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An annual compilation of prioritized transportation improvement projects is now ready for public review and comment through Friday, Dec. 19, the Washington State Department of Transportation said in a news release. The statewide list of projects is a required step to authorize federal funds for the work.
During the month-long review period, people can submit comments on the effects of the projects on themselves or their community.
More than 1,100 statewide transportation improvement projects using $5.3 billion in federal funds are included in the 2026-2029 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, or STIP for short. The compilation is far more than just projects planned by the Washington State Department of Transportation. The draft 2026-2029 STIP projects are identified through state, metropolitan, regional, tribal and local agency planning processes.
Projects identified as using Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) or Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds must be included in the STIP to authorize the expenditure of federal funds. Also included are regionally significant projects funded through the Washington State Legislature’s Connecting Washington and Move Ahead Washington transportation packages.
The comment period for the STIP is the final step of the community engagement process that began locally during development of individual transportation improvement programs. WSDOT will accept comments until 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19. WSDOT will send comments to the local agency or metropolitan or regional planning organization for consideration.
About the STIP
The STIP is a four-year prioritized multimodal transportation program compiled of state, local, tribal and public transportation projects. It includes highways, streets, roads, railroads, transit-hubs, park-and-ride lots, bridges, sidewalks, bike lanes, ferry terminals, trails and safety projects. The STIP is developed on an annual basis with monthly updates from January through October.
The collaborative effort between WSDOT, local agencies and metropolitan and regional planning organizations ensures projects are consistent with local, regional and state long-range plans. Some county projects are not included in the draft STIP because state law requires counties to complete their transportation improvement programs by the end of the year; those projects are amended into the final STIP list in January.
The current 2025-28 STIP (PDF 15MB) list of projects can be viewed online. A similar, searchable database of the 2026-29 STIP will be created in January 2026, following FHWA and FTA approval.
How to comment
Written comments can be sent to: Nancy Huntley or Steve Ahlsten, WSDOT, P.O. Box 47390, Olympia WA 98504-7390, or emailed to: Hqlpstip@wsdot.wa.gov. Comments must be received by 5 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 19.
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