Roads and Transit

The Roads and Transit ballot measure was a transportation funding proposal submitted to voters in Snohomish, King, and Pierce Counties, Washington, for approval on November 6, 2007. It was defeated with 56% voting against it and 44% in favor. The measure aimed to address traffic congestion and improve transportation infrastructure through a combined plan from Sound Transit and the Regional Transportation Investment District (RTID). The proposal included expanding mass transit and improving roads in heavily traveled corridors. Sound Transit's portion, known as ST2, focused on extending the Puget Sound light-rail system to 70 miles, creating thousands of park-and-ride slots, and expanding bus and commuter-rail services at an estimated cost of $24 billion over twenty years. This would be funded by a 0.4% regional sales tax extension and an additional 0.5% sales tax. RTID's portion, Blueprint for Progress, aimed to improve state highways, bridges, and local roads, with funding from a 0.1% sales tax increase and a 0.8% motor vehicle excise tax hike, costing $14 billion over twenty years. Supporters argued the plan offered balanced solutions to traffic congestion, improved safety, reduced environmental impact, and boosted economic growth by enhancing freight mobility. Notable endorsers included the Washington Conservation Voters, City of Bellevue, Futurewise.org, and Puget Sound Energy. However, opponents, including King County Executive Ron Sims and the Cascade Chapter of the Sierra Club, criticized the plan for its potential impact on global warming and concerns about conflicting goals and scalability. Despite these efforts, the measure was narrowly defeated, reflecting differing views ...