Thurston County, Washington

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Thurston County Washington

Public Works

Our Goals

Our goal is to invest the revenue raised by the Transportation Benefit District (TBD) to improve Thurston County’s transportation network by making roads safer, increasing our investment in preservation, and updating our technology.

 

 

System Preservation

Poor road conditions are estimated to cost each Washington driver $656 in vehicle wear and tear every year.(1) We keep roads in good shape by performing regular maintenance and preservation activities. TBD revenue will help fund roadway maintenance that reduces vehicle wear and tear costs for drivers, which may translate to substantial cost savings for taxpayers. Minor roadway repairs can save 90% or more per mile compared to the cost of major reconstruction.

A crew conducting road paving operations

Example Projects

  • Pavement overlays
  • Surface restoration
  • Infrastructure rehabilitation

 

Roadway Safety

Traffic collisions are the 4th leading cause of death for Thurston County residents. Between 2015 and 2019, there were 141 fatal and serious injury collisions in Thurston County.(2) Washington State has adopted Target Zero — a goal to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries on Washington's roadways to zero by the year 2030. Funds from the TBD will help Thurston County achieve Target Zero.

Road crew controlling traffic with flaggers

Example Projects

  • Providing or replacing rumble strips (alerts drivers)
  • Installing high-friction surfacing at critical locations (allows cars to stop quickly to avoid hazards)
  • Implement projects identified in the County-wide Local Road Safety Plan (identifies high-priority projects of low, medium, and high cost, allowing dollars to be focused on getting the most significant safety improvements for the least cost)

 

Updated Technology

Investing TBD funds in state-of-the-art transportation technologies can enhance the efficiency of our transportation system by reducing travel times, improving safety, streamlining maintenance, and lowering energy consumption.

Road crew working on a traffic signal control box

Example Projects

  • Transit/emergency vehicle signal priority (reduces travel time)
  • Pedestrian crossing beacons (improve pedestrian safety)
  • LED street light conversion (improves visibility, reduces power consumption and maintenance)

(1) Source: 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, American Society of Civil Engineers

(2) Source: Washington State Department of Transportation