| Puget Sound Regional Council psrc.org | |
| Regional Coordination at work | |
| Transportation Policy Board and Growth Management Policy Board | |
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October 13, 2005
The Transportation Policy Board recommended approval of the proposed annual air quality amendment to the 2005-2007 Regional Transportation Improvement Program. The air quality amendment is developed to include all new regionally significant projects and assure that the region continues to meet federal and state clean air requirements. The 2005 air quality amendment consists of 34 projects totaling $132.5 million, including $64.5 million for nine projects funded by the new state Transportation Partnership Act (TPA), which included a gradual 9.5 cent gas tax increase. The fate of TPA-funded projects is uncertain pending the outcome of Initiative 912, which seeks to repeal the new gas tax, and any ensuing action by the Legislature. If the initiative passes, any unfunded projects would then be removed from the TIP by special amendment, and a new air quality conformity analysis and public comment period would be required for the remaining projects. For more information, contact Charlie Howard, 206-464-7122 or choward@psrc.org.
The Transportation Policy Board recommended approval of projects for Statewide Transportation Enhancements funding. The recommendation includes 51 projects for a total of $18.6 million. The Transportation Enhancements Committee prioritized the projects out of 100 nominations. Projects from 12 categories strongly tied to the Surface Transportation Program were eligible for the funding. Projects recommended for funding include increasing the use of pedestrian safety flags at crosswalks in Kirkland, cultural resource protection in King County, safe wildlