At the Joint Policy Board Meeting, the Growth Management Policy Board reported on plans for the VISION 2020 Update Scoping Report.

PSRC has completed a public scoping process under SEPA and will publish a final scoping report to summarize the comments that were received as well as describe alternatives and issues that will be analyzed in the environmental review. The report will also include information about assumptions on which the analysis will be based and further opportunities for public involvement. The Transportation Policy Board's feedback will be incorporated into the scoping report. The boards will have another joint meeting in June to craft their recommendation to the Executive Board.

For more information, contact Ben Bakkenta at (206) 464-5372 or bbakkenta@psrc.org.

The Policy Boards conferred on the High Capacity Transit (HCT) Planning Assistance PSRC is providing for Sound Transit.

PSRC is completing five tasks to assist Sound Transit in the update of the region's long range HCT planning. The tasks are to analyze relevant data to identify geographic areas most supportive of future high capacity transit extensions, analyze corridors to determine appropriate operating characteristics of potential extensions, conduct a survey of transit technologies, convene an independent technology review committee to evaluate the identified potential corridors and technologies, and prepare a report on the economic development impacts of the HCT extensions. The scope of work is limited to HCT, but the study will be integrated with corridor studies underway as well as future updates to the region's multimodal plans.

For more information, contact Kathleen McMullen at (206) 464-6172 or kmcmullen@psrc.org.

The Policy Boards heard a status report on the study of public interest in acquiring the railroad corridor that connects the City of Renton to the City of Snohomish.

An ad hoc committee has been formed to oversee the public interest study. Tukwila Councilmember Pam Carter is the chair of the committee, which met for the first time May 6. PSRC is coordinating with the Washington State Department of Transportation to submit an application for the regional FTA funding competition in order to fund a more detailed preservation/acquisition study.

For more information, contact King Cushman at (206) 464-6174 or kcushman@psrc.org.

The Policy Boards recommended certification of comprehensive plan amendments for Bellevue and Everett as well as certification of Mountlake Terrace's Comprehensive Plan Update.

The work of all three cities meets the Growth Management Act requirements and is consistent with Destination 2030 and VISION 2020 policies. Bellevue's amendment to its Downtown Subarea Plan will allow grade-separated pedestrian crossings in the downtown. Everett's amendments to its comprehensive plan include an inventory of Highways of Statewide Significance within the city, their estimated impacts, and their future siting, as well as an updated six-year Transportation Improvement Program. Mountlake Terrace's comprehensive plan update includes policy and text changes, updates to population and traffic forecasts, and an updated six-year Transportation Improvement Program.

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

The Transportation Policy Board recommended the change in project status from candidate to approved for 11 Destination 2030 projects.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) submitted nine projects for early right of way approval, including seven segments of I-405 and two segments of SR 520. The City of Seattle requested approval for an extension of the Burke Gilman Trail and Pierce County requested approval for an extension of the Foothills Trail. All of the projects are consistent with Destination 2030, have the necessary environmental work completed for the phases seeking approval, have met planning requirements, are financially feasible and have met necessary air quality requirements for the phases seeking approval. The trail projects are not required to undergo benefit-cost analysis due to their low cost. WSDOT has completed its own benefit cost analysis as part of the I-405 Corridor Final Environmental Impact Statement and will complete its own benefit cost analysis for SR 520 during the completion of the environmental work.

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