State transportation budget outlook shows multi‑billion shortfall; ferries and State Patrol accounts singled out

Senate staff warned lawmakers on Jan. 13 that Washington’s transportation budget faces persistent deficits over the next six years driven by lower fuel‑tax receipts and reduced Climate Commitment Act (CCA) transfers, leaving several accounts — notably the ferries and the State Patrol — structurally short of revenue.

In a staff presentation, Haley Gamble, transportation budget coordinator for the Senate Transportation Committee, said the committee’s total transportation budget is about $14.5 billion for the current biennium and that the gas tax remains the single largest revenue source. Gamble showed that forecasted transportation revenues are roughly $500 million (about 7%) lower for the 2023 biennium compared with the June 2022 forecast and that much of the decline is tied to fuel‑tax receipts.

Why it matters: committee staff told senators the decline in fuel‑tax revenue is partly driven by increased adoption of alternative‑fuel vehicles and changes in driving behavior…