Tag Archives: Alaskan Way Viaduct

Bipartisan Senate committee unveils 2013-15 transportation budget

king_120Making good on promises to continue a tradition of cooperation, leaders of the Washington State Senate Transportation Committee today proposed a bipartisan transportation budget that would spend $8.7 billion in 2013-15: $5.3 billion in capital construction spending and $3.4 billion for operating costs and debt service payments. The proposal would complete the tunnel replacing Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct, restore and maintain ferry service levels, and improve or preserve highways across Washington, as well as make a number of system-wide reforms.

“We were faced with a particularly challenging set of circumstances this year, but I’m proud that this committee has not only faced those challenges but overcome them,” said Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, and co-chair of the transportation committee. “We’ve been able to maintain funding for all the projects to which the state is already committed, and we’ve even identified a number of areas where we can generate savings by implementing reforms.” Continue reading →

DOT secretary’s questionable choice for review leader

Newly-appointed Washington State Department of Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson announced last week that Ron Paananen – now a private consultant – will lead a comprehensive assessment of the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement, the State Route 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program, and the Interstate 5 Columbia River Crossing projects. I am concerned about the her choice of a former WSDOT administrator and project director to review these three mega-projects. Continue reading →

Senate transportation co-chair raises questions about WSDOT pick for mega-project review leader

Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, and co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, today expressed his concern about the state Department of Transportation’s choice of a former WSDOT administrator and project director to review three of the state’s transportation mega-projects. Newly-appointed Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson announced Thursday that Ron Paananen, now a private consultant, will lead a comprehensive assessment of the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement, the State Route 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program, and the Interstate 5 Columbia River Crossing projects.

“I have no doubt that Mr. Paananen is technically qualified to lead the review of these three, multibillion-dollar projects; that’s not the issue here,” King said. “What troubles me is the fact that Mr. Paananen was a former administrator on two of these projects and his private employer receives millions in consulting fees from DOT, including current payouts of $2.4 million on the Columbia River Crossing – one of the projects to be reviewed. This is obviously an enormous conflict of interest.”

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