2025’s ugliest transportation moments: ‘Month of Hell,’ pricey gas, Sound Transit shortfalls

With 2025 winding down, it’s time to reflect on the year in transportation.

I shared the good, then the bad, and now I’m diving into the ugly.

Looking back at the ‘Month of Hell’

I’m starting with the “Month of Hell,” and it lived up to the hype. Thirty-two days of closures on northbound I-5 between State Route 520 and 45th in the U-District.

Who can forget that nightmare?

Not only were two lanes of northbound I-5 closed across the Ship Canal Bridge, but the express lanes never switched. They remained open in the northbound direction for the duration, which turned southbound I-5 into a disaster.

You’ve probably never thought about how many people use the express lanes in the southbound direction each morning until this. The backups extended to Edmonds every day. Hour delays into Seattle were common.

“We know that it was difficult,” Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) spokesperson Tom Pearce said. “People did well at adapting and using other transportation methods. It went relatively well.”

I hope our drivers learned how to cope because we have eight months of northbound lane closures across the Ship Canal Bridge to deal with next year, too. The closures will be done in two, four-month chunks, allowing a break for the World Cup in June and July. There will be southbound I-5 closures for eight straight months in 2027.

Gas prices in WA more than a dollar above national average

Next up on the ugly list. Gas prices.

Gas hasn’t been this cheap in the U.S. in years. The national average for a gallon of regular is $2.85. What a great relief for drivers. Unfortunately, the price per gallon in Washington is $3.94. More than a dollar above the national average.

The gas tax went up 6 cents in July, and the Climate Commitment Act is adding another $0.40 to $0.50 per gallon. The state has already collected more than $4 billion with this climate tax, and it has very little to show for it. Studies earlier this year show about 70% of the money has gone to staffing and planning, not addressing the climate.

The state touts the $1.5 billion spent so far is funding projects like charging stations and other important things, but it has produced no stats to suggest it’s actually doing anything about carbon emissions.

Those are expected next year, five years after the Climate Commitment Act was passed.

Sound Transit doesn’t deliver on time

And my final ugly is a repeat customer for this list — Sound Transit.

While it did open light rail capacity this year, it became clear that it doesn’t have the money to deliver what it has promised voters. Projects are coming in late and over budget. Future projects are becoming so expensive that many people are wondering if it’s time to scale back or cut bait.

What was promised for $54 billion in 2016 under ST-3 could end up costing up to $185 billion. Sound Transit’s own figures show it has up to a $30 billion shortfall today, and projects are only getting more expensive.

All of this for something that will carry about 1% of commuters.

Chris Sullivan is a traffic reporter for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here. Follow KIRO Newsradio traffic on X.

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