A bipartisan coalition of four senators today announced agreement on a $15 billion, 16-year statewide transportation package. The proposal would be partially funded by an 11.7 cent gas tax increase.

“This package would complete the all-important and critical trade routes of state routes 167 and 509,” announce Sen. Joe Fain, vice chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. “This proposal puts people to work, gets people to work and makes WSDOT work better.” The package includes $1.9 billion for these two projects.

Sen. Steve Hobbes, ranking member on the committee, noted that there remain differences of opinion on a small handful of elements of the package, but that “those differences can be worked out” and that the proposal is a “good package.”

Sen. Curtis King, chair of the committee and prime architect of the proposal, expressed optimism about getting something done this year. “I don’t think the four of us would be standing here if we didn’t think we had the votes … to get it out of the Senate.”

The package is composed of 11 bills—eight of which involve policy reforms and three dealing with bonds. The bills may be found on the Senate Transportation Committee’s website.