Priorities

For an uninspiring look at how some of our “local transportation thinkers“ would spend a blank check, read this Seattle Magazine article, which asks:

“If money were no object, what single thing would you do to improve transportation in the region?”

The following are the key findings in our latest study, and the most recent report in WPC’s five part series looking at the 2012 transportation funding plan.

In 2006, Governor Christine Gregoire negotiated an agreement with Washington State Indian tribes that exempts tribally owned fuel stations from paying 75% of state gas taxes.

This year the state will give Indian tribes approximately $22 million in state fuel tax revenue. And the amount will certainly grow as tribes continue to add more fuel stations. Taxpayers will pay approximately $621 million to tribes over the next 17 years.

The closure of the South Park Bridge in Seattle highlights a failure of government at all levels. Public officials only needed $130 million to repair the bridge but didn't make it a priority until after the bridge was closed. It's ironic that public officials now parade around and celebrate funding when they are the ones to blame for closing the bridge in the first place.

Seattle’s blind infatuation with Road Diets will make traffic congestion worse.

Seattle officials are quick to say Road Diets maintain the car carrying capacity on the roads in which they are applied. However, Seattle officials are much slower to admit that Road Diets also do not improve the car carrying capacity either.

This means Road Diets are essentially exchanging the future capacity needs of the roadway for other uses today; in this case, bicycle traffic.