$16 billion transportation package fails to address Grays Harbor

House and Senate Democrats unveiled a $16 billion, 16-year transportation revenue package this week that spends on a variety of projects, although none identified are within Grays Harbor County. 

“Move Ahead Washington” was unveiled under Senate Bills 5974 and 5975 and House Bills 2118 and 2119 and is said to be the result of “over 90 listening sessions to hear the top transportation priorities from communities across the state”.

Democrats say that the $16 billion package provides historic funding for preserving our infrastructure, combating climate change by reducing emissions, expanding safe, affordable transit options, and addressing harm caused in communities of color from our existing transportation system.

Areas that will see funding range from the building of new hybrid electric ferries and funding of more walking and biking corridors to highway maintenance and the replacement of fish passage culverts. 

None of the projects highlighted in the proposal specifically address work in Grays Harbor, although work at the Port of Ilwaco to improve the connection to the Discovery Trail Route was identified in Pacific County as part of the Pedestrian and Bike Project List.

Unlike previous packages that have included gas tax increases, this plan is said to get a bulk of its funding from a carbon pricing program signed into law last year that requires the state’s largest emitters, like refineries, to purchase credits for allowed emissions if they exceed a cap set by regulators. 

Other revenue sources include $3.4 billion in federal money.

You can find a full list of investments and revenue sources here.