(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) joined her colleagues in passing a two-month extension to support continued surface transportation funding. The bill now goes to President Obama for approval.
“I am glad that we avoided a completely unnecessary construction shutdown, but I am going to keep working for the long-term solution that workers and communities across Washington state deserve,” Sen. Murray said. “Every time we approach one of these artificial crises, hundreds of projects – and a countless number of jobs—hang in the balance. This is unacceptable. It is time to restore certainty so Washington state can plan, fund and execute meaningful projects that improve safety and efficiency, and move our economy forward.”
According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, failing to extend the U.S. Department of Transportation’s authorizations to fund federal transportation program would have meant a loss of an average of $55 million to WSDOT per month for the next four months. Without an extension, WSDOT would have considered delaying the awarding of contracts, slowing down construction schedules, and stopping some design and construction activities.
Among the possible potential impacts could have been delays in preliminary engineering and construction of safety improvement projects, preservation projects, environmental improvement projects and ferry terminal and preservation projects.
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