Offering frequent news and analysis from the majestic Evergreen State and beyond, The Cascadia Advocate is the Northwest Progressive Institute's unconventional perspective on world, national, and local politics.

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

WA Senate voting on transportation safety package

"It's Your Nickel. Watch it Work."

That was the campaign rolled out by the Washington Transportation department (DOT) after passing a graduated five-cent increase in gas tax for the first comprehensive, statewide transportation package since before the first Gulf War.

This year, lawmakers have to play catch up as some roads have deteriorated and congestion has clogged road to the point of being unsafe for daily drivers. The conversation has been around for years, but stalemates in Olympia have prevented plans from progressing.

Moreover, so-called "mega-projects" which are economic -- as well as traffic -- arterials have gone neglected for far too long and threaten the lives of thousands of commuters if they are not fixed before a major earthquake threatens to topple them, and Washington's entire economy with it.

As the Seattle P-I reports today, the Washington State Senate is about to vote on a transporation package that will address the significant safety issues of both the Alaskan Way Viaduct along the Seattle waterfront and the Highway 520 floating bridge across north Lake Washington, as well as other needed projects statewide.

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