OLYMPIA — The 2025-27 bipartisan supplemental transportation budget passed the Senate unanimously Friday.

The balanced, $17 billion budget commits funding levels through 2031, and significantly increases investments in preservation and maintenance, creating up to 34,000 jobs for Washingtonians. The plan also prioritizes strengthening the state’s ferry system, improving traffic safety, increasing Washington State Patrol staffing levels, and advancing the state’s climate goals.

“Whether it’s our ferries, roads, or bridges, we’ve fallen behind on taking care of our state’s infrastructure. We must do more, and I’m proud we’ve passed a bipartisan agreement on a historic investment to better preserve and maintain the transportation system we all rely on,” said Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. “This is a good plan that charts a long-term path for preserving and maintaining infrastructure for communities in every corner of the state.”

“I’m pleased that the supplemental transportation budget passed by the Senate today received strong bipartisan support,” said Sen. Curtis King (R-Yakima), the ranking Republican on the Senate Transportation Committee. “This budget focuses on maintenance and preservation, with bonding and no new taxes. It’s a budget that takes a good step forward to meet the challenges of our current transportation system. I’m optimistic that the Senate and House will reach a compromise on a final budget that addresses our state’s transportation needs.”

Compared to the four-year proposal released by the House Transportation Committee, the Senate’s six-year plan invests $850 million more to preserve and maintain the state’s aging infrastructure. Funded through a $2 billion bipartisan bond proposal, the Senate’s budget directs $1.215 billion for road and bridge preservation, $225 million for maintenance and facilities, $100 million for ferry system preservation, and an additional $100 million for safety-focused preservation on mainstreet highways.

Neil Strege, vice president of the Washington Roundtable, said in testimony this week during the budget’s public hearing that the bonding proposal is a critical part of the state’s plan to increase preservation and maintenance and lower the costs of that work.

“We know that if you don’t take care of your stuff, it gets more expensive to repair it over the long term, and so we see a growing need for maintenance and preservation,” Strege said. “Bonding is essential to making sure that we have that long-term commitment for maintenance and preservation and being able to balance over six years.”

Billy Wallace, political and legislative director for the Washington & Northern Idaho District Council of Labors, said during testimony that the Senate’s effort to balance the bipartisan budget over six years is essential for helping laborers get back to work and recruiting apprentices.

“This will get our members back to work. It’ll help empty the benches, both at our labor locals and the building trades in general. But this also will help us start recruiting apprentices, and we need that time. We need that consistency across the six years,” Wallace said. “I don’t know if you could make me any more happier right now if you tickled me with a feather. So, let’s move forward with this, stand pat, and get this done.”

Mitigating recent bridge closures and repairing damage from the December 2025 flooding are also key preservation and maintenance priorities in the budget. It allocates $3 million through 2029 to support the town of Wilkeson’s infrastructure and emergency management needs while the Fairfax bridge is replaced. The budget also directs $60 million for state and local flood-related highway recovery, so infrastructure can be repaired quickly as the state waits for federal disaster funding.

“The state’s transportation budget is focused primarily on infrastructure, and properly so — because we all know, as my part of Washington was recently reminded, how important it is to keep highways and bridges open and safe,” said Sen. Keith Goehner (R-Dryden), assistant ranking Republican on the Senate Transportation Committee. “The challenge is to get the most infrastructure possible with the limited funds available and do our best to see that the investments are distributed fairly around our state. I’m pleased with the work our Senate transportation team has done and hope the priorities reflected in the proposal we passed today will carry through into the final budget.”

Expanding and strengthening the state’s ferry fleet is another core commitment in the Senate’s proposal. The budget fulfills the funding commitment to build three new ferry vessels by 2032, and it directs an additional $31 million to fully fund the electrification of three terminals. For the first time since 1999, the proposal also creates a dedicated funding source for ferry operations and capital construction, with 75% of the distribution the transportation budget receives from the state’s sales and use tax revenue.

“I am particularly excited about the third electric ferry authorized for purchase. Adding a total of three new vessels to the fleet will improve service reliability for our district and communities across the Puget Sound region, and marks a significant step toward restoring and maintaining full ferry service.” said Sen. Deb. Krishnadasan (D-Gig Harbor), vice chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. “I strongly support the continued commitment to the Belfair Bypass and Gorst projects. These investments are essential to the future of our growing region, strengthening infrastructure, supporting the critical work at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, and protecting resources vital to our national security.”

Washington’s traffic fatalities are on the decline, and the supplemental budget makes additional investments to keep improving traffic safety in every corner of the state. The budget allocates $2.7 million to the Washington State Patrol to help the agency return to full staffing levels. The proposal also creates a $1 million pedestrian safety grant program for cities and towns to install illuminated crosswalks and directs $250,000 to the Washington State Department of Transportation to develop a safety program to help advance statewide goals.

Building on the state’s work to reduce emissions, promote active transportation, and increase access to affordable public transit, the supplemental budget restores funding that was previously reduced for Regional Mobility Grants, Transportation Demand Management Grants, and Public Transit Rideshare Grants. The budget also continues investments in key programs funded through the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) and directs an additional $40 million of CCA funds to help advance the state’s electrification goals and decarbonization efforts, including $30 million for EV charging infrastructure grants for gas stations, convenience stores, and multifamily and residential homes.

Leah Missik, the Washington legislative director for Climate Solutions, said in public testimony the CCA investments would have immediate benefits for the Washington Electric Vehicle Charging Program.

“We are especially glad to see $30 million for the EV charging program, which has proven demand and already has funded new chargers in every single legislative district across the state,” Missik said. “The current waitlist for the program is upwards of $80 million, so we know what is in this budget can get out the door quickly and have benefits.”

The proposal now moves to the House for consideration. Updates on the budget’s progress during the remainder of the legislative session can be found at fiscal.wa.gov/statebudgets/2026proposals/st2026supp.