OLYMPIA – A bill giving the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) more tools to deliver large construction projects on an expedited — and less costly — timeline passed the Senate on a 48-1 vote Tuesday.
The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), allows WSDOT to deliver large construction projects using alternative delivery methods and financing mechanisms.
“We cannot afford business as usual when it comes to transportation projects. Our costs are rising too fast, and projects are taking too long to finish,” Liias said. “We have to give the state more tools to get stuff done faster and hold them accountable to deliver. The quicker we build, the lower the costs, and the quicker the public can depend on this infrastructure.”
Under the bill, WSDOT could leverage partnerships by pairing tax dollars with private equity to fund construction projects, allowing the state to quickly build projects and reducing construction and long-term maintenance costs for taxpayers.
Other states have seen success with construction projects completed under these partnerships. Pennsylvania repaired nearly 20% of its bridges in poor condition in just four years, and Virginia built nearly 30 miles of toll lanes on Interstate 95 in two years.
Infrastructure design firms like HNTB in Bellevue have seen public construction projects benefit from states partnering with the private sector or using alternative delivery methods. Catherine Hovell, HNTB senior project manager and design build principal, said the bill gives WSDOT the agency to bring more efficiency to Washington’s construction projects.
“As the saying goes, one size does not fit all. This bill allows WSDOT to right-size delivery approaches in a few ways to find the right fit,” Hovell said in public testimony to the Senate Transportation Committee. “This is a good step forward for Washington state to improve project costs, timelines, and delivery quality.”
Senate Bill 5773 now moves to the House for consideration. Follow the bill’s progress here.