How would you spend $170 Million in 4 months? Personally, I wouldn’t spend it on laying a few thousand tons of asphalt down, but that’s the decree that has been given to Washington state’s highway planners. Gov Chris Gregoire has been given 4 months to spend $170 Million on our highway system. Legislature didn’t waste time in approving 35 highway projects that would go about spending this stimulus money.
In total, the Obama administration has awarded Washington state $340 Million to spend over the next year. $170 Million of that to be used in the next 4 months. This money will improve our entire state’s roadways from Okanogan to Willapa Bay.
A few nay-sayers complained that this money, while good for repairs, needs to go to rebuilding the Alaskan Way Viaduct. The troubled downtown Seattle viaduct that many claim will fall instantly in the next major earthquake. None the less, officials voted the Viaduct out of the plans citing that these other works are more imperative.
If you feel there’s been way too much road construction lately, you’re not alone. I-405 has little pockets of construction every 5 miles it seems starting in Bellevue and continuing all the way up to Woodenville; all disrupting traffic. I-90 west bound at 11pm gets shut down for some more construction to I-405. Lots of this money is set for I-90 repairs and renovations as well. While this is all incredibly inconvenient at times, bear with it for a bit. Many of these quick small projects will disappear in a matter of months and in the end it will be a better road to travel on.
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