Unlocking Gridlock

A Five-Part series on improving transportation without raising taxes ". . . hold us accountable." – Governor Gary Locke

Part 4: Restructuring Transportation

Every year, Washington spends billions of dollars on transportation systems. Part of this money is wasted due to the high number of entities involved in transportation. The Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation has identified 468 different entities involved in transportation – that’s 468 different entities with authority for transportation planning, funding, management, and construction. With so many different hands trying to draw money out of the transportation pot, too much money is spent on bureaucracy and too little on reducing traffic congestion. It’s no wonder that at first glance there appears to be a shortage in funding.

Following are suggestions for cleaning up transportation governance.

1. Make the Secretary of Transportation a governor-appointed position.

The Secretary of Transportation is currently appointed by the Transportation Commission. Under this arrangement, the governor cannot enforce compliance with accountability plans such as his balanced scorecard. The head of an agency as large and costly as the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) ought to be appointed by and answer to the governor. The legislature is unlikely to give the governor more power unless he returns power back to them; so in exchange for the added power to appoint the Secretary of Transportation, the governor should agree to give the legislature the power to repeal agency regulations that are in conflict with state law.

2. Eliminate unnecessary transportation agencies.

There are several state agencies that can be eliminated by transferring their functions to existing agencies:

The Transportation Commission’s stated mission is to reflect the "public interest in long-term planning, financing and delivery of state-wide transportation systems and services." WSDOT already performs these functions to some extent. The commission should be eliminated and its role transferred to WSDOT.

The Transportation Improvement Board’s mission is to "assist local agencies to preserve and improve transportation systems by providing financial assistance; support economic development; and promote public/private cooperation." One look at some of the recent projects this board has funded shows that it could clearly use more direction in how to accomplish its mission. For example, how does the Transportation Improvement Board’s $1 million grant to the city of Tacoma for a car museum fit into its mission to preserve and improve transportation systems?

Staff of the Traffic Safety Commission don’t even seem to know their official mission statement. When EFF questioned the mission statement one staff member had previously quoted, she replied by changing the wording of the mission statement. For our purposes, we’ll just assume the Traffic Safety Commission’s true purpose is a third and completely different mission statement posted on the Office of Financial Management’s website: "The mission of the Traffic Safety Commission is to reduce death, injury, and property damage occurring on our roads by prevention of traffic collisions." This board should be eliminated and responsibilities transferred to the State Patrol.

Lawmakers should also reconsider the missions and usefulness of the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board and the Board of Pilotage Commissioners – can their functions be performed by WSDOT? What about the Marine Employees’ Commission – can its functions be transferred to the already existing Public Employee Relations Board?

3. Consolidate funding.

Rather then sending money to 468 different transportation entities, the legislature should consider creative ways to reduce the number of hands reaching into the transportation pot.

One suggestion is to reduce state transportation agencies to the State Patrol, the Department of Licensing, and the Department of Transportation. The legislature should refine WSDOT’s mission statement to make it clear and concise: its purpose is to provide a means or method for a coordinated transportation system. (See Policy Highlighter volume 11, number 6.)

Another way to consolidate funding is to expand the County Road Administration Board, rename it the Local Government Transportation Administration Board and place it under the authority of WSDOT. The primary purpose for this board would be to distribute funding to counties and cities for local transportation. The counties and cities could take this money and plan necessary transportation additions and improvements for each of the areas within its borders. Counties and cities could simply work together to plan for local transportation projects that go beyond jurisdictional borders.

Innovative ideas are out there waiting to be adopted by lawmakers willing to think outside the box.

Prepared by Amanda Jarrett, Research Analyst (360) 956-3482 or ajarrett@effwa.org

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