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October 22, 2014
Washington Roundtable and The Boston Consulting Group released a report yesterday that concludes spending $7 billion on state roads over 12 years would bring the state $42 billion in benefits over 30 years.
The report says failing to make this investment will mean significant deterioration of roads, more traffic and higher costs for drivers.
“The outlook isn't good if Washington continues to invest in transportation at current levels,” said Joel Janda, partner and managing director for The Boston Consulting Group, in a release. By 2026 “60 percent of state highway pavement will end up in ‘poor' condition or worse. Forty percent of bridges will be functionally obsolete or structurally deficient. It will be painful for everyone in Washington.”
The report says state policymakers haven't adopted a new transportation package since 2005, but they have looked at a number of potential projects over the past two legislative sessions.
Seven projects have received the most support, and the report focuses on them.
Here are the seven:
• $350 million to add lanes and repave Interstate 5 near Joint Base Lewis-McChord
• $390 million to widen Interstate 90 and make safety improvements on Snoqualmie Pass
• $750 million to extend US-395 to I-90 north of Spokane
• $1.29 billion to add two express lanes and convert the existing HOV to express on Interstate 405 between Bellevue and Renton
• $1.3 billion to finish the west side of SR-520
• $1.66 billion to make four-lane highways (Puget Sound Gateway) connecting I-5 to state routes 509 and 167
• $1.25 billion for highway preservation and maintenance statewide
With no investment, the report said by 2026 each driver would face $940 a year in overall congestion costs, plus $1,040 in vehicle maintenance due to poor highway pavement. Also, the cost of preserving and maintaining existing highways would be nine times more expensive, and trade at the ports of Seattle and Tacoma would be flat or declining.
The report put the total benefit for residents from investing in roads at $20.3 billion — from reduced congestion, lower vehicle operating costs, improved safety and construction jobs. The benefit for businesses would total $15.9 billion because of lower supply-chain costs and significant port expansions.
Government would also benefit, with $5.6 billion in revenues from increased commerce, lower unemployment and savings on road repair.
While the report calls for spending $1.25 billion on preservation and maintenance statewide, it says that level of spending would leave 46 percent of highway pavement in “poor” condition or worse. The report says it would take another $3.4 billion over the next 12 years to bring all pavement up to “fair” condition or better.
A summary of the report is at www.waroundtable.com.