When Washington gained statehood in 1889, paved roads were rare, even in the largest cities, and counties were chiefly responsible for road construction. Washington’s growing number of bicyclists founded the state’s Good Roads movement in 1899, and gained the support of early motorists in the 1900s. Legislation for a State Highway Board, with a $110,000 budget, was finally signed by Governor Albert Mead on March 13, 1905. The new Highway Board, comprising the State Treasurer, State Auditor, and Highway Commissioner Joseph M. Snow met for the first time on April 17 and budgeted funds for 12 state highways. The State’s investment in and power over road construction expanded as motor vehicles began to challenge trains, streetcars, and steamships as the primary mode of transportation. The biggest boost came on July 11, 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Aid Road Act, offering the first significant national funding for highway construction. After World War I, road work accelerated, and the Highway Board established its first regional districts (now six) to manage a growing workload of road and bridge projects.
A career at WSDOT is a career where you make a difference in people’s lives every day. You will help drivers get where they want to go and get there safely. You will help keep our economy going. What’s better than that? How about unparalleled training opportunities, generous benefits, and flexible schedules? WSDOT is an agency with one of the highest employee satisfaction ratings. We value and appreciate our employees’ hard work. The public does too. We get thank you notes from them every day. The work we do touches every single person in Washington State. We’re excited that you want to join us. Thank you for taking the time to explore career opportunities at WSDOT.
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Headquarters
310 Maple Park
Olympia
WA
98501