Since VISION 2020 was adopted in 1990, substantial progress has been made to implement its strategies through the actions of cities and counties, agencies, businesses, community groups, and individuals. For example, jurisdictions have identified urban growth areas, critical areas and resource lands, and have designated urban centers as locations for concentrated urban growth. Counties have adopted countywide planning policies that guide and promote consistency among local comprehensive plans.

Transit centers in several of the region's major cities integrate transportation and commerce, and transit agencies have expanded service, providing people with more transportation choices. Local jurisdiction and agency plans and policies and the actions that implement them will continue to be critically important to carrying out VISION 2020 during the next several years. Implementation of VISION 2020 will also occur through regional actions.

The Regional Council has three primary efforts underway that help to implement VISION 2020. These include policy and plan review, development of the Transportation Improvement Program, and monitoring. Over the next several years, the Regional Council will also work with local jurisdictions, agencies, the private sector and others on several new implementing actions designed to advance the strategies in VISION 2020.

Policy and Plan Review

One of the key features of Washington's Growth Management Act is the emphasis on coordinated and consistent planning among jurisdictions. The Act requires the state's regional transportation planning organizations such as the Regional Council to review and certify transportation elements in comprehensive plans.

In addition, countywide planning policies and the region's transportation plan are to be certified for consistency. The Regional Council's Framework Plan for regional planning also directs the agency to work with local, state, transit and other regional planning agencies to ensure that planning efforts are coordinated.

Using an Executive Board-approved process, the Regional Council works with local jurisdictions and agencies to review and assure consistency among local and regional plans and policies. The process includes three types of review: (1) coordination and consultation on local, regional, and transportation agency plans; (2) consistency review of countywide and multicounty planning policies; and (3) certification of countywide planning policies and transportation elements in local comprehensive plans.

Coordination and consultation is a voluntary process designed to identify how local governments and transportation agencies are using VISION 2020 in their planning efforts. This coordination also establishes a mechanism for incorporating local comprehensive planning work into updates of VISION 2020.

Consistency review of countywide planning policies and multicounty planning policies is based on a comparative analysis of policy areas for regional planning identified in the Growth Management Act. Certification of countywide planning policies focuses on the consistency of the transportation-related planning policies and the Metropolitan Transportation Plan.

Certification of transportation elements in local comprehensive plans is based on conformity with the Growth Management Act and consistency with the Metropolitan Transportation Plan, including the established regional guidelines and principles in the Plan. Transportation projects included in adopted local comprehensive plans that have a certified transportation element receive streamlined Transportation Improvement Program review. Once certified, plans and policies remain certified until amended or updated.

Transportation Improvement Program

The Metropolitan Transportation Plan guides the region's long-term transportation investment decisions based on four primary principles. These principles are: (1) maintain and preserve the current transportation system, (2) aggressively pursue system management and demand management activities that optimize performance of transportation facilities and services, (3) focus transportation investments to support pedestrian-oriented land use patterns, and (4) expand transportation capacity to support travel alternatives to the automobile.

The more specific, short-range transportation investment decisions related to the Metropolitan Transportation Plan are carried out through the Transportation Improvement Program or TIP. The TIP must establish priorities for all surface transportation projects, including road, transit and ferry, for all jurisdictions in the region in order for these projects to be eligible for federal funding. In addition, all regionally significant state and locally funded projects must be evaluated for consistency with the Metropolitan Transportation Plan and included in the TIP to be modelled for air quality conformity.

A shared regional and countywide TIP project recommendation process has been developed and is intended to support coordinated regional and countywide implementation of local comprehensive plans and the region's Metropolitan Transportation Plan. This project evaluation process will continue to be refined to more directly tie Transportation Improvement Program decisions to the Metropolitan Transportation Plan, as required by the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA).

