Feds warn region of transportation shortfall

Berit Anderson

Berit Anderson Jul 17, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>Feds warn region of  transportation shortfall</h1>
                <h2><p>The feds just mailed us a reality check about the sorry state of our transportation spending. In an April 23 letter, the U.S. Department of Transportation told the Puget Sound area that Washington State doesn’t have the money to pay for the region’s much-needed transportation projects. King5.</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/berit-anderson-crosscut-com/">Berit Anderson</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <p>The feds just mailed us a reality check about the sorry state of our transportation spending. In an April 23 letter, the U.S. Department of Transportation told the Puget Sound area that Washington State doesn’t have the money to pay for the region’s much-needed transportation projects. <a href="http://www.king5.com/news/local/Federal-government-concerned-about-Puget-Sound-transportation-256801071.html?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">King5.com says</a> the letter was addressed to the Puget Sound Regional Council, the group charged with crafting long-range transportation plans. The Council expects another three million Puget Sound residents by 2044, and is planning a requisite expansion of our (Metro) bus and (Sound Transit) light rail service. But absent a miracle (like Olympia passing a full-funded transportation budget, which hasn’t happened in almost 10 years) hopes for such an expansion will evaporate in August along with federal highway funds. "The lack of the willingness to compromise [in Olympia] is killing us everywhere,” said Congressman Jim McDermott, D-WA. Amen, brother. —  M.B.<em>4:30 p.m.</em></p>
          </article>

The feds just mailed us a reality check about the sorry state of our transportation spending. In an April 23 letter, the U.S. Department of Transportation told the Puget Sound area that Washington State doesn’t have the money to pay for the region’s much-needed transportation projects. King5.com says the letter was addressed to the Puget Sound Regional Council, the group charged with crafting long-range transportation plans. The Council expects another three million Puget Sound residents by 2044, and is planning a requisite expansion of our (Metro) bus and (Sound Transit) light rail service. But absent a miracle (like Olympia passing a full-funded transportation budget, which hasn’t happened in almost 10 years) hopes for such an expansion will evaporate in August along with federal highway funds. "The lack of the willingness to compromise [in Olympia] is killing us everywhere,” said Congressman Jim McDermott, D-WA. Amen, brother. — M.B.4:30 p.m.

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By Berit Anderson

Berit Anderson was Managing Editor at Crosscut, following tech, culture, media and politics. She founded Crosscut's Community Idea Lab.   Previously community manager of the Tribune Company’