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WSDOT outlines I‑405/SR‑167 progress, warns of $430 million funding gap
Summary
WSDOT told Renton’s Committee of the Whole that the I‑405/SR‑167 master plans are delivering more than $4 billion in corridor investments but that a treasury analysis identifies about a $430 million gap to fully fund future projects; the Renton‑to‑Bellevue project is forecast to open summer 2027.
Lisa Hopson, program administrator for WSDOT’s I‑405/ SR‑167 program, briefed the Renton City Council’s Committee of the Whole on the agencies’ master plans, current construction and near‑term funding picture. Hopson said the program’s objectives are to reduce congestion, improve safety and multimodal access, support freight movement on SR‑167 and add system management for high‑capacity transit.
“Right now we’re currently delivering over $4 billion worth of investments along the corridor,” Hopson said, citing 20 completed projects since 2005 and a pipeline of active and future work. Hopson told the council the program is advancing both construction and design work, with pre‑design setting the stage for the next phases of multimodal improvements.
WSDOT summarized revenue modeling it conducted with the state treasurer: approximately $750 million in active and committed projects and roughly $800 million tied to future projects for a combined $1.5 billion in toll‑backed revenue assumptions. Hopson said the agency and treasurer’s analysis showed a projected funding gap of about $430 million that WSDOT will address in an updated financial plan before the 2027 legislative session.
Hopson compared the program cash flow to the 2026 enacted budget and noted a modest $50 million difference between WSDOT’s treasurer analysis and legislative appropriations; she emphasized the six‑year outlook shows the agency’s phase‑1 and phase‑2 projects generally align with the enacted budget.
On construction, WSDOT highlighted the Renton‑to‑Bellevue project (funded by Move Ahead Washington and Sound Transit contributions). The project is constructing dual express toll lanes, rebuilding the Northeast 44th Street interchange and installing median systems (drainage, fiber and electrical) that will support tolling and future express lanes. Hopson said traffic will shift soon onto a new southbound structure and the project is forecast to open in summer 2027, with paving and overlay work (she described “over 100,000 tons” of paving planned) and some weekend closures still required.
Hopson also updated council members on Brickyard–SR‑527 work (structural work continuing through 2028) and on SR‑167 improvements, including destination pricing, toll modernization and a southbound extension project funded with toll revenue and federal grants intended to extend the HOV/express toll lane system toward SR‑410/512 for congestion relief and freight access.
Hopson described a Rainier Avenue study that produced four concepts to improve access to the new South Renton Transit Center; concept 3 — direct median access for transit — was advanced as the preferred alternative and initial 2025 dollar estimates exceeded $200 million. She said further funding would be required to advance preliminary engineering and construction.
Why it matters: WSDOT framed the corridor work as regionally significant and warned the council that while current biennial funding supports near‑term delivery, advancing the full master‑plan package will require additional revenue or phasing choices. The agency committed to updating its financial plan ahead of the 2027 legislative session and continuing coordination with corridor partners.
Provenance: WSDOT overview and funding analysis (presentation and Q&A) first presented at SEG 010 and last addressed at SEG 423.
