Washington Roundtable President Steve Mullin applauded Senate transportation leaders this afternoon for a new bipartisan proposal that invests $15 billion in the state’s transportation system over 16 years.
“We applaud Senators Curtis King, Steve Hobbs, Joe Fain and Marko Liias for their work in developing this package. This is a serious proposal with bipartisan support and we are very encouraged by the positive momentum it creates in favor of new state transportation investment,” Mullin said.
Mullin added, “It has been a decade since Washington last made a significant new investment in its transportation system and our roads and bridges are showing increasing signs of neglect. The legislature must take action this session to invest in preserving and maintaining state road and bridge networks and improve key economic corridors. This proposal is the first step in that process. We urge the Senate Transportation Committee to give it thoughtful consideration and take action quickly.”
For more on the Roundtable’s priorities for transportation policy, download our 2015 Policy Agenda. The Roundtable also commissioned The Boston Consulting Group last fall to assess the economic impact of investment in preservation and maintenance of the state’s transportation system as well as six major improvement projects in key economic corridors. Download that analysis here. It confirms that new investment will have wide ranging economic benefits for the entire state. Alternatively, a lack of new investment will result in significant road and bridge deterioration, millions more hours of congestion and higher costs for drivers.
“The data is clear. Taking better care of the transportation system we have and improving key corridors will drive economic growth and improve quality of life. Now is the time to act,” Mullin said.