Blue Ribbon Commission Sits on Transportation Savings Opportunities
Internal Commission documents confirm multi-million dollar savings opportunities

Imagine our surprise at finding transportation savings proposals mounting to multi-millions of dollars on the website created by the Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation, a commission created in 1998 by the governor and the legislature. Many of the Commission’s proposals mirror specific findings and recommendations made in EFF publications in 1997-98.

These documents are dated September 1999, weeks prior to the passage of I-695 and months prior to this legislative session. Three of the savings opportunities identified by the Blue Ribbon Commission are listed below.

1. "Efficiencies can occur through improved project management, enhanced team planning, and work schedule acceleration. The accelerated process used in designing and building the Interstate 5 South DuPont Interchange resulted in substantial cost and time savings. Although the DuPont project involved some unusual circumstances, including private funding and few land owners, several innovations could be applied to other projects."

2. "Managed competition represents one possible way to unleash creative ideas from the workforce and lead to improvements. Under managed competition, private sector bids are sought for a service and then compared to a bid prepared by the public staff that currently performs the service, with the possibility of the award going to either the public or private sector. Pilot programs in managed competition for highway maintenance elsewhere, including Massachusetts, Iowa, and Indianapolis, have found service improvements and cost savings in the range of 15 to 35 percent."

3. "Consolidate planning and funding processes. The current system of governance and funding is fragmented which makes it difficult to identify, fund, and implement the most cost-effective transportation solutions."

Why haven’t we heard about these recommendations during this legislative session? Have lawmakers been told about the possible savings of 15 to 35 percent in highway maintenance? If not, why not? If yes, what are lawmakers waiting for?

Here’s a possible answer. Labor union leaders and government officials make up the majority of the Blue Ribbon Commission. Considering labors’ general opposition to all of the above recommendations, and considering the Governor’s pledge to veto anything labor opposes, we believe these savings opportunities will be squelched if possible.

Lawmakers, the public, and members of the media should review these recommendations at www.brct.wa.gov. Then the question should be asked: What in the world are we waiting for?

Prepared by Bob Williams, Senior Research Analyst, (360) 956-3482 or effwa@effwa.org

Evergreen Freedom Foundation P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 956-3482, Fax: (360) 352-1874 Email: effwa@effwa.org