The Transportation Policy Board recommended approval of a major amendment to Destination 2030, which would add three new candidate projects to the plan.

The three Washington State Department of Transportation projects include an I-5 to SR 525 ramp, SR 167 Capacity Improvements - SR 410 in Sumner to S. 180th Street in Renton, and SR 302 Capacity Improvements - Elgin-Clifton Road to SR 16. The recommended action includes a new Air Quality Conformity Finding and will be forwarded to the Executive Board in February and the General Assembly in March.

For more information, contact Jeff Frkonja at (206) 464-6180 or jfrkonja@psrc.org.

The Transportation and Growth Management Policy Boards recommended certification of the 2004 Comprehensive Plan Updates for the Cities of Duvall and Skykomish.

Both plans thoroughly address state planning requirements and are consistent with VISION 2020 and Destination 2030. The Executive Board will act on these recommendations at their February meeting.

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

The Transportation and Growth Management Policy Boards discussed the PSRC's Budget and Work Program for Fiscal Years 2006-2007.

The Budget and Work Program is designed to enhance PSRC current activities, including continued and further implementation of the region's growth, economic and transportation strategy as well as service to PSRC members. The draft budget is $20.1 million, which is $550,000 more than the current adopted budget. The draft budget includes $1.9 million in speculative grant funding.

For more information, contact Mark Gulbranson at (206) 464-7524 or mgulbranson@psrc.org.

In Other Business, the Transportation Policy Board:

The Growth Management Policy Board was briefed on the final draft of the Growth Targets issue paper for the VISION 2020 Update.

This is the first time that growth target work done by countywide planning organizations has been assembled and analyzed at the regional level. The work is important because growth targets provide a consistent estimate of how much growth is likely over the next 20 years and where it is expected and intended to go. The new draft of the issue paper addressed comments made by the Board and outside reviewers.

For more information, contact Yorik Stevens-Wajda at (206) 389-2158 or ystevens@psrc.org.

The Growth Management Policy Board continued its discussion on the Rural Areas issue paper.

The issue paper explores ways of addressing rural areas in the VISION 2020 Update Project. Seven possible issues areas have been identified for further consideration: 1) rural population and employment growth, 2) the definition of rural character, 3) rural exception areas, 4) rural service and infrastructure provisions, 5) special purpose districts in rural areas, 6) rural economic development and 7) rural development standards. The Board will continue to work on the rural paper in March

For more information, contact Norman Abbott at (206) 464-7134 or nabbott@psrc.org.

The Growth Management Policy Board continued its discussion on the VISION 2020 Update issue paper on Subregional Centers.

Subregional Centers are activity centers beyond the designated Regional Growth Centers and Manufacturing/Industrial Centers, including town centers, secondary centers, activity nodes, and redevelopment corridors. The Board discussed the role these types of centers could play in the VISION 2020 Update.

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