Ferguson proposes $2.1 billion ‘first step’ to improve aging, neglected infrastructure

The work to restore and repair roads may not be “the sexiest thing” when compared to the allure of the ribbon cutting to open a new project, Gov. Bob Ferguson said Friday.

But faced with a road system a state transportation official previously described as being in “the early stages of critical failure,” Ferguson said the state must spend billions over the next decade to improve its infrastructure.

“To be blunt, the state has neglected its core transportation infrastructure for too long. Those are just the facts,” Ferguson said during a news conference to announce his transportation budget proposal. “Too many of our bridges are in dire need of repair. Many of our roadways desperately need attention. Keeping our roads and bridges in good condition saves money, helps working families and keeps our economy moving.”

On Friday, the governor proposed spending $2.1 billion over the next decade for road maintenance and preservation. If approved by the Legislature, the plan includes spending $164 million on paving projects in the summer of 2026, with an additional $756 million allocated over the next decade for such projects.

The proposal also includes $1.1 billion for bridge preservation and $160 million for other projects. Additionally, Ferguson proposed spending an additional billion dollars on three new ferry boats to relieve stress on the system and improve service.

The announcement is part of the governor’s first budget proposal, which is expected to be released in full on Monday.

“The investment will move Washington forward, protecting critical needs and assets and avoiding the risk or costly emergency closures, delays and detours,” said Julie Meredith, the state secretary of transportation.

State Sen. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee, expressed support for the plan .

“I’m excited the governor is proposing the Preserve Washington fund, providing $3 billion over 10 years dedicated to preservation and maintenance for our entire transportation system,” Liias said in a prepared statement. “Funding for preservation and maintenance must be a long-term budget commitment, not a one-time decision. This work protects the infrastructure we all rely on and creates good-paying jobs for Washingtonians at a time when our economy needs a boost.”

Earlier this year, the Legislature approved a transportation budget that raises billions for infrastructure improvements through a 6-cent increase to the gas tax and higher car registration fees for electric vehicles and hybrids. The plan also shifted 0.3% of the state’s sales tax, about $800 million a year, to the transportation budget.

Ferguson said Friday his proposal does not call for an additional tax increase and would be funded through bonds and existing revenue.

“Painting a bridge or sealing a road may not seem very exciting, but it’s like changing the oil in your car or replacing the timing belt,” Ferguson said. “If you skip that basic maintenance, you could have a catastrophic failure and pay more down the line.”

According to Ferguson, the plan would be a 34% increase in preservation funding. Still, the plan would not be enough to fund all of the projects officials for the Washington State Department of Transportation have previously identified as necessary, something the governor acknowledged Friday.

During an October hearing, Troy Suing, director of capital program development and management for WSDOT, told members of the state Transportation Commission that the state’s infrastructure system was “in the early stages of critical failure for really a lack of funding.”

According to the presentation, the agency would need an additional $8 billion over the next decade for preservation, and up to $400 million per biennium for operations and maintenance.

“These investments are not going to fix every single aging bridge or address every road statewide. Not close,” Ferguson said. “But the neglect we’ve seen over the years means we have a big backlog that we need to address. Climbing any mountain starts with the first step, that’s the way it works, and that’s what we’re doing here.”

Nearly 40% of the 20,679 highway lane miles the agency oversees are either due or overdue for repaving, while the average age of the state’s 3,427 bridges now stands at 52 years, Suing said.

Ferguson said Friday that nearly 10% of the bridges in the state are older than their average 80-year lifespan. Many of the bridges, Ferguson said, are also behind on maintenance. There are currently 45 steel bridges in the state that are due for painting, and an additional 60 that are past due. Painting a bridge, Ferguson said, can protect the steel for up to 40 years and prevent premature failure.

The aging bridges, Suing said in October, do not pose a safety risk for the drivers who currently rely on them.

“All of our bridges that are open are safe. They’re safe to drive on,” Suing said. “There’s no question about it. If they’re open, they’re safe.”

Eighty bridges in the state are classified as being in poor condition, Ferguson said. WSDOT considers 10 bridges in Spokane County to be in poor condition. Across the state, 9.9% of the bridges the agency oversees are in poor condition, while more than half are considered to be in either fair or poor condition.

“When a bridge is rated poor, that means the bridge has serious deficiencies such as deterioration, cracking or even damage to its primary structure,” Ferguson said. “This is totally unacceptable, from my standpoint.”