Report: WA among states with major funding gap in needed bridge, road improvements

(The Center Square) – A new report from The Pew Charitable Trusts finds Washington among U.S. states struggling to make the investments necessary to preserve and maintain transportation systems, including roads and bridges.

“A situation that in turn threatens economic development, the safety of millions of drivers and residents, and the long-term sustainability of public budgets,” according to the report.

In fiscal year 2024, the latest year of available data, states spent about $247 billion – roughly 8% of their total expenditures that year – on roadway assets.

“One factor in these investment challenges is a persistent lack of consistent data on infrastructure conditions and spending needs, which – despite recent improvements in disclosure thanks to federally mandated reporting – has hindered policymakers’ ability to fully assess these capital assets, make spending decisions, and ensure public accountability and transparency,” the report said.

Pew analyzed information from all 50 states’ most recent Transportation Asset Management Plans, primarily released in 2022. The reports are a requirement for states that receive federal funding for highways.

Pew noted a range of strategies are available to fill the funding gaps, such as increasing gasoline and diesel taxes, which Washington state recently did, to prioritizing maintenance and preservation over new construction. Levying additional fees, using general fund revenues, issuing bonds, or adding user charges are among other solutions.

During a Tuesday webinar, Pew highlighted Washington state’s transportation funding challenges.

“We see the total needs over this period were a little under $3.6 billion from 2022 through 2031,” David Drane, principal investigator and methodologist for Pew, said. “Meanwhile, total spending for preservation, rehabilitation, replacement and operational maintenance was expected to be a little over $2.1 billion, leaving a $1.4 billion shortfall over this period.

The report found a $836 million funding gap over 10 years to preserve and maintain Washington state bridges

The research found that Washington was one of 24 states reporting a combined $86.3 billion funding gap over a 10-year period.

As reported by The Center Square, the Washington State Department of Transportation closed the Fairfax Bridge on April 22. The 103-year-old bridge leads to the park’s northwest entrance, crossing the Carbon River Canyon to an area where around 30 residents live. They now have to drive another hour to get to town.

According to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, Washington officials identified needed repairs on 7,376 bridges in 2024.  Of the 8,474 bridges in the state, 462, or 5.5 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.

Washington’s July 1 gas tax hike is expected to generate an additional $1.4 billion in revenue over the next six years. The revenue is primarily intended to fund transportation infrastructure projects. The majority is allocated to the state’s motor vehicle fund for highway construction and maintenance.

One of those major bridge construction projects will shut down northbound Interstate 5 in Seattle this weekend.

Revive I-5 is “a multi-year project [that] includes significant work on the Ship Canal Bridge, with closures and lane restrictions planned for July and August 2025.”

Northbound Interstate 5 will be completely shut down this weekend through downtown Seattle.

The closure begins at 11:59 p.m. Friday and will last until 5 a.m. Monday, July 21. It starts at the Interstate 90 interchange between SODO and the International District and ends at the Northeast 45th Street exit across the Ship Canal Bridge.

The closure and lane reductions through mid-August will allow crews to repave the two left lanes of the bridge and replace stormwater drains to fix flooding issues that occur when it rains.

According to WSDOT, almost 240,000 vehicles travel the I-5 Ship Canal Bridge daily. The last major preservation effort was nearly 40 years ago, and the bridge deck shows considerable wear. Crews have completed more than 200 emergency repairs since 2019, causing unplanned traffic disruptions.

Closures are as follows:

• Friday night, July 18 to Monday morning, July 21: Northbound I-5 closed from near the I-90 interchange to Northeast 45th Street

• Monday, July 21 to Friday night, Aug. 15: Northbound I-5 reduced to two lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge

• Friday, Aug. 15 to Monday morning, Aug. 18: Northbound I-5 closed from near the I-90 interchange to Northeast 45th Street

• Monday morning, Aug. 18: All lanes of northbound I-5 reopen