Grill of the city
Cheryl Stewart
Executive Director
Inland Northwest AGC
While the Eastern Washington market is quite strong, there is uncertainty ahead.
“On the construction side, we’re being driven primarily by private housing and multifamily, but both markets are slowing,” says Stewart. “There is very little work in the education sector, but we now have several school bonds on the ballot that could help increase those numbers in the future.”
So far, Infrastructure Act funding has favored western Washington, so the eastern part of the state has only seen a couple of improvement projects from the US Department of Transportation this year.
“Washington passed a big transportation package a couple of years ago, but moved some funding to 2023 that decimated the M&P budget,” he says. “While it is the largest DOT budget in years, it includes several megaprojects in the I-5 corridor area and a fish passage program that is court-mandated and well over budget. This leaves Eastern Washington contractors with very little work next year. Our local municipalities have some strong programs, but highway contractors will face a tight year and a competitive market.”
