Those actions include improving signal timing at DuPont/Steilacoom and Nisqually interchanges, adding more WSDOT incident response crews to quickly clear disabled vehicles in the area, and working closely with personnel from Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) to coordinate other congestion-reducing efforts.
A series of HOV lane projects are planned for Pierce County through 2022. WSDOT’s Tacoma/Pierce County HOV Program builds 70 high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lane miles in seven separate construction projects that will help move traffic into and through Pierce County.
The time to enact a robust, six-year federal surface transportation program authorization is NOW!
There is a big difference between public investment and public spending. And the American people know it. Unlike much government spending, strategic capital investments in our national highway, bridge and public transportation network provide long-lived assets that return value to American families, businesses and the U.S. economy for current and future generations—value far exceeding their initial cost.
Enactment of a multi-year transportation bill is a unique opportunity to address two major national economic challenges by promoting job creation and incentivizing capital investment. Strategic investments in transportation infrastructure can reduce productivity-robbing, energy wasting, emissions creating traffic congestion. They can also reduce health care costs by reducing motor vehicle crashes caused by inadequate road conditions.
Two, blue-ribbon, bipartisan commissions initiated by the Congress in 2005 have provided a consensus blueprint for action and financing. They call for policy principles we embrace: a surface transportation program that is performance-based, transparent and fully accountable to taxpayers, and user financed. And we heartily agree with their conclusion that sufficient revenue must be raised to fund new capital investments in highway and transit capacity to facilitate the movement of people and freight. These investments are absolutely critical to America’s future economic competitiveness.
We readily acknowledge the political challenges associated with financing the next surface transportation program authorization. But the obvious can no longer be ignored. To that end, we pledge to actively support user fee-based revenue solutions, including an increase in the federal motor fuels tax, necessary to fund a six-year investment bill that meets national transportation needs.
Let’s put America back to work and on the move!
Pierce County's long awaited and continually delayed Cross-Base Highway keeps looking for a solution to a need long overdue. For a project that started with a donation of right-of-way worth millions of dollars by Ft. Lewis, that head start in funding hasn't made much progress against other state-wide projects that keep bumping the Cross-Base Highway.
The Washington State Department of Transportation's mission is to keep people and business moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems vital to the taxpayers and communities.On Thursday, Congress passed legislation to extend SAFETEA-LU, and to continue
funding USDOT, through December 18th. The President should sign the bill into
law sometime in the next two days.
The Senate may attempt to pass a 6 month extension of SAFETEA-LU next week. The House Transportation Committee chair continues to oppose that.
For more information on
this and other related topics visit: http://wsdotfederalfunding.blogspot.com/
Reports are sketchy but apparently on Wednesday some Senators attempted, unsuccessfully, a legislative maneuver to pass an 18-month extension of SAFETEA-LU. “Hotlining” is a process in which Senators are asked if they would object to taking up a bill and passing it without debate or amendment. If so much as one Senator objects, the legislation must be scheduled for a floor debate and vote. It’s a process often used for non-controversial bills, and sometimes used to flush out potential objections and amendments.
At least one Senator objected, almost certainly Senator George Voinovich (R-Ohio), who supports a shorter extension (e.g., 12-month). Voinovich is retiring in November 2010, and may want the shorter extension so that he can influence the longer-term bill and funding for Ohio projects.
It’s possible the Senate could debate the bill next week (Oct 26-30). But there would likely be filibusters from Voinovich and others, and it’s unclear if the Senate could pass the bill next week. At any rate, it’s hard to see how a final extension bill could be negotiated by the House and Senate and sent to the President by November 1, unless there’s a last minute agreement on a shorter-term extension.
Best guess at this point is we get another one-month extension, along with a one-month extension of 2010 transportation appropriations spending.
The Washington State Department of Transportation is requesting your input regarding impediments to the operation of trucks in the State of Washington.
took shovels in hand for the official groundbreaking for the Lincoln Avenue Grade Separation. Upon completion, the grade separation will significantly improve rail and road efficiency and will also enhance air quality.
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