WSDOT’s performance report cracks into pavement | Department of Transportation
Published 12:09 pm Thursday, March 5, 2015
The Washington State Department of Transportation’s quarterly performance report, the “Gray Notebook (5.1 MB),” digs into the topic of pavement preservation this edition, noting that preservation backlogs are expected to bring a much bumpier ride for drivers statewide in years to come.
Despite ongoing efforts and efficiencies, which resulted in slightly improved pavement conditions in 2013, WSDOT is estimating a $750 million pavement preservation shortfall over the next six years when expected funding levels cover 40 percent of actual needs (pp. 5-13).
The 56th edition of the “Gray Notebook” also reports on WSDOT’s work to improve bicyclist and pedestrian safety, how well the highway maintenance program is addressing issues ranging from snow and ice removal to bridge painting and whether tolling is reducing congestion and saving drivers time.
Performance measures reported in “Gray Notebook 56” include:
• From 2009 to 2013, 66 percent of fatal crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists occurred in urban areas (pp. 1-4).
• WSDOT met 79 percent of its highway maintenance conditions goals in 2014, a 1 percent drop from 2013 (pp. 14-15).
• Tolling transactions increased 3.1 percent from $35 million in fiscal year 2013 to $36.1 million in fiscal year 2014 (pp. 30-31).
