How transportation should move forward

Washingtonians have about one more week to participate in a survey to tell state decision makers how they think transportation dollars should be spent and how to pay for future transportation investments.

The Washington State Transportation Commission is conducting a statewide survey to gage Washington residents’ priorities and opinions through its Voice of Washington State survey program. Those who want to participate will receive the survey via email after registering at the commission’s VOWS survey website: www.VoiceOfWashingtonSurvey.org.

Transportation needs continue to grow while revenues slowly shrink. The maintenance of roads and bridges is falling behind because there is not enough funding to address our state’s most basic transportation needs. The state is at a crossroads and Legislators face tough questions in the coming months: Do we cut transportation services? Do we raise taxes? Do we do both?

The online survey program is part of an ongoing effort to bring the views and preferences of Washingtonians directly to the Governor and the State Legislature. WSTC will provide the survey results to state elected officials to inform their discussions and decisions on how growing transportation needs can be addressed in an environment of insufficient funding.

The VOWS survey program currently has more than 30,000 Washington residents participating from across the state. The survey seeks input on all things transportation: highways, mass transit, freight and passenger rail, ferries, bikes, pedestrians, aviation and more. It also asks for input on what the investment priorities should be and how we should pay for them.

To learn more about the WSTC or the Voice of Washington State (VOWS) survey program, visit: www.wstc.wa.gov.