A Transportation Benefit District is being considered by lawmakers in Burien to help fund a street overlay program.

No asphalt overlay has been put down in the City for the last two years. Something City staff has told the Council cannot continue. The plan being proposed would be to spend approximately $8.6 million over the next couple of years to bring the Cities streets up to an 80+ Pavement Condition Index, and then spend $600,000 annually for the next 20 years maintaining the roads.

A road with a PCI of 80+ is considered to be in very good condition.

As the roads deteriorate they become exponentially more expensive to bring up to a high PCI and maintain. If Burien’s roads were maintained at a PCI of 70 it would cost the City $231 million by 2029. Staff made the argument to the Council by spending the money up front they are actually saving millions in road work later.

The money for the initial work would be raised in bonds which would be paid back over 20 years. With the $600,000 annually being looked at to maintain the streets, Burien is looking at $1.25 million a year to pay back the $8.6 million bond and maintain the roads.

The Council agrees the work needs to be done, but is still discussing where the funds will come from. By bringing maintenance work in house that was previously contracted out to the County, the City will save $750,000 a year. To raise the additional $500,000 a year staff recommended taking $100,000 out of the Capital Reserve Fund, $100,000 from a three percent increase in the electricity utility tax to Seattle Light Customers, and $300,000 from a Transportation Benefit District.

The increase to Seattle Light customers in Burien makes them equal to Puget Sound Energy Customers. This increase will raise $200,000 a year. Staff suggested putting the other $100,000 into other capital projects.

City Manager Mike Martin suggested a Transportation Benefit District (TBA) of a $10 additional fee on car tabs for Burien residents. This would raise $300,000 annually.

Council Members were concerned last time they discussed the road overlay the possibility of future Council’s taking funds allocated for road overlay and using them elsewhere.

Money raised from the TBD is restricted strictly to road maintenance. Martin said if the Council wanted to be sure the money had to be used on the roads this was the best way to do it.

Council Member Brian Bennet said he wanted to see what a plan with reduced expenditures and no additional taxes would look like. He asked how the people in north Burien might feel about the TBD.

On the opposite side Council Member Lucy Krakowiak suggested raising all of the money from a TBD and not using money from the Capital Reserve fund or raising electricity taxes.

Krakowiak then discussed the idea of using the extra revenue and putting toward building a new off-ramp from 518.

Council Member Jack Block was in favor of a $10 TBD, but told the council they should be very cautious with the fees they impose on their citizens.