SEATTLE—A regional board is recommending 42 projects for $90 million earmarked for tackling traffic congestion, providing more travel choices, promoting cleaner air and carrying out the central Puget Sound region's plans to keep pace with growth. The 42 projects were selected from a list of 72 applications seeking a combined $204 million.
"All of the projects are good ones and reflect that cities, counties, transit agencies, ports and the state are serious about solving our traffic problems," said Seattle City Councilmember Richard McIver. "It takes a great deal of regional cooperation to agree on top priorities. Those that rose to the top have cleared a rigorous technical review that helped determine which will deliver the most lasting benefits."
McIver chairs the Transportation Policy Board of the Puget Sound Regional Council, which has launched the 42 projects into a public review process scheduled to conclude in September. The review will include an evaluation of their impact on the region's long-term air quality goals and will wrap-up with the adoption of the region's 2000-2002 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The region's TIP contains hundreds of transportation projects at various stages of completion.
The funding for the 42 projects is administered by the Federal Highway Administration through the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), approved by Congress last summer. TEA-21 makes certain federal transportation funds available to state, regional and local governments through Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO). The Puget Sound Regional Council is the designated MPO for King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap counties.
"These funds are a relatively small but important piece of getting our arms around our traffic problems, a drop in the bucket really" said McIver. "But what we've tried to do is set an example of what types of things should get funded and how we decide what gets done. These projects recognize that the best and most cost-effective solutions to traffic often have more to do with supporting strong neighborhoods than miles of roads that get paved. They support all types of smart approaches."
A list of the projects recommended for funding is enclosed. More information is available on the Transportation Improvement Program home page.