The Washington House has unanimously approved a sixteen-and-a-half billion-dollar supplemental transportation budget focused on maintenance and preservation, without new bonding.
Senate Bill 6005, the supplemental transportation budget, keeps spending within existing resources while adding three-hundred-thirty-five million dollars for highway preservation and maintenance this summer.
House Republican Transportation Leader Representative Andrew Barkis says the plan builds on commitments already made.
“We want to finish what we started. We have projects all over the state of Washington that are critical. Our goal was to make sure that all the resources and work that we did last year continue those good projects moving forward.”
While Barkis believes lawmakers missed an opportunity to dedicate carbon tax revenue for additional highway work, he does believe it’s still a responsible budget.
“What we decided to do was financially responsible, fiscally responsible, work within our means, using existing resources to add additional revenue and resources for maintenance and preservation this next year and the year following.”
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Washington State House Republican Communications