On the last day of the 2022 state legislative session — the legislature passed the Move Ahead Washington transportation package.
Besides a change in revenue sources for funding new highway capacity and maintenance projects, the passed package closely resembles what Sen. Marko Liias, Sen. Rebecca Saldaña, and Rep. Jake Fey proposed on February 9.
To see the Snohomish County project list, scroll to below the map.
Transit
In the 16-year package, there is more than $3 billion for transit. Of this amount, just $244 million is earmarked for specific transit projects, with more than a fifth of the earmarks for projects in Snohomish County ($50 million). The bulk of the transit funding will be allocated by formula and competitive grants to agencies and organizations.
Transit Support Grants | $ 1,450,000,000 |
Tribal Transit Mobility Grants | 80,000,000 |
Transit Coordination Grants | 5,000,000 |
Special Needs Transit Grants | 600,000,000 |
Bus & Bus Facility Grant Program | 300,000,000 |
Green Transit Grants | 300,000,000 |
Transportation Demand Management (including Commute Trip Reduction) | 25,000,000 |
The transit support grants will be allocated to public transit agencies based on a formula. To be eligible, transit agencies must implement a free fare for people 18 and younger.
All amounts are in addition to existing funding from prior transportation packages and budgets.
Active Transportation
There is nearly $1.3 billion for active transportation. Of this amount, just $313 million is earmarked for specific projects, with $41.4 million for projects in Snohomish County. Here is how the remaining active transportation funding is allocated.
Safe Routes to School | $ 290,000,000 |
School Based Bike Program | 216,000,000 |
Bike/Ped Grant Program | 278,000,000 |
Complete Streets (Transportation Improvement Board) | 146,000,000 |
Connecting Communities Grants | 50,000,000 |
The "School Based Bike Program" will provide bicycle riding education to students across the state. The Connecting Communities Grants will fund efforts to address reconnecting communities bisected by highways and freeways, especially in places with higher proportions of historically marginalized populations.
Ferries, Rail, Electrification, and Fish Barrier Removal
Ferries: $1.57 billion for building four new ferry boats, retrofitting existing boats and terminals to be electric, supporting ferry preservation and operations, and implementing the 18 & under free fare policy on the ferry system.
Rail: $314 million for studying ultra-high speed passenger rail, implementing the 18 & under free fare policy on Amtrac Cascades, and specific rail projects.
Electrification: $517 million for projects and grants programs to reduce carbon emissions by building electrification infrastructure to support electric passenger and freight vehicles.
Fish Barrier Removal: $2.425 billion for removing fish barriers.
Stormwater: $500 million for stormwater management projects.
Roadway Projects
$2.76 billion for new earmarked highway capacity projects.
$1.43 billion for completing highway projects underfunded by previous transportation packages.
$2.5 billion for maintenance, preservation, and traffic operations of roadways.
Local Control
Traffic cameras: The legislation authorizes the expanded use of traffic cameras to enforce speed limits, allowing up to one camera for every 10,000 residents in areas near public parks and hospitals in addition to schools.
Transportation Benefit Districts: The legislation increases the allowed councilmanic-approval (i.e., without voter approval) for vehicle (car tab) fees up to $50 and for sales taxes up to 0.1¢/$1.
Earmarked Projects for Snohomish County
New Highway Projects | | 16 Year Total |
Everett to Lake Stevens | US 2 Trestle Capacity Improvements & Westbound Trestle Replacement | $ 210,541,000 |
Maltby to Monroe | SR 522 Widening | 10,000,000 |
Marysville | 156th Street Railroad Overcrossing | 500,000 |
Everett | Paine Field Access (100th St. SW) | 8,400,000 |
Lynnwood | Poplar Way Bridge | 10,000,000 |
Everett | SR 99 BAT Lanes: 148th St SW to Airport Rd | 25,000,000 |
Bothell | Bothell Way/Bothell Everett Hwy Widening | 7,000,000 |
Marysville | Grove Street Overcrossing | 5,000,000 |
Completing Existing Projects | | |
Bellevue to Canyon Park to Lynnwood | I-405/SR 167 Corridor Improvements | 380,000,000 |
Everett | I-5/NB Marine View Dr to SR 529 | 30,579,000 |
Preservation | | |
Mukilteo | SR525 Bridge Replacement | 46,000,000 |
Active Transportation | | |
Lake Stevens | 16th Street NE Centennial Trail Connector - Phase I | 2,500,000 |
Lake Stevens | South Lake Stevens Road Multi-Use Path - Phase 2 | 3,000,000 |
Everett | North Broadway Pedestrian Bridge | 12,900,000 |
Edmonds & Lynnwood | SR 99 Revitalization Project | 22,500,000 |
Marysville | Cascade Elementary Safe Routes to School | 474,000 |
Transit | | |
Community Transit | Swift Bus Rapid Transit - Green Line Extension | 10,000,000 |
Community Transit | Swift Bus Rapid Transit - Silver Line | 10,000,000 |
Community Transit | Swift Bus Rapid Transit - Gold Line | 10,000,000 |
WSDOT (Ash Way P&R) | I-5/164th St SW Lynnwood Link Improvements | 20,000,000 |
Other Relevant Projects | | |
Island Transit | Zero-Emission Fleet Transition | 7,000,000 |
Island Transit | Terry's Corner Staff Support Facility | 310,000 |
Skagit Transit | Maintenance Operations and Administration Facility | 5,000,000 |
One project that had been amended into the House bill but that was ultimately dropped in the final legislation was $529,000 to purchase transit vehicles to improve mobility for the residents of Darrington and the Stillaguamish Valley. With the package's increased funding for special needs and tribal transit, there is hope this funding can still be secured.
Other changes included a reduction of $10 million for the Poplar Way Bridge in Lynnwood, increase of and an increase of $79,000 for the I-5 NB Marine View Dr to SR529 project.
Most projects will not receive funding immediately. Of the highway projects, the following will receive some initial funding in the 2021-2023 biennium, allowing for initial design and engineering work to commence:
US 2 Trestle: $3 million
SR 522 Widening: $1 million
I-405/SR167 Corridor: $268.4 million
I-5/NB Marine View Dr to SR529: $10.8 million
Poplar Way Bridge: $10 million
Bothell Way/Bothell Everett Hwy Widening: $7 million
Grove Street Overcrossing: $5 million
For additional details about the package, see:
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