Other important successes from Olympia in 2004!

At the outset of the session it seemed the Legislature might rubber-stamp the Governor's auto-focused transportation budget. A committed group of activists from the Transportation Choices Coalition and partner organizations encouraged House Transportation Committee Chair Ed Murray (D-43 Seattle) and his colleagues to hold the line against these potential transportation rollbacks, including the flawed WSDOT plan for HOT lanes, and helped pass several positive alternatives!

Transportation Choices thwarts cuts to passenger only ferry service and other multi-modal transportation programs.

This session Legislators worked to update the State's transportation budget to make sure it reflects current realities, something they do every two years. The "supplemental budget" had special significance in 2004 since the State took a big hit in transportation funds with the implementation of Eyman's Initiative 776.

The Governor proposed filling part of the highway-building budget shortfall with a transfer of several million away from the multi-modal transportation account, which funds rail, passenger only ferries, transit and other transportation choices. The Senate budget, prepared by Horn (R-41) and Mary Margaret Haugen (D-10 Skagit County) included no such cut. Instead they proposed an equally unwise idea, complete elimination of state funding for passenger only ferries. This cut would have ended service on the Vashon Island-Downtown Seattle passenger ferry route, leaving commuters stranded with no near term prospect of private ferry service on the run, and without a parallel auto ferry run to fall back on.

Transportation Choices Coalition members' calls and emails in support of passenger only ferry service, commute trip reduction and other multi-modal transportation investments really paid off. Representative Murray and the House prevailed, passing a truly multi-modal transportation budget with bi-partisan support. The final supplemental budget (ESHB 2474) will keep the Vashon Island foot ferries in service, avoids cuts to the limited multi-modal transportation account, provides new funding for Commute Trip Reduction in Benton County and new state funding to match federal grants for King County's innovative and successful Flexcar car-sharing program.

In the end the I-776 highway deficit was largely addressed through a reduction in funding for highway right of way acquisition, maintenance equipment purchases, and the use of federal funds in lieu of state funds for auto ferry construction.

In sum-a reminder that it's the voices of our members that give Transportation Choices Coalition the ability to achieve these things! If you're not a member, please consider joining!