Angel: Approved Transportation Budget Includes Tacoma Narrows Bridge Financing Study

The following press release was issued by the Washington State House Republicans:

The transportation budget bill that passed on Sunday, April 28, by the Washington Legislature directs a work group to be convened to study refinance options for the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Rep. Jan Angel said.

During the 105-day session, Angel offered several bills and amendments to protect motorists from increased tolls on the Narrows Bridge, including selling naming rights, extending financing, and returning toll-setting authority to the Legislature. Majority House Democrats defeated the toll-setting amendment and refused to allow her other bills to advance. However, Angel said a provision was placed in the final transportation measure, Senate Bill 5024, which would allow refinance options for the bridge to be investigated.

“We need to have something in place that would prevent tolls from increasing every year on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Our economy is still very fragile and that is amplified by the federal sequestration cuts that deeply affect our military families in the Kitsap Peninsula who use the bridge. Many families still struggling in this economy rely on the bridge to get to and from work. We simply cannot afford higher and higher tolls,” said Angel, R-Port Orchard.

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“I was disappointed the many options I proposed were rejected by the majority party. However, I am thrilled that the final transportation budget included this component that will have bridge refinancing options studied,” she said. “This is the same review I requested last year from the Joint Transportation Commission, and now we have the opportunity under this provision to look into those options and see how we can permanently keep toll rates from rising.”

The provision in Senate Bill 5024 states: 

“The Joint Transportation Committee shall convene a work group to identify and evaluate internal refinance opportunities for the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The study must include a staff work group, including staff from the Office of Financial Management, the Transportation Commission, the Department of Transportation, the Office of the State Treasurer, and the legislative transportation committees. The Joint Transportation Committee shall issue a report of its findings to the House of Representatives and the Senate Transportation Committees by Dec. 31, 2013.”

The state Transportation Commission has proposed to increase Tacoma Narrows Bridge toll rates by 25 cents, beginning July 1, which would bring the price to $4.25 for electronic (“Good to Go”) tolling, $5.25 at the toll-booth, and $6.25 for pay-by-mail. The tolls would increase by another 25 cents on July 1, 2014.

On April 19, Angel introduced Amendment 386 that would have kept the Legislature in charge of toll- and ferry-fare setting authority as intended under voter-approved Initiative 1185. The amendment was rejected. The final bill, which was sent to the governor Sunday, includes language that returns toll-setting authority to the state Transportation Commission.

“While we and the voters who approved Initiative 1185 lost that battle, this new study will keep the discussion open and, hopefully, allow us to find ways during the 2014 legislative session to prevent future toll increases on the bridge. So I still see that as a victory for our citizens in the 26th District,” added Angel, who voted in favor of the final transportation budget.

The state Transportation Commission has scheduled a final public hearing on the new toll rates for May 20 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Gig Harbor Civic Center, 3510 Grandview St.

The Legislature adjourned its regular 105-day session Sunday. Gov. Inslee has called a special session, beginning May 13, for the Legislature to complete its business of adopting a two-year state operating budget.