Though the state suffered a horrendous revenue shortfall for its operating budget, thanks in part to President Barack Obama’s federal stimulus investments, there was money available for capital construction that will put people to work in good family-wage jobs.

TRANSPORTATION -- Lawmakers approved a $7.5 billion 2009-11 budget, financing more than 400 projects across the state and generating 46,000 jobs. Here are some key elements:

SB 5768 -- Probably the biggest single project that advanced was the decision (finally) to replace Seattle’s crumbling, unsafe Alaska Way Viaduct with a deep-bore tunnel. At a cost of more than $4 billion, this project will create thousands of building trades jobs that pay prevailing wages. It passed the Senate 39-9, the House 53-43 and was signed by Gov. Chris Gregoire.

HB 2211 -- Seattle’s other long-debated megaproject is replacement of the SR 520 floating bridge. This bill authorized the collection of tolls on that corridor to help raise the $4.5 billion necessary for that project—and others along the corridor—to proceed. It passed the House 52-43, the Senate 32-16 and was signed by the governor.

HB 1978 -- This bill allotted some $341 million in federal stimulus money to various WSDOT projects throughout the state. It passed the House 67-28, the Senate 45-4 and was signed into law.

CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION -- A $3.27 billion two-year construction budget will keep building trades workers busy with repair and maintenance of public buildings, as well as new construction projects. The biggest chunk -- about $877 million -- is set aside for public schools and skills centers. College and university campuses also get money for preservation and repair. The budget, HB 1216, passed the House 61-35 and the Senate 31-15.

GREEN JOBS -- Legislation was also approved to promote investment in new clean-energy technologies and to retrofit existing public buildings to make them more energy efficient:

HB 1113 -- About $133 million was committed to school construction projects to make buildings more energy efficient. Federal stimulus money is also anticipated for these retrofits. The bill passed unanimously and was signed by the governor.

HB 2227 -- The Evergreen Jobs Act will line up state efforts to bring green companies and jobs to Washington, as well as ensure a job pipeline can train workers to feed the growing industry. Touted to create 15,000 jobs by the year 2020, it passed the House 76-22, the Senate 34-14 and was signed into law by the governor.

The above-mentioned bills are just a few highlights of the public works projects approved in 2009. Visit the Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council web site-- www.wabuildingtrades.org -- for more information.