Puget Sound Regional Council                                   psrc.org
  Regional Coordination     at work
  Transportation Policy Board and Growth Management Policy Board
 
              December 13, 2007

The Transportation Policy Board recommended that the draft revised transportation multicounty planning policies and other revisions be included in the final VISION 2040 document for consideration by the Executive Board and General Assembly.

The final draft policies will be part of the VISION 2040 package that will be circulated to elected officials from all member jurisdictions for their consideration this winter. In April 2008, the PSRC General Assembly plans to adopt the final VISION 2040 strategy, including the revised multicounty planning policies.

For more information on the VISION update, contact Norman Abbott at 206-464-7134, nabbott@psrc.org. For information on the multicounty policies, contact Rocky Piro at 206-464-6360, rpiro@psrc.org.

The Transportation Policy Board discussed PSRC transportation recommendations to the 2008 Legislature.

The recommendations are designed to help PSRC staff and members communicate a consistent message during the legislative session on emerging transportation issues. Topics discussed included:

  • Retain flexibility for future regional transportation ballots
  • Protect and sustain existing transportation funding
  • Transportation governance
  • State tolling policy
  • Transportation benefit districts
  • Additional local funding sources
  • Incentives for transportation demand management related to rental car tax being applied to FlexCars

    Board members requested that staff develop additional recommendations related to climate change and ferries for discussion at their January meeting. The Executive Board will take final action to endorse the recommendations.

    For more information, contact Charlie Howard at 206-464-7122, choward@psrc.org.

    In other business, the Transportation Policy Board:

  • Heard a briefing from Councilmember Pam Carter on transportation finance and project prioritization, two topics that will be addressed in the update to Destination 2030.
  • Received an update on the work of the Pricing Task Force from Aubrey Davis.

    The Growth Management Policy Board discussed recommended edits to the draft VISION 2040 growth strategy and the revised set of multicounty planning policies.

    During the public comment period this summer, PSRC received nearly 2,000 comments on the draft VISION 2040 document and supplemental environmental impact statement.

    At the Growth Management Policy Board's November meeting, board members worked through a number of major edits that responded to each public comment, and provided direction for how to revise the VISION 2040 document.

    At their meeting on December 13, policy board members discussed the final 12 major substantive edits and reviewed less substantive edits to the multicounty policies. The board also received a strike-through working version of all the revised multicounty policies, actions and measures.

    In January, the Growth Management Policy Board is scheduled to make a final recommendation to the PSRC Executive Board on all VISION 2040 edits. In March, the Executive Board is scheduled to recommend the final VISION 2040 package to the General Assembly for action in April 2008.

    For more information, contact Rocky Piro at 206-464-6360, rpiro@psrc.org.