Staff from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the state’s Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Regional Transportation Planning Organizations (RTPOs) are working on a collaborative approach to identify transportation priorities. This will help the state legislature and other decision makers select which transportation investments to fund, and make other budgeting decisions.
Sign up for email updates about the project here.
Our vision
WSDOT, the MPOs and RTPOs will collaboratively identify, vet and prioritize transportation investments regionally and statewide. We’ll bring the legislature the information it needs to make funding decisions that maximize benefits for the overall system.
Why we’re doing this work
Washington needs a better strategy to help inform state legislators when they consider which transportation projects and programs to fund in transportation budgets or packages. WSDOT, MPOs and RTPOs don’t have a clear, regular, agreed-upon collaborative method to prioritize transportation investments.
Our Investment Strategy will focus on improving how RTPOs/MPOs and WSDOT coordinate investment priorities. Coordination is important because there isn’t enough money to fund all proposed investments. This work is intended to aid — not limit — local, regional, WSDOT and legislative decision makers.
“This conversation isn’t about a project that has an end; it’s focused on our ability to collaborate. Currently everyone talks with the legislature as individual voices. If cities and counties and WSDOT, through the RTPO/MPO process, could all say the same thing, it would resonate with the legislature.”
— Investment Strategy Committee member