Monitoring VISION 2020 Implementation

An important part of implementing VISION 2020 is measuring progress over time and determining whether implementation of VISION 2020 is occurring and is achieving desired results, such as maintaining mobility and focusing growth in urban areas. Working with local jurisdictions, agencies and others, the Regional Council has developed a monitoring approach to provide feedback to people in the region, and especially to policymakers, on whether the policies in VISION 2020 are helping to achieve our preferred future. Monitoring also responds to ISTEA and Clean Air Act requirements. The monitoring approach has two major components, implementation monitoring and performance monitoring.

Implementation Monitoring. Implementation monitoring will provide information on the specific steps that the region, cities, counties, and agencies are taking to implement VISION 2020. Local governments and regional and state agencies all play an important role in implementing VISION 2020. Tracking their implementation activities is a critical aspect of the monitoring program. The ÒcauseÓ (for example, the adoption of policies and regulations, or the investment in specified types of transportation programs) must occur before the ÒeffectÓ can be measured (such as, changes in land use, transportation system performance, the economy, or quality of life).

Identification of urban growth areas by local governments is an example of a key implementing action. Selected requirements of the Growth Management Act, state and federal Clean Air Acts, and the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act comprise the key implementing actions that will be measured. Implementation monitoring will be accomplished through the Regional Council's policy and plan review process, review of regionally significant public and private development projects, and review of transportation projects for inclusion in the region's Transportation Improvement Program.

Performance Monitoring. Performance monitoring is intended to show whether the actions taken by local and regional agencies are achieving the desired results. Once a specific action has been taken, such as establishing urban growth areas, performance monitoring will assess whether this action is producing the desired effects (e.g., compact urban development and maintenance of rural areas).

An important aspect of performance monitoring is the establishment of benchmarks. By articulating key measurable objectives for the framework policies in VISION 2020 (shown in italics at the beginning of each policy area), identifying corresponding performance indicators (e.g., travel time by mode) and specifying targets for what the region hopes to achieve (e.g., reduced travel time by mode) for these indicators, the region will be able to assess whether VISION 2020 policies are producing the desired effect. These key objectives, and corresponding indicators and targets, are referred to as benchmark objectives, indicators and targets. The glossary provides a definition of these terms.

Establishing Benchmarks for VISION 2020. The VISION 2020 policy on monitoring includes six key objectives the region hopes to achieve in implementing VISION 2020 and provides the structure for the monitoring program.

Policy RC-2.12: Monitor implementation of VISION 2020 to evaluate the region's success in achieving regional growth management, economic and transportation objectives, including: a. Efficient urban growth areas with growth focused in compact communities and centers,

b. Efficient provision of public services and facilities,

c. An affordable and diverse supply of housing,

d. Preservation of rural areas, protection of the natural environment, and conservation of resources,

e. A strong, stable and diverse economy, and

f. An efficient, multi-modal transportation system.

Coordinate regional and county performance monitoring activities to minimize data gathering and duplication of effort. Using only those objectives over which the Regional Council has some influence, and restating these objectives to show the desired direction of change, the monitoring program focuses on the five benchmark objectives shown below which will be used to measure progress in achieving VISION 2020 policies. Reports will be prepared annually to assess progress in achieving the benchmark objectives.

1. Growth. Increase the regional portion of jobs and housing growth in urban growth areas and in centers.

2. Housing. Increase the supply of affordable housing in urban areas and increase the availability of various types of housing, such as townhouses, duplexes and single-family homes on smaller lots.

3. Environment. Increase the amount of dedicated public open space, improve air and water quality, conserve resource lands, and protect critical areas.

4. Economy. Sustain a strong, stable and diverse economy.

5. Transportation. Improve personal mobility through multimodal travel options such as walking, bicycling, and transit, and improve freight and goods mobility.

