(Olympia, WA)  --  Today, drivers in Washington will begin paying an extra four-point-nine cents per gallon for gasoline and diesel fuel.  The increase will boost the state fuel tax to 49-point-four cents per gallon, meaning the combined state and federal gas taxes will add up to nearly 68 cents a gallon.  The hike is helping to fund Connecting Washington, a 16-billion-dollar transportation package approved by the Washington State Legislature in 2015.