You're paying more for gas today: State tax just went up nearly a nickel a gallon
SEATTLE — The cost of gas in Washington state went up Friday as the state tax rose 4.9 cents a gallon.
The increase Friday follows a 7-cent increase on Aug. 1, 2015. It's all part of a state transportation package approved by the Legislature last year that called for an 11.9 cent gas tax hike over two years to provide money for projects and maintenance across the state.
The plan spends $8.8 billion on state and local road projects, including SR 520 bridge segments in Seattle, a widening of Interstate 405 from Bellevue to Renton, and a Highway 167 extension from Puyallup to the Port of Tacoma, and $1.4 billion on maintenance and preservation.
An additional $1.3 billion will go to non-highway projects, such as bike paths, pedestrian walkways and transit. It also allows Sound Transit to ask voters to pay for potential expansions of its rail line.
The bipartisan package took nearly three years to negotiate. The governor estimated it would create about 200,000 jobs.
According to gasbuddy.com, gas prices in Seattle now average $2.69 a gallon.
As the Seattle Times noted, the total gas tax, 67.8 cents — which includes 18.4 cents in federal tax — ranks second in the nation behind Pennsylvania, which collects 68.7 cents.