OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Senate lawmakers have unveiled their nearly $9 billion transportation budget proposal for the 2011-2013 biennium.
The proposal allots $4.87 billion for more than 700 projects, the most costly being Washington State Highway 520 bridge and the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacements.
Senators say they worked to increase efficiency in various programs and departments to save money. That includes a $28 million administrative cut for the Department of Transportation and the Department of Licensing, as well as a $30 million savings in the Washington State Ferry system from collective bargaining reform and service reductions, among others things.
The release comes a day after the House announced its $8.9 billion budget plan, which found similar savings in the ferry system.
Both proposals cite declining gas tax collections as a main factor in falling revenue.
