WSDOT looks at highway safety and asset management in quarterly report

In the most recent edition of the Washington State Department of Transportation’s quarterly performance report, the Gray Notebook, Highway safety and transportation asset conditions are analyzed.

According to WSDOT, preliminary data indicates the number of traffic fatalities in Washington increased from 462 to 547, an 18.4% jump between 2014 and 2018. 

During the same period serious injuries increased 11.4% from 2,004 to 2,232. These trends show Washington is currently not on track to meet its goal of having zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030.

Gray Notebook 75 (pdf 4.8 mb) covers the quarter ending Sept. 30, 2019

The only local project listed in the report includes the delayed SR 107/Chehalis River Bridge – Structural Rehabilitation project, now set for completion in July 2020 at a total cost of $21.9 million.

The report also delves into the conditions of Washington State Ferries vessels and terminals, WSDOT’s aviation network and its capital facilities to show where progress is being made and where improvements can be made.

Key asset management findings in this edition include:

• According to a 2018 evaluation, pavement conditions at 95 airports continue to decline with 26% of the pavement needing major rehabilitation or construction.
• As of September 2019, 54% of WSDOT-owned primary buildings (2,000 square feet or larger) were in poor condition. This is an increase of nine percentage points from 45% of buildings in poor condition in 2017.
• Washington State Ferries decommissioned the 52-year-old Motor/Vessel Hyak at the end of fiscal year 2019. The decommissioning decreased WSF’s vessel preservation backlog by $2.1 million, but reduced the fleet from 23 to 22 vessels. The majority of WSF terminal systems, 93.4%, were considered to be in a state of good repair at the end of fiscal year 2018.

To learn more about WSDOT’s performance or to review “Gray Notebook 75” or its condensed “Lite” version, visit WSDOT’s Accountability website.