62% of voters who participated in NPI’s November 2021 poll of the Washington State electorate said they would support updating and implementing Amtrak Cascades’ Long Range Plan to electrify existing intercity rail service at a cost of about $10 billion, while 51% said they would support a long-term project to build a new ultra high speed rail line costing between $24 and $2 billion.
Category: Public Planning
A majority of Washington voters are willing to raise vehicle fees by $10/year to fund ferries
51% of likely 2022 voters surveyed by Public Policy Polling for NPI two months ago said they would support increasing the fees they pay annually to renew their vehicles’ car tabs by ten dollars to provide Washington State Ferries with stable, dedicated funding. 44% said they were opposed, while 6% were not sure.
NPI’s polling shows Washingtonians want the state’s next transportation package to be safety and climate focused, not car-centric
Whether or not the Legislature can reach agreement on a package before March 10th remains to be seen. It won’t be easy. But legislators should make a genuine effort to try to forge an agreement, and not punt until 2023.
All of Washington State’s mountain passes are impassable right now due to heavy snow
“Conditions are too dangerous for crews to be in the pass areas. Snow & debris continue to slide onto the highways. Crews are working in areas where it is safe to plow, clear catch basins & do other work to have those areas ready when we can reopen,” WSDOT said.
Marko Liias chosen to chair the Washington State Senate’s Transportation Committee
“As we face dramatic changes to transportation revenue and mobility options, this is our moment to write a visionary, equitable, climate-focused transportation package that invests in our shared priorities while respecting our real and unique local needs,” Liias said.
East Link from the air, part two: Get a bird’s eye view of station construction in Redmond
This second part of NPI’s East Link from the air project focuses on NPI’s hometown of Redmond, with two additional galleries of photos showcasing Sound Transit’s forthcoming light rail extension linking Seattle to Redmond via Bellevue and Mercer Island.
Seattleites enthusiastic about making city’s streets more people-centric, NPI poll finds
Even when it comes to seemingly contentious transportation projects that require converting a lane or traffic or parking spaces, Seattle voters are overwhelmingly supportive, a poll recently conducted for the Northwest Progressive Institute finds.
Mudslides, washouts have made key sections of Cascadia’s major highways impassable
Mudslides and washouts precipitated by torrential rainfall have made highways on both sides of the United States — Canada border impassable, stranding travelers and further disrupting commerce just days before the onset of the holiday season.
Interstate 5 crossing in Lewis County damaged by bridge strike, WSDOT says
“The right lane on northbound Interstate 5 at milepost 69.5, near the Koontz Road overpass is closed due to an over height load striking the underside of the overpass, damaging the bridge and causing concrete to fall onto the roadway,” WSDOT advises.
71% of Washington voters surveyed back Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework
More than seven in ten likely 2022 Washington voters support the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework that President Joe Biden will sign into law on November 15th, 2021, a statewide poll conducted for the Northwest Progressive Institute has found.
Lynnwood’s $40 city vehicle fee stays intact in victory for multimodal transportation
A Tim Eyman-backed attempt in the Snohomish County city of Lynnwood to repeal the city’s $40/year vehicle fee has been thwarted by a mayoral veto, leaving funding for vital multimodal transportation projects intact.
Bipartisan infrastructure bill clears U.S. House of Representatives with bipartisan support
President Biden is expected to quickly sign it into law while Congress continues work on the remaining pieces of his Jobs and Families Plan, which have been merged into one piece of legislation that has become known as the Build Back Better framework.
East Link from the air: Get a bird’s eye view of Sound Transit’s new Line 2 light rail stations
This visually stunning special project, with eleven galleries of photos, showcases Sound Transit’s forthcoming light rail extension linking Seattle to Mercer Island, Bellevue, and Redmond across Lake Washington.
Harnessing the power of the Native vote: how Indigenous leaders are preparing for 2022
Read NPI’s recap of a Netroots Nation panel that explored what is being done and can be done to recruit Native Americans to run for office and turn out to vote in the 2022 midterms.