The week of budgets has begun in the House, as members of the Transportation Committee just announced the proposed 2009-11 transportation budget—and the news is good.Chair Judy Clibborn unveiled her budget alongside Vice Chair Marko Liias and Rep. Christine Rolfes, outlining the state’s $7.5 billion transportation investment over the next two years, $4.6 billion of which will go toward the construction of more than 400 projects.
With this budget and the $341 million in federal stimulus money already appropriated this session, transportation leaders estimate roughly 49,000 jobs will be created, at a time when the economy needs it.
Budget highlights include keeping the mega-projects on track, building five new ferry vessels, moving forward the 2003 ‘Nickel’ and 2005 Transportation Partnership projects and making investments in alternative transportation and green initiatives.
Despite the slowing economy, budget writers identified areas for substantial savings in order to move forward with this unprecedented investment. Savings include operational efficiencies at the state’s transportation agencies and scaled-back ferry terminal improvements, among others.
For more information, check out the proposed budget or budget summary.
