Bi-partisan transpo budget on its way to Gov's desk

Earlier this week the Senate approved an updated version of the 2011-13 transportation budget proposal approved in the House last month. Today the House concurred with the Senate changes and sent the budget to the Governor on a strong bipartisan vote of 87-9.

Much of the approved budget is the same as originally proposed by the House. Some of the most noteworthy changes are related to ferries:

• The proposed 7.5 percent fare increase will be kept to 2.5 percent
• A new 25-cent fare surcharge will pay for a badly-needed 144-car boat (thanks to a Senate bill also passed in the House today)
• $4 million in planned service reductions is averted (also thanks to a Senate amendment)
  

The transportation budget will provide nearly $6 billion for construction and capital projects throughout the state, supporting more than 43,000 jobs.

To see a list of funded projects in your county, you can go here, select the county you want to view in the drop-down menu next to “List” and click to “View Report.” You can read also find other project lists and budget summaries here.

Now, as legislators begin looking to special session next week, the focus will be on wrapping up the operating and capital budgets.