Seattle Times: "Highway projects' tab goes up 2431%"
Highway projects in the Puget Sound region will cost at least 31 percent more than earlier estimates.The bottom line is that the RTID/Sound Transit joint ballot measure would raise an additional $7 billion for roads, which, along with pre-existing sources, would deliver a total of $10 billion for promised road projects which are estimated to cost $16 billion.Even if voters pass a huge ballot measure in November, new state figures show that the plan will deliver fewer road lanes to ease congestion in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties.
The RTID/ST ballot measure would also raise $11 billion in new funds for Sound Transit, for a total of $19 billion for the rail boondoggle.
The RTID/ST joint proposal is not consistent with the goal of reducing traffic congestion.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at January 02, 2007 10:20 AM | Email ThisThe state just gave 4.4 billion to Olympia to widen a side street and then there's the life or death bike trail overpass of life or death down here in Olympia----300 meters from an overpass in either direction (see thurston pundits for the blog entry).
Posted by: Andy on January 2, 2007 10:29 AM/sarcasm
Posted by: David on January 2, 2007 10:39 AMThis state voted for a D governer (questionable I know) a D legislature, D's in KC, yes to a gas tax, no to 929.
The voters of the state voted for more of the same.
Only question is what is the breaking point of the voters wallets?
Frankly I don't think the 24% increase will cause most them to blink and they will buy the same line they have been buying for 30 years.
"To do this we need more money."
The way things are going my moving to ID is most likely going to come long before the voters in WA have had enough.
Posted by: JCM on January 2, 2007 10:45 AMThe upcoming RTID/ST2 ballot measure is a symptom of a very sick political system. NO WAY should voters be presented with that all-or-nothing tax grab in November. Voter approval for certain kinds of tax increases might be appropriate in some circumstances, but the monorail debacle and the first ST ballot measure conclusively demonstrate why tax-and-spend megaprojects that transportation-only governments (headed by appointees) are supposed to undertake should not be put on ballots.
My recommendation would be for the legislature to recognize the inevitable: allowing the RTID/ST2 ballot measure to go forward in November would be a disaster. It will not provide the money needed to do the SR 520 work, it would fund projects of marginal social and economic utility, and it would impose crushing new taxes on individuals.
The legislature needs to prioritize, because leaving things in the hands of Greg Nickels and Ron Sims WILL lead to a ruinous outcome. They have a horrible track record.
My suggestions are the following. Securing funding for the SR 520 work is the most pressing issue, from a state-wide, and region-wide, safety and economic perspective. The legislature should resolve that first. There should be ample taxes and tolls earmarked for that project this session, so preparations can begin in earnest. The financial model should be for the most part "pay as you go." None of this intergenerational borrowing like SMP and ST embraced. Raise the taxes, but then shut them off and let tolls do the clean up. The taxes should hit businesses just as much (or more) than they hit individuals and families. The legislature needs to delay any requests of voters to approve the kind of open-ended taxes the rest of RTID and ST2 would impose. The projects those ballot proposals would fund are significantly less pressing, and individuals and businesses will need to deal with the additional tax burdens the SR 520 work will require for several years. The legislature should not allow those unaccountable local governments to try to hit people all at once with gargantuan new taxes (for an indefinite period) like ST2/RTID would, especially because those neverending new taxes would not even cover the SR 520 work.
You forgot to include the ST inflator adjustor factor.....that is, last time around they promised one thing, and what they will build now costs 4x more (i forget the exact numbers)
So no matter what they tell you today; when its done, it will cost "4x" more...
Posted by: righton on January 2, 2007 01:28 PMBy the end of the day it'll probably be 38%. By tomorrow morning 45%.
The meter's running!
Posted by: Tyler Durden on January 2, 2007 02:57 PMI don't believe it.
Posted by: pbj on January 2, 2007 03:05 PMI get a real chuckle out of the rail projects. Projects like a BNSF owned railroad bridge over a river slated for study/maintenance/repair/rebuilding with public road-tax dollars.
But I guess it could be said the railroads might pack-up and leave if they didn't get incentives. Couldn't that be said? Likely that would make sense to BNSF and the politicos they entertain.
Posted by: Tyler Durden on January 2, 2007 03:47 PMOink Oink Oink
How much more does mayor Billion's Tunnel cost now.....2 Billion 3 Billion More?
10 Billion or 11 Billion, and next year 13 Billion or 14 Billion, and the next year....and next year....
Did your wages go up 24% last year?
Posted by: GS on January 2, 2007 04:12 PMBetter build all the rail you can now while you still can afford the steet. Otherwise you'll be walking and cycling a lot. Spending any money on highways is just a waste.
China is investing heavily in both high-speed rail and light rail in cities. Over the next few years they are building over 1700km of light rail in their cities.
Posted by: Richard on January 2, 2007 06:14 PMThe party of More Money is about to rob you again!
Posted by: GS on January 5, 2007 06:25 PM