Drivers in Bremerton will pay an additional $20 each year in vehicle license fees as city leaders look to raise money for neighborhood street repairs, sidewalks
Drivers in Bremerton will pay an additional $20 each year in vehicle license fees as city leaders look to raise money for neighborhood street repairs, sidewalks and accessibility upgrades.
The Bremerton City Council voted 5-2 last week to double the annual Transportation Benefit District fee from $20 to $40 per vehicle.
Collection could begin this fall, according to Council President Jane Rebelowski.
The fee, charged on every vehicle registered within Bremerton city limits, is added to state licensing fees.
Rebelowski said the higher fee is needed because street construction costs have shot up since the city first adopted the $20 charge in 2009.
“Things have gotten much more expensive, just the cost of concrete and asphalt and of course labor,” Rebelowski said ahead of the council vote. “This is for our street crews to repair sidewalks and continue some neighborhood street paving.”
The city currently collects about $600,000 a year from the fee. The increase is expected to provide additional dedicated money for a 14-person streets crew.
Transportation Benefit District money will pay for repairs on nonmajor streets, sidewalk maintenance, neighborhood paving, and new curb ramps intended to improve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The added revenue could help city crews take on more smaller residential maintenance projects without relying as often on outside contractors, potentially saving money over time.
The funding cannot be used for major arterial or state-route projects, which are generally handled by the city engineering department with grants or state money.
Other Washington communities have recently raised local transportation charges. Snohomish County approved a $20 increase earlier this month. Burien approved a $40 fee in March, while Woodway adopted a new $20 vehicle fee this year.
