Dispatch from Olympia: As Legislature Signs Off, Transit Funding Is Preserved for Now

The 2020 legislative session closed Thursday, March 12, ending a 60-day sprint to pass a transportation budget that addressed revenue cuts from Initiative 976 and other transportation issues.

Here’s a wrap-up of the transportation priorities we worked on this year:

Block the Box Passed — Following years of advocacy, legislative leaders including Senator Marko Liias and Representative Joe Fitzgibbon worked together to pass ESHB 1793, the “Don’t Block the Box” legislation on Monday, March 9. This bill, which expands the allowable uses of automated traffic cameras to include enforcement of blocked intersections, crosswalks, and bus lanes, will make a meaningful difference in creating people-oriented streets in downtown Seattle. We expect that the bill will be signed into law as soon as March 17, and implementation to begin by January 2021.

We are proud to have worked on this bill alongside a broad coalition of partners, including Rooted in Rights, the City of Seattle, neighborhood leaders and businesses, environmental and labor representatives. If you haven’t had a chance, please write your representatives a quick note of thanks for standing up for safe streets and reliable transit.

https://transportationchoices.org/dispatch-from-olympia-as-legislature-signs-off-transit-funding-is-preserved-for-now/