House OKs transportation budget

Senate version expected Monday

By Brad Shannon | The Olympian • Published February 22, 2008

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The state House approved a supplemental transportation budget Friday that includes helping the Thurston County sheriff's office and putting $5.1 million back into the Yelm bypass.

An amendment by Rep. Brendan Williams, D-Olympia, requires the State Patrol to carry out crash investigations on county roads in Thurston, Mason and Lewis counties for another year, until June 2009.

Williams secured a six-month reprieve last year. This delays a shift in responsibility that has taken place in most other counties. The patrol's focus is on state highways.

"Bless his heart," Thurston Sheriff Dan Kimball said of Williams' amendment.

The measure passed on a 66-25 vote with seven members excused.

The budget also would plug some big spending gaps, pay for new ferry vessels and set the stage for construction of a new floating bridge across Lake Washington.

Minority Republicans are strenuously objecting, saying Olympia is doing too little to fix the state's toughest transportation problems. Democrats say they're keeping all promised projects moving ahead.

South Sound lawmakers voting for the budget were Republican Rep. Tom Campbell of Roy and Democratic Reps. William Eickmeyer of Belfair, Kathy Haigh of Shelton, Sam Hunt of Olympia and Williams.

Voting against were Republican Reps. Gary Alexander of Thurston County, Richard DeBolt of Chehalis and Jim McCune of Graham.

The extra WSP help on crashes buys time while Kimball hires, trains and deploys five new deputies whose positions were approved by county commissioners after it became obvious the investigative duties would be shifted to local police. The handling of about 1,000 wrecks a year is in question.

"It probably will be early next year before those five are hired, gone to the academy and been road-tested," Kimball said. "We're not going to ask for any extension beyond July 2009. We know we have to take this over."

No estimate of savings to the county was available. Kimball originally sought 12 deputies to pick up the slack, telling commissioners that it could cost up to $1.5 million. If those estimates are prorated, it appears the avoided costs for five deputies is up to $625,000.

Meanwhile, the Yelm bypass is meant to keep some regional traffic out of the city's clogged downtown. Gov. Chris Gregoire proposed spending $18.99 million more on the project during 2007-09, but the House Democrats' draft budget this week cut that by $9.4 million.

House Transportation Committee Chairwoman Judy Clibborn, D-Mercer Island, said it was a mistake, so nearly $5.1 million was put back.

Williams said the restored money should cover concerns from Campbell and ensure the state purchases rights-of-way for the long-term project. The House plan delays an additional $4.3 million that Gregoire proposed for 2009-11.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.