Tough choices ahead as costs soar for Washington transportation projects

Travel
Doifoo
August 26, 2023
0
21
13 minutes read

A financial reckoning is here for Washington’s transportation system.

Contract prices to build roads, remove culverts, and overhaul ferries continue to soar due to a confluence of factors: inflation, supply chain woes, worker shortages, and fewer bidders. One contract alone, to construct new express lanes and bus rapid transit stations on a stretch of Interstate 405 in Bothell, will cost the state $250 million more than anticipated.

kAm%96 3:== 7@C AC6EEJ >F49 6G6CJ F?56CE2<:?8 😀 FAH2C5D @7 b_T >@C6 E92? DE2E6 s6A2CE>6?E @7 %C2?DA@CE2E:@? 6DE:>2E6D] x? >2?J 42D6D[ E96 2>@F?ED 62C>2C<65 😕 E96 DE2E6 EC2?DA@CE2E:@? 3F586E @C 7F?5:?8 A24<286D 2C6 ?@E 6?@F89 E@ 4@G6C E96 E23]k^Am

kAmxE’D 7@C4:?8 =2H>2<6CD 2?5 E96 8@G6C?@C E@ A@?56C E@F89 49@:46D – 7@C8@ AC@;64ED[ 56=2J D@>6 E@ A2J 7@C @E96CD[ 7:?5 ?6H D@FC46D @7 C6G6?F6[ @C 2== E9C66]k^Am

kAm“p4C@DD E96 3@2C5[ E96 4@?G6CD2E:@? 😕 E96 ?6IE D6DD:@? 😀 8@:?8 E@ 36 E96 9:896C 4@DED[” D2:5 $6?] |2C<@ {::2D[ st5>@?5D[ 492:C @7 E96 $6?2E6 %C2?DA@CE2E:@? r@>>:EE66] “tG6CJ @?6 @7 @FC =2C86C AC@;64ED E92E DE:== 92G6 4@?EC24ED E@ 36 :DDF65 2C6 8@:?8 E@ 36 9:896C]”k^Am

kAm%96 6D42=2E:?8 6IA6?D6D 3682? 5FC:?8 E96 A2?56>:4 3FE D9@H 76H D:8?D @7 725:?8] q:5D 2H2C565 E9:D A2DE >@?E9 7@C EH@ >2;@C AC@;64ED 56>@?DEC2E6 E96 >28?:EF56 @7 E96 8C@H:?8 7:?2?4:2= 492==6?86 7@C E96 DE2E6]k^Am

kAm~?=J EH@ 7:C>D D@F89E E96 x?E6CDE2E6 c_d H@C< 2?5 E96 7:?2= 3:5 H2D ?62C=J dhT @G6C DE2E6 6DE:>2E6D]k^Am

kAmxE 42>6 😕 D@ >F49 9:896C E92? 6IA64E65[ %C2?DA@CE2E:@? @77:4:2=D 925 E@ 2D< =6256CD @7 E96 w@FD6 2?5 $6?2E6 EC2?DA@CE2E:@? A2?6=D E@ 2AAC@G6 E96 2H2C5] %96 =2H>2<6CD 5:5[ <?@H:?8 E96J >FDE ?@H 7:?5 E96 6IEC2 Sad_ >:==:@? D@>6H96C6]k^Am

kAmp D:>:=2C D:EF2E:@? ?62C=J @44FCC65 @? E96 562= E@ 4@?G6CE E9C66 G6DD6=D 😕 E96 (2D9:?8E@? $E2E6 u6CC:6D 7=66E E@ 9J3C:5 6=64EC:4 A@H6C 2?5 C6A=246 6249 @7 E96:C 28:?8 AC@AF=D:@? DJDE6>D]k^Am

kAm%96 DF446DD7F= 3:5 @7 S`d_ >:==:@? H2D c_T 23@G6 6DE:>2E6D H9:49 4@F=5 92G6 EC:886C65 2 42== E@ E9@D6 D2>6 =2H>2<6CD]k^Am

kAmw@H6G6C[ 😕 yF?6[ H96? :E H2D 4=62C 7:?2= 3:5D H@F=5 36 H6== 23@G6 DE2E6 6?8:?66C 6DE:>2E6D[ 76CCJ @77:4:2=D A:G@E65[ 4@>>:EE:?8 E@ A2J 7@C EH@ 3@2ED H:E9 2? @AE:@? 7@C E96 E9:C5] %96 >@G6 AC66>AE65 2 ?665 E@ 86E =68:D=2E:G6 D:8?@77 2?5 3@F89E E96 286?4J 2 4@FA=6 J62CD E@ 7:?5 5@==2CD E@ 5@ E96 E9:C5 3@2E]k^Am

