Transportation Needs and Funding Options in Washington State

Today, the AGC Oregon-Columbia Chapter attended a panel hosted by the Association of Washington Business in Vancouver, Wash. to discuss current transportation issues facing Washington State. The panel spent the morning discussing the issues surrounding transportation packages that cannot be funded through traditional sources of revenue, and the challenge that cities, companies, and legislators face as they search for new methods to finance these projects. Representatives at the meeting pointed out that there needs to be a shift away from the “Band-Aid” method (temporarily fixing something quickly for a cheaper price rather than addressing the issue as a whole) toward a more sustainable method of finance and repair. Possibilities include reinstating gas taxes, sales taxes, and tolls in order to maintain a higher quality of transportation over time. It was also emphasized that a majority of future projects should include a light rail option, as light rail investment has shown to attract larger companies and their workers who in turn bring revenue to the cities in which they live. In order to prosper as a state and attract business, Washington’s business, association, and company representatives plan to continue to host small panel discussions on transportation solutions before bringing their concerns and ideas to the state’s legislature. To comment on Washington’s transportation system or attend one of these panels, please click here.