House budget keeps money for ferries, roads
Published 9:46 pm Friday, April 10, 2009
OLYMPIA — Money for building new ferries, widening Highway 522 and making safety improvements on U.S. 2 remained intact in the House transportation budget approved Friday.
The plan calls for $8.3 billion in spending on roads, rail, buses and ferries in the two-year budget beginning July 1. Of the total, $4.9 billion is designated for 400 projects in the 2009-11 biennium.
Among them is $176 million to widen Highway 522 between the Snohomish River and Monroe. This project was funded in 2003 but was then postponed. Gov. Chris Gregoire had recommended delaying it again but the House plan recommends it stay on track for work to begin next year.
The House budget pays for building two 64-car Island Home class ferries. Both will serve riders between Whidbey Island and Port Townsend. There is also $2 million for continued safety work on U.S. 2.
One area where the House budget differs from the Senate version is in Mukilteo, where money is provided for designing a new $109 million ferry terminal. Actual construction is envisioned to begin in 2015. The Senate budget funds refurbishing of the existing facility and making it better able to withstand an earthquake.
House members passed the transportation budget on a 65-30 vote.
Reps. Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish; Norma Smith, R-Clinton; and Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, voted against the legislation.
Kristiansen, who fought to keep the Highway 522 project on schedule, said he disagreed with changes in the budget that will have the state taking longer to pay off the financing costs of projects. The result, he said, is the state will spend more money on transportation without getting more roads built.
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623, jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