kAm#6A] p?5C6H q2C<:D[ #{246J[ C2?<:?8 #6AF3=:42? @? E96 w@FD6 EC2?DA@CE2E:@? A2?6=[ D2:5 4@?EC24E 4@DED 6I4665:?8 3F586E 2>@F?ED 2C6 “364@>:?8 E96 ?@C>]”k^Am

kAm“(6 C62==J 5:5 @FC 9@>6H@C< E@ 56E6C>:?6 H92E H6 ?66565 E@ 2AAC@AC:2E6 E@ 86E E96 AC@;64ED 5@?6[” 96 D2:5] “qFE E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 %C2?DA@CE2E:@? <66AD 4@>:?8 324< E6==:?8 FD 3:5D 2C6 FA c_ A6C46?E E@ e_ A6C46?E 2?5 96C6 2C6 J@FC @AE:@?D]”k^Am

kAm~? E96 xc_d AC@;64E[ 96 D2:5[ “*6D[ H6 ?665 E@ >@G6 7@CH2C5 E@ <66A E9:D @? D4965F=6 3FE H6 >FDE =@@< 2E E96 7F?5:?8 D@FC46D E@ >2<6 FA E96 D9@CE72==]”k^Am

kAmv@G] y2J x?D=66 H2C?65 =2H>2<6CD 😕 pAC:= @7 E96 AC65:42>6?E E96J ?@H 7246]k^Am

kAmw6 C6:E6C2E65 9:D 7CFDEC2E:@? H96? 96 D:8?65 E96 EH@J62C EC2?DA@CE2E:@? DA6?5:?8 A=2?[ D2J:?8 =68:D=2E@CD @G6CAC@>:D65 9@H >2?J AC@;64ED 4@F=5 36 56=:G6C65 3J 72:=:?8 E@ 244@F?E 7@C 564=:?:?8 82D E2I C6G6?F6D[ :?4C62D65 4@DED[ 2?5 4@?EC24E@C 2?5 H@C<7@C46 4@?DEC2:?ED]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m%@== 9:<6D 29625nk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmpD DE2E6 EC2?DA@CE2E:@? @77:4:2=D AC6A2C65 😕 yF=J E@ 2H2C5 E96 4@?EC24E 7@C x?E6CDE2E6 c_d[ E96J 72465 @?6 =2DE 9FC5=6]k^Am

kAm%96J ?66565 =2H>2<6CD’ 3=6DD:?8 “3642FD6 E96 2AA2C6?E 36DE G2=F6 3:5 6I466565 E96 5@==2C 2>@F?E 2AAC@AC:2E65 3J E96 =68:D=2EFC6 7@C E9:D AC@;64E[” ($s~% 4@>>F?:42E:@?D 4@?DF=E2?E q=2<6 y@?6D D2:5]k^Am

kAmp?5 ?@E 3J 2 EC:G:2= 2>@F?E]k^Am

kAm%96 AC@;64E H:== 6IE6?5 6I:DE:?8 5F2= 6IAC6DD E@== =2?6D 😕 3@E9 5:C64E:@?D @7 xc_d 😕 q@E96== 36EH66? E96 $E2E6 #@FE6 daa 2?5 daf :?E6C492?86D] qFD C2A:5 EC2?D:E DE2E:@?D H:== 36 =@42E65 😕 E96 46?E6C @7 xc_d 2E E96 $# daa %C2?D:E wF3 2?5 E96 r2?J@? !2C< 2?5 qC:4<J2C5 A2C<2?5 C:56D]k^Am

kAmp 4@DE 6DE:>2E6 AC6A2C65 😕 u2== a_a` H2D Sdad >:==:@? E@ 36 DA=:E @? 2? g_^a_ 32D:D H:E9 $@F?5 %C2?D:E[ H9:49 H:== E2<6 E96 =625 @? E96 3FD DE2E:@?D] (96? E96 2AA2C6?E 36DE G2=F6 AC:46 AC@A@D2= H2D @A6?65 @? yF?6 aa[ E96 2>@F?E H2D Sgbc >:==:@?]k^Am

kAm%92E >62?E 😕 C@F89 ?F>36CD[ E96 DE2E6’D D92C6 32==@@?65 7C@> Sca_ >:==:@? E@ Seef >:==:@?]k^Am

kAm%C2?DA@CE2E:@? @77:4:2=D D@F89E @FE {::2D[ $6?] rFCE:D z:?8[ #*2<:>2[ #6A] y2<6 u6J[ s%24@>2[ 2?5 q2C<:D] {::2D 2?5 u6J 492:C E96 EC2?DA@CE2E:@? 4@>>:EE66 😕 6249 492>36C[ 2?5 z:?8 2?5 q2C<:D 2C6 E96 C2?<:?8 #6AF3=:42? >6>36CD]k^Am

