Gas tax increase part of Dems' massive transportation package
OLYMPIA — State House Democrats on Tuesday unveiled an ambitious 16-year, $25.8 billion package of transportation improvements statewide paid for with an 18-cent hike in the gas tax and a new fee on carbon emissions.
Democratic Rep. Jake Fey of Tacoma said the proposal is “much more substantial than any in state history” because money is needed to cover the cost of major projects, such as replacing the I-5 bridge over the Columbia River in Vancouver and removing state-owned culverts that are blocking fish passage, as required by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Fey, who is chairman of the House Transportation Committee, also said nearly half the money raised would go to maintaining and preserving local roads and state highways and new capital projects that lawmakers would determine as the legislation moves along.
Specifically, $6.7 billion is designated for projects, of which $1 billion is earmarked for the new I-5 bridge between Washington and Oregon. Another $4.6 billion is for maintenance and preservation; $3.5 billion is for culverts; and $3.5 billion would go to Washington State Ferries. That latter sum would be used to buy new hybrid ferries and convert at least one vessel in the current fleet to be electric-powered.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/house-democrats-lay-out-massive-26b-transportation-package/