FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 7, 2007
Contact: Charlie Howard, (206) 464-7122, choward@psrc.org

SEATTLE—  Today a joint proposal by the Puget Sound Regional Council, King County and the Washington State Department of Transportation was named by US Transportation Secretary Mary Peters as one of nine metropolitan areas selected as Preliminary Urban Partners as part a new $1.1 billion federal initiative to reduce traffic congestion on big-city freeways.

The local proposal, called the "Lake Washington Urban Partnership," moves forward in competition for a new US Department of Transportation program of Urban Partnership Agreements that would bring federal funding and technical assistance to planning innovative approaches for congestion reduction.

All program proposals have been asked by USDOT to consider the "Four Ts" - transit, technology, tolls and telecommuting. Successful proposals will have access to designated federal grant funds to plan and demonstrate how the Four Ts can work together to make transportation systems more efficient and less congested.

"The Lake Washington Urban Partnership is focused on bringing needed funding for the replacement of the vulnerable SR 520 bridge and reducing congestion across Lake Washington," said Sue Singer, PSRC President. "We are pleased that this selection by the USDOT puts us closer to federal assistance for improving people's commutes."

According to King County Executive Ron Sims, "Addressing our regions transportation congestion requires innovative ideas. Our region has been a leader in developing the new strategies and approaches that the USDOT wants implemented. This is a great opportunity to secure federal funding to support reducing congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. We are particularly pleased to see that the USDOT recognizes transit is an essential part of integrated strategies for solving urban congestion."

"Our application points to a menu of options," according to state Transportation Secretary Doug MacDonald. "We are very pleased that this seems to be the approach USDOT is encouraging, and we look forward to the final selection of project proposals late this summer. We would like to put this money to work in planning savvy new solutions that can really help our region."

The other partnership proposals named as semi-finalists by USDOT are from Denver, New York, Atlanta, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, San Diego, and San Francisco. Final selections are expected later this summer.

For more information, contact Brian Smith, WSDOT Planning Director, at (360) 705-7958 or Lloyd Brown, WSDOT Communications, at (360) 705-7076.

PSRC develops policies and coordinates decisions about regional growth and transportation planning in King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap counties. The Council is composed of over 80 county, city, port, transit, tribal and state agencies serving the region. It coordinates the distribution of about $160 million in Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration funds each year. PSRC sets priorities and evaluates the most efficient ways to target those funds to support state and local transportation and growth management plans.

Title VI Notice: PSRC fully complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. For more information, or to obtain a Title VI Complaint Form, contact PSRC at 206-587-4819 or see http://www.psrc.org/about/titlevi/index.htm.