kAm%96 7@FC 28C665 E@ 2AAC@G6 E96 4@?EC24E] p?5 2=D@ @?6 7@C E96 A=2??65 FA8C256 @7 E96 E@== DJDE6> 2=@?8 $E2E6 #@FE6 `ef[ 7@C H9:49 E96 36DE 3:5 42>6 😕 c_T 23@G6 E96 =68:D=2E:G6 2AAC@AC:2E:@?]k^Am

kAm“%92?< J@F 7@C BF:4<=J 3C:?8:?8 E9:D :DDF6 E@ @FC 2EE6?E:@? D@ H6 4@F=5 92G6 2 5:2=@8F6 23@FE 9@H E@ 7:?5 2 D@=FE:@? 7@C E96 qC:4<J2C5 2?5 E@== DJDE6> AC@;64ED[” E96J HC@E6 😕 2 yF=J a` =6EE6C E@ DE2E6 %C2?DA@CE2E:@? $64C6E2CJ #@86C |:==2C]k^Am

kAm%96J D2:5 E96J 2C6 “4@>>:EE65 E@ C6G:6H:?8 2?5 25;FDE:?8 2D ?646DD2CJ” E96 A=2? 7@C 7:?2?4:?8 E96 32=2?46 @7 A=2??65 :>AC@G6>6?ED 😕 E96 xc_d^$# `ef 4@CC:5@C :?4=F5:?8 “@AE:@?D E@ :?4C62D6 E@==:?8 C2E6D[ AC@G:56 255:E:@?2= 7F?5:?8[ 25;FDE AC@;64E E:>:?8[ @C 4@?D:56C @E96C C6G6?F6 6?92?46>6?ED]”k^Am

kAm{2H>2<6CD 2=D@ 24<?@H=65865 H96? 3:5D 2C6 @A6?65 7@C D6G6C2= @E96C =2C86 AC@;64ED 😕 E96 4@>:?8 >@?E9D E96 2>@F?ED >2J 6I4665 =68:D=2E:G6=J AC@G:565 7F?5:?8 2D H6==]k^Am

kAm%H@ H66<D =2E6C[ =2H>2<6CD HC@E6 E96 (2D9:?8E@? $E2E6 %C2?DA@CE2E:@? r@>>:DD:@?[ C6BF6DE:?8 :E 56G6=@A 2? “2446=6C2E65 D4965F=6 E@ 4@?D:56C 25;FDE>6?ED” E@ E@== C2E6D 😕 =:89E @7 E96 4@DE 6D42=2E:@?]k^Am

kAm“%96 E@==D @? xc_d^$# `ef 2C6 36:?8 :?G6DE65 324< :?E@ E96 4@CC:5@C[ D@ H96? 4@DED 8@ FA[ :E @?=J >2<6D D6?D6 E@ =@@< E@H2C5D C6G6?F6 86?6C2E65 7C@> E@==:?8 E@ 36 2 A2CE @7 4=@D:?8 E96 7F?5:?8 82A[” C625D E96 pF8] c =6EE6C D:8?65 3J {::2D[ u6J 2?5 z:?8]k^Am

kAm#66>2 vC:77:E9[ 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C @7 E96 4@>>:DD:@?[ D2:5 E96C6 ?665D E@ 36 7FCE96C 5:D4FDD:@? @? H92E =2H>2<6CD 92G6 😕 >:?5] $96 AC6DF>65 E96J H2?E 4@>>:DD:@?6CD E@ 4@?D:56C :?4C62D:?8 E96 >2I:>F> E@==D @? 3@E9 xc_d 2?5 $# `ef]k^Am

kAm“(6 H:== 36 AC6A2C65 E@ D92C6 @AE:@?D 2?5 2 AC@A@D65 A=2? 3J E96 6?5 @7 E96 J62C[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm%@==D 7@C E96 xc_d 6IAC6DD =2?6D C2?86 7C@> 2 >:?:>F> fd 46?ED E@ 2 >2I:>F> S`_]k^Am

kAmu6J 2?5 z:?8[ 😕 D6A2C2E6 :?E6CG:6HD[ :?D:DE65 E96J 2C6 D66<:?8 52E2 2?5 ?@E 56>2?5:?8 E@== 9:<6D]k^Am

kAm“%96 H2J x H2D =@@<:?8 2E :E 😀 E96J 8:G6 FD :?7@C>2E:@? 7@C 2 S`_ E@==[ 2 S`a E@== @C 6G6? S`c] (92E 5@ J@F E9:?< J@F’== C2:D6 2?5 H92E H@F=5 36 E96 67764E[” z:?8 D2:5]k^Am

kAmu6J D2:5 96 H:== E2=< E@ =2H>2<6CD H9@ C6AC6D6?E 4@>>F?:E:6D 2=@?8 E96 EH@ 9:89H2JD] %@==:?8 925 366? D66? 2D E96 49:67 D@FC46 @7 5@==2CD E@ A2J 7@C AC@;64ED 3FE :E :D?’E 8@:?8 E@ 36 6?@F89]k^Am

