How the King County budget will impact roads, traffic
Sep 26, 2016, 9:31 AM | Updated: 11:56 am
King County Executive Dow Constantine revealed his two-year budget Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. In it are increases in spending for area transit. (King County Metro)
(King County Metro)
The next King County budget is expected to be unveiled Monday and includes good news for transit riders throughout the region.
King County Executive Dow Constantine is expected to reveal his biennial budget at 11 a.m. It is an $11.3 billion budget that Constantine claims is balanced, and maintains costs below inflation.
In the latest King County budget is a range of spending increases for transit, homelessness programs, and approaches to the local opioid crisis.
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“In transit, I am adding 300,000 hours of bus service,” Constantine told Seattle’s Morning News. “We are able to do that because revenues have improved with the improving economy. I am also investing long-term into things that will allow us to expand the bus system.”
Constantine also said:
• All buses in King County will have cameras by 2018
• Bus drivers will get more breaks between routes to access comfort stations
• Adding more comfort stations for bus drivers
• Transit police officers will be added to the system
• Buses will be cleaned twice as often
Constantine also talked about the homelessness crisis throughout the region, and the controversial proposal to fund safe-injection zones for opioid addicts in the King County budget. Listen to the conversation above.
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