the whole thing live on TVW’s webcast here.

Tags: GMAP, Gov. Gregoire, transportation

The Senate passed their transportation budget.

“Transportation is the bright spot in an otherwise gloomy economic picture,” Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen said, kicking off debate.  “Over 18,000 jobs have been or will be created to sustain the (transportation) budget that we passed last year,” she said. She said this supplemental transportation budget doesn’t add much from last year. Except: “In the last budget cycle we did not fund two patrol classes. We felt that there would not be any attrition,” she said, but they found out that wasn’t the case. She said this budget funds a patrol class.

Sen. Curtis King: “We have developed what I think is a good budget here.” He said they’ve worked hard on several policy aspects — including how the Department of Transportation sells excess property.

Sen. Chris Marr said he also supports the budget. He said projects are coming in, on average, 17 percent below engineer estimates. That money can then fund other projects, he said.

Sen. Mike Carrell said he is sad to say he won’t be supporting the budget. He said the reason is that there’s an appropriation to turn a small rail stop in Lakewood — his district — into a hub for SoundTransit and other trains. He said at least 50 times a day, traffic will be harmed in the Lakewood area where the station will go.

The budget passed 41 to 3 and now heads to the House.

Tags: Budget, transportation