kAm“%9:D H2D 2 3:8 AC@;64E 7@C =68:D=2E@CD 2=@?8 E92E 4@CC:5@C] x7 J@F 92G6 2? @G6C286 =:<6 E9:D D@>6E9:?8 92D E@ 92AA6?[” 96 D2:5] “|@C6 >@?6J 92D E@ 4@>6 :?] (6’G6 8@E E@ 7:8FC6 @FE H9:49 H2J E96J H2?E E@ 8@]”k^Am

kAm{2H>2<6CD 7246 2 D:>:=2C 5:=6>>2 H:E9 E96:C 2>3:E:@FD A=2? E@ 3F:=5 ?6H 9J3C:5 6=64EC:4 DE2E6 76CC:6D]k^Am

kAm{2DE J62C E96J 62C>2C<65 S` 3:==:@? E@ 3F:=5 7:G6] %92E DF> 4@F=5 @?=J 4@G6C 7@FC :7 E96C6 😀 2 adT C:D6 😕 4@DED] q:5D H@?’E 36 D@F89E F?E:= =2E6 E9:D J62C 2?5 @A6?65 ?6IE J62C] p c_T :?4C62D6 H@F=5 >62? E96 S` 3:==:@? >:89E @?=J DEC6E49 72C 6?@F89 E@ 3F:=5 E9C66]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m!2G:?8 AC:@C:E:6Dk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm%96C6’D 3:A2CE:D2? 28C66>6?E E96 C@25 29625 A2J:?8 7@C AC@;64ED 😀 8@:?8 E@ 36 3F>AJ]k^Am

kAmp55:E:@?2= D@FC46D @7 C6G6?F6 2C6 ?66565 :7 E96 DE2E6 :?E6?5D E@ <66A :ED 4FCC6?E E:>6E23=6 7@C AC@;64ED A=2??65 2C@F?5 E96 DE2E6] %96C6 2C6 BF:6E CF>3=:?8D 23@FE 2 C6G6?F6 A24<286 @7 D@>6 D@CE DFC724:?8 😕 a_ac 3FE E92E D66>D F?=:<6=J 😕 2? 6=64E:@? J62C] u6J D2:5 @FEC:89E 96’D 567:?:E6=J ?@E H@C<:?8 @? 2 AC@A@D2= E@ C2:D6 E96 DE2E6’D 82D E2I]k^Am

kAm~?6 A@E6?E:2= D@FC46 😀 C6G6?F6 7C@> E96 r=:>2E6 r@>>:E>6?E p4E[ H9:49 😀 @? A246 E@ 86?6C2E6 S` 3:==:@? >@C6 E92? =2H>2<6CD 6IA64E65] %96@C6E:42==J E9@D6 2C6 5@==2CD H9:49 4@F=5 A2J 7@C 4=62?6C 76CC:6D[ 6=64EC:4 3FD6D 2?5 @E96C EC2?DA@CE2E:@?=:?<65 6?G:C@?>6?E2= DE6H2C5D9:A[ DF49 2D C6A=24:?8 7:D9 A2DD286 32CC:6CD]k^Am

kAmq2C<:D 2?5 z:?8 H2?E E@ D66 D2=6D E2I 4@==64E65 7C@> >@E@C G69:4=6 AFC492D6D C65:C64E65 7C@> E96 @A6C2E:?8 3F586E :?E@ E96 EC2?DA@CE2E:@? 3F586E] #6AF3=:42?D 92G6 =@?8 2C8F65 E96C6’D 2 4=62C ?6IFD 36EH66? E9@D6 E2I6D 2?5 EC2?DA@CE2E:@? ?665D] s6>@4C2ED 92G6 @AA@D65 DF49 2 >@G6]k^Am

kAmq2C<:D 2=D@ D2:5 EC2?DA@CE2E:@? DA6?5:?8 AC:@C:E:6D 2C6 HC@?8[ 4:E:?8 S`d_ >:==:@? E@ DEF5J 2 9:89DA665 C2:= DJDE6> E92E H:== E2<6 J62CD 2?5 4@DE 3:==:@?D @7 5@==2CD E@ 364@>6 2 C62=:EJ]k^Am

kAm“xE 😀 C62==J 92C5 7@C >6 H96? E96J’C6 2== 86EE:?8 6I4:E65 23@FE A=2??:?8 7@C D@>6E9:?8 E92E >2J ?6G6C 86E 3F:=E] … H9:=6 H6 42?’E 4@>A=6E6 AC@;64ED[” 96 D2:5] “p 52J @7 C64<@?:?8 😀 4@>:?8 3642FD6 E96 AC:@C:E:6D 2C6 D@ @FE @7 H924<]”k^Am

source