A number of jurisdictions throughout the region have embarked upon benchmarking programs. Close coordination with these jurisdictions will help minimize duplication and provide reciprocal data sources for use in the respective programs. In addition, local input and review of the benchmark indicators will be encouraged each time the regional bench-marking program results are reported. Local review will accomplish two objectives. First, the results of evaluating the region's progress toward VISION 2020 can be used as feedback to local governments in their monitoring efforts, as well as to the Regional Council. Second, local review and input on the effectiveness of the indicators can be used to revise and add to the benchmark indicators to make them more

Implementing Actions

Continued progress in implementing VISION 2020 and the Metropolitan Transportation Plan requires pursuit of the following key, long-term actions by the Regional Council in cooperation with cities, counties, countywide planning organizations, transportation agencies, the state, businesses, citizens and others. These implementing actions will be considered annually as part of development of the Regional Council's budget and work program.

Growth Management

The VISION 2020 strategy is to contain much of the region's projected growth within defined urban growth areas, creating compact urban communities and vibrant centers of activity. While this concept is not new, it does represent a way of developing land and strategically providing services that is different from the way in which development has occurred over the past 30 years.

Outreach/Research/Education/Technical Assistance. Investigate opportunities and obstacles to implement key VISION 2020 concepts (centers, urban transportation corridors, development of vacant land within urban growth areas, and rural preservation).

Infill Development. Identify and provide information and technical assistance regarding strategies that can facilitate infill development in existing urban areas.

Growth Areas. Collect and share information regarding the effectiveness of urban growth areas, including county amendment criteria and procedures and status of growth area amendments. Housing. Collect and share information regarding the supply and distribution of low- and moderate-income housing.

Regional Public Facilities. Complete identification of a process for siting regional public facilities significant to two or more counties. Greenspace. Convene a forum to develop a regional greenspace strategy that integrates and identifies opportunities for linkages among open space planning efforts of jurisdictions, the state, and non-profit land conservation groups.

Long-term Tools. In conjunction with local governments and others, investigate opportunities to advance VISION 2020 implementation through revenue base sharing, tax increment financing, transfer of development rights and other long-term measures.

Economy

The VISION 2020 strategy emphasizes that achieving improved economic stability and diversity depends on public and private sector collaboration to identify and address issues affecting the region's economic health.

Regional Economic Forums. Provide a regional forum to identify issues and concerns affecting the economic well-being of the region.

Industrial Siting. Building on the Regional Economic Strategy and other related work, develop a regional industrial siting strategy that addresses issues such as land supply and demand, regulatory processes, and interjurisdictional coordination.

Transportation

VISION 2020 and the Metropolitan Transportation Plan are designed to achieve a more balanced transportation system, shifting emphasis from highways and vehicle movement to efficient movement of people, freight and goods, and information. A wide range of actions, programs and projects will be the basis for implementation and are described in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan. The implementing actions listed below represent a subset of these steps.

Integrate Land Use and Transportation. Further develop strategies for integrating local land use planning with regional transportation planning, including strategies for promoting growth in centers and development in the vicinity of high capacity transit station areas.

Freight and Goods. Provide a regional forum to refine the strategy in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan for freight and goods movement.

Nonmotorized Network. In conjunction with local governments and others, initiate actions toward establishing a network of nonmotorized travel facilities.

Transportation Technology. Investigate advanced transportation technologies to determine appropriate future application in the region.

Transportation Pricing Strategies. Evaluate various transportation pricing strategies identified in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan to determine type(s) and pricing levels for public and policy consideration as the first phase of implementation. Initiate demonstration projects and public education programs prior to first phase implementation.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring progress over time and evaluating whether implementation of VISION 2020 is achieving desired results are key to carrying out the regional strategy and keeping it current and useful.

Monitoring VISION 2020. Continue development and implementation of a regionally coordinated monitoring system to measure progress toward achieving VISION 2020.

Congestion Management System. Complete the development and initiate implementation of a Congestion Management System.

Regional Database. Develop and maintain a regional database that provides information about land use, transportation, and economic conditions throughout the region and supports performance monitoring.

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