When you think of travelling on the highways and roadways of the state of Washington, you know how many trucks are utilizing them. You have a general sense of safety, but sometimes those trucks that are driven by someone who is distracted or tired can cause severe injury and damage to your vehicle.
The state of Washington’s Department of Transportation states that there are 18,689 total lane miles owned by the state. 3,100 miles of these highways need to be re-done with asphalt pavement. 1,290 need new concrete poured.
Not only this but some 3,765 bridges need upkeep as well. 92 percent of them are in fairly good condition but 131 of them are structurally deficient or need painting. The cost of the bridge repairs is estimated at $467 million.
While there is a gasoline tax that funds the budget for these repairs, it is not a sustainable revenue source. WSDOT may have to re-evaluate the needs for repairs and do the most urgent first and wait for those repairs and renovations that don’t pose an immediate threat to drivers.
With approximately 37 1/2 state fuel tax in place, you would think that it would more than cover the needs for reparation to the roadways in need. However the tax is broken down and, for state projects, only eight cents of this money is able to be used for roadway repair. The rest is split between local governments, transportation partnership projects and payment for bonds issued earlier.
Some of the unfunded projects are preservation and maintenance of roadways and fish passage barriers. The cost of the barriers stands at about $2.4 billion.
Driving on the highways of Washington should be a safe journey. Now, not only do we have to worry about the infrastructure being weak, trucks who drive recklessly are another source of contention.
They may not be as careful as you are about driving.
If you have been injured in a truck accident you may be eligible to be recompensed for damages to your vehicle and you will want a professional to guide you through the civil court system.
Source: Washington State Department of Transportation, “State of Transportation,” accessed June 09, 2015
