Building Safer Roads and Bridges for Washington’s Future
Hello neighbors,
As Chair of the House Transportation Committee, I want to give you a quick update on our new transportation funding proposal. I know transportation isn’t something everyone tracks closely – and you’re busy – so I’ve broken it down in plain language: what’s in the plan, why it matters, and how it keeps Washington moving forward.
For years, Washington has steadily invested in our transportation system—keeping up thousands of miles of highways, bridges, ferries, and transit systems. But today, we’re facing new challenges. Construction costs are rising, fewer contractors are bidding on projects, and the economy has been unpredictable due to inflation and decreasing gas tax revenue. That’s why on Wednesday, April 2, the House passed a landmark $15.2-billion-dollar transportation budget.
Simply put, our transportation budget is being squeezed – costs are up, and revenue isn’t keeping pace. Experts have warned lawmakers that is we don’t act now, we’ll face significant funding shortfall in the years ahead. That would mean major delays—or even cancellations—of projects that communities have been counting on.
We’re seeing critical infrastructure wear out faster than we can fix it. Many bridges and highways-built decades ago are overdue for repairs or replacement. Without new funding, we risk having half-finished projects sit idle for years—costing even more to complete later.
That’s why this year’s transportation budget proposal includes new funding and some tough decisions—to meet these challenges head-on and keep Washington moving forward.
You can learn more about what’s in the transportation budget and what it means for Washingtonians in this week’s video.
Even with tight budgets, some projects just can’t wait. Our proposal focuses on the most critical, safety-related and economically important infrastructure. Two big examples are:
- The I-5 Bridge (Columbia River) – The aging I-5 bridge between Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR is a lifeline for commerce and travel. It’s over 100 years old and not built to modern earthquake standards. Replacing it is crucial for safety and our economy. We’re committed to moving this project forward alongside Oregon and federal partners.
- The Puget Sound Gateway Project – This project extends SR 167 and SR 509 to better connect our ports (Tacoma & Seattle) to I-5. It will improve freight movement and reduce congestion, which helps local businesses and commuters. Both the House and Senate budgets make sure the Gateway highway expansions stay on track.
These and other mega-projects are prioritized in our plan – we can’t afford for bridges to fail or choke off economic growth. By funding these now, we also position Washington to be more competitive. Safe, reliable infrastructure is the backbone of our economy and communities.
Of course, focusing on these priorities meant we had to postpone some other projects. To balance the budget, a number of highway expansions and improvements that haven’t started construction yet are being delayed. This was a tough call, but it’s better to delay lower-priority projects than to neglect essential ones like bridge safety or maintenance. We’re not canceling these projects outright – just pushing them to a later timeline when funding allows.
Our House transportation budget proposal adds about $4 billion in new revenue to tackle these challenges. Where will that money go? In short, back to basics – the core things that affect everyone’s daily travel. We’re directing funds to:
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Road & Bridge Maintenance: Taking care of what we have is job #1. We’re investing in repaving roads, fixing bridges, and keeping highways safe and functional. It’s more cost-effective to maintain infrastructure now than to rebuild it later.
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Safety Projects: We’re funding projects to make roads safer for everyone, whether you drive, bike, or walk. This includes things like better road designs, safety patrols, and local infrastructure fixes to reduce collisions.
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Ferry Reliability: Washington State Ferries are a crucial part of our transportation system. This budget boosts funding to keep ferries running on time and in good repair. Ferry riders know how frustrating canceled sailings can be – our aim is to improve service reliability.
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Fish Passage Restoration: We’re continuing our commitment to replace old culverts (pipes under roads) that block salmon and other fish from swimming upstream. Removing these barriers helps restore fish populations and honors our environmental obligations. In fact, we’ve allocated roughly $1 billion to speed up fixing fish passages statewide, which is a big win for our environment and tribes.
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Reserve Funds: Just like a household emergency fund, we’re setting aside reserve money to handle unexpected cost increases. Big projects can run into surprises (like sudden price jumps for materials), so this contingency fund will help keep them on track without derailing other projects.
In summary, the budget prioritizes preservation and safety – fixing what we have, finishing key projects, and making sure we can respond to surprises. It’s about keeping our roads, bridges, and ferries safe and reliable for the millions of Washingtonians who use them every day.
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One exciting update in our proposal is a new “Highway Use Fee” – a fresh approach to funding roads that is both fairer for drivers and protective of your privacy. You may have heard about the idea of a per-mile Road Usage Charge in the past. The concept was to charge drivers for each mile driven (since electric and high-MPG vehicles pay less gas tax), but many people had privacy concerns about tracking miles with GPS or reporting odometer readings.
We listened to that feedback. Instead of a per-mile tracker, we’re proposing a flat annual fee based on your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. Here’s how it works in plain terms:
- If you drive a gas guzzler, you’re already paying a lot in gas tax, so you would pay little or no additional fee.
- If you drive an electric or very fuel-efficient car, you pay much less (or no) gas tax, so you would pay a higher yearly fee to contribute your share for road upkeep.
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The fee is tiered by MPG – the higher your MPG, the higher the fee, up to a limit. It’s modeled on a system that Virginia already uses successfully.
No GPS or mileage reports needed – just a simple fee added when you renew your tabs. This way, everyone who uses the roads helps pay to maintain them, even as cars use less gas. It addresses the reality that gas tax revenue (which traditionally funds our roads) is dropping as cars become more efficient or electric. And it does so without intruding on anyone’s privacy or tracking their travel. We believe this Highway Use Fee strikes a good balance: it’s fair, simple, and transparent. In fact, it’s expected to raise significant funds (about $384 million over six years) to reinvest in our transportation system – money that helps fill the gap left by declining gas taxes.
Even with this new budget and revenue, our work isn’t over. This proposal is a strong step that keeps Washington’s transportation system afloat and moving forward, but we’re already looking down the road at future needs. The reality is that our funding system needs a long-term overhaul. Gas taxes alone won’t sustain our transportation for the next 20 years, especially as vehicles evolve. We’ll likely need more stable funding sources to avoid recurring shortfalls.
The good news is that by acting now – raising some revenue and prioritizing smartly – we avoid much bigger costs later. Delaying critical fixes or expansions can lead to cost overruns, inflation hits, and lost economic opportunities. Every year we wait, construction doesn’t get cheaper. For example, if we postponed the I-5 bridge replacement or Gateway project, we’d not only risk safety but also end up paying more as construction costs rise. That’s the high cost of doing nothing.
By contrast, investing in maintenance today means we won’t have to pay for a full rebuild tomorrow. Finishing projects on schedule means we won’t waste money re-mobilizing work crews or managing half-built roads. In short, this budget is about being proactive and responsible with your tax dollars. We’re plugging a $1 billion shortfall for the next two years and addressing an even larger gap over the next decade so that our transportation system doesn’t fall behind. It’s like fixing a small leak in your roof now, instead of letting it turn into a collapse later – a smart investment.
Bottom line: This transportation funding proposal is about safety, accountability, and planning for the future. We’re making sure bridges are sound, roads are safe, ferries run reliably, and salmon can reach their spawning grounds, all while respecting your time and money. There were tough choices to make, but I’m confident these investments will pay off for Washington residents in the form of smoother commutes, safer travel, and a stronger economy.
I hope this summary helps explain what we’re doing and why it matters. Your safety and quality of life are at the heart of these decisions. As we move this budget through the legislature, I’ll keep pushing for solutions that keep Washington state moving forward. Thank you for reading, and please stay tuned for more updates!
 Jake Fey
Washington State House of Representatives
Transportation Committee Chair
27th Legislative District
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