Presentation Transcript

1. County Transportation Overview House/Senate Transportation Committees January 17, 2010
2. County Transportation Overview Counties are agents of the state Elections Courts Recording Prosecution Jail Assessment/Collection of Taxes and Transportation
3. County Transportation Overview
4. County Transportation Overview 39 counties: 6.7 million residents statewide 4.2 million reside in incorporated cities 2.5 million reside outside of cities and rely on county roads Road mileage varies greatly between counties: Spokane and Grant County have over 2500 miles each Skamania and Wahkiakum County have less than 300 miles
5. County Transportation Overview
6. County Transportation Overview Eastern Washington has nearly two-thirds (62%)of county roads One-third (33%) of county roads in western Washington are urban while only 5% of eastern Washington county roads are urban Almost two-thirds (61%) of King, Pierce, and Snohomish county roads are classified as urban Almost one-third (29%) of all county roads are designated as truck routes
7. County Transportation Overview
8. County Transportation Overview Target Zero, Washington strategic highway safety plan: Run off the road collisions were part of 63% of all fatalities and serious injuries on rural county roads from 2006 through 2008 Based on the rate of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles, traveled county roads suffered the highest fatality rate at 2.12 per 100 million VMT, followed by state and US highways at 1.47, city streets at 0.77, and interstates at 0.43. County roads account for 40% of all speeding fatalities, but only 16% of all vehicle miles traveled.
9. County Transportation Overview Counties own and maintain just over 3,300 bridges One‐fifth of county bridges are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Over 200 county bridges currently have a sufficiency rating low enough to qualify for federal funding At the current level of funding (federal only) it would take 20 years to replace them.
10. County Transportation Overview Four counties (Whatcom, Skagit, Pierce and Wahkiakum) provide vehicle and passenger ferry service. King County also operates and maintains a passenger only ferry system through a county ferry district. WTP 2030 Recommended Action: “Establish a funding source for capital preservation investment in the state and local ferry systems to effectively maintain existing levels of service quality”
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12. County Transportation Overview Fish passage barriers: 2,300 fish barriers estimated in western Washington $100,000 to $750,000 – cost per project $9 million to $60 million per year to remove barriers over 20 years
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19. County Transportation Overview Washington Transportation Plan 2030: “The fundamental problem is that transportation infrastructure is aging, with needs that far outstrip available local, state, and federal funding, all of which have decreased.” “Immediate action on funding is necessary to ensure responsible preservation of our existing system, as well as construction of strategic improvements and protection and expansion of transit to meet the state’s growing population and evolving needs.”
20. County Transportation Overview Washington Transportation Plan 2030: Support Local Funding Options Recommended by the JTC Report: Authorize cities to create street maintenance utilities Allow transportation benefit districts (TBDs) to impose license fees up to $100 by councilmanic vote and provide flexibility in the use of the funds Amend authority for counties and cities to impose a fuel tax, allowing it to be set at cents per gallon, and providing councilmanic authority to impose the tax
21. County Transportation Overview County road funding needs per year: Road maintenance - $649 million Road improvements - $592 million Bridge maint. & preserv. - $122 million Ferry capital - $2 million Fish passage barrier removal - $9 million Total need - $1.374 billion Available resources: $965 million Funding Gap - $409 million
22. County Transportation Overview Local revenue options available: Property tax – levy lid lift with voter approval Levy up to $2.25 per $1,000 A.V. Transportation benefit districts License tabs up to $20 - councilmanic approval License tabs up to $100 with voter approval Tolls, and other revenues Local option gas tax up to 10% of state total County ferry district – up to 75¢ per $1,000 A.V. King County restricted to 7.5¢ per $1,000 A.V. Road improvement district – projects approved by residents
23. County Transportation Overview Efficiencies and partnerships with private industry: Design build option for bidding Only available for projects over $10 million Construction primarily done with private contractors Counties limited on use of county forces for construction Use private design consultants to supplement work done by in-house engineers Use of specialty services such as biologists, geologists and hydrologists for project design
24. Transportation Overview How local projects are funded Local funds: Property tax, forest harvest tax, real-estate excise tax, permits & fees State funds: Motor vehicle fuel tax (MVFT) distribution, rural arterial program, county arterial preservation program, transportation improvement board, Capron refunds (Island and San Juan County) Federal funds: Federal highway administration (FHwA) project grants, bridge replacement, secure rural schools (forest )
25. Contacts Eric Johnson Executive Director 360.489.3013 ejohnson@wacounties.org Scott Merriman Deputy Director Finance & General Government 360.951.9256 smerriman@wacounties.org Gary Rowe WSACE Managing Director 360.770.7766 growe@wacounties.org