SEATTLE—Six awards will be presented this Thursday honoring exceptional efforts that support strong communities, efficient transportation and a healthy economy and environment for the central Puget Sound region.
The VISION 2020 award winners will be honored at the annual General Assembly meeting of the Puget Sound Regional Council on March 16 at Union Station in downtown Seattle. The outstanding award winners are:
Bridgeport Way Improvement Project, University Place – Transformation of a busy suburban arterial into a safer, more inviting, people-friendly main street, with sidewalks, bike lanes, planting strips, and crosswalks. The project is a catalyst for development of the city's town center.
FAST Corridor, Central Puget Sound Region – Transportation improvements along the I-5 corridor that fix freight mobility problems and commuter delays that occur where rail and road systems cross. A partnership of over 20 separate agencies are cooperating in this effort.
PugetPass, Central Puget Sound Region – A new regional transit pass that makes it easier than ever to travel around Puget Sound. The pass allows riders to move seamlessly between five transit systems without paying double fares or being penalized with transfer charges.
Urban Center Downtown Revitalization, Renton – Successful efforts to turn downtown Renton into the heart of the city: infrastructure and pedestrian-friendly street improvements; the Renaissance, a new 110-unit residential/retail project; a new urban park; renovation of the Pavilion Building for exhibition space; and construction of a regional transit center.
Sultan Community Center, Sultan -- A new community center that incorporates the city's historic features citizens want to preserve and provides space for the city hall, library, and community meetings. The building is designed to spark economic revitalization of Sultan's Main Street.
Union Station Renovation, Seattle – Rehabilitation and restoration of the Union Station terminal building in downtown Seattle -- the new "Grand Central" station of the regional transit system. The project has been a catalyst for development of a high-technology campus nearby with more than 1 million square feet of office space in Seattle's oldest neighborhood.
The VISION 2020 Awards annually honor innovative projects that help achieve VISION 2020, the region's adopted growth management, economic and transportation strategy. VISION 2020 envisions a region with diverse, economically and environmentally healthy communities framed by open space and connected by a high-quality, efficient transportation system.
The Puget Sound Regional Council is the designated regional transportation planning organization under state and federal laws. Its members include 68 cities and towns; King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties; the Washington State Department of Transportation and Transportation Commission; and the ports of Tacoma, Seattle and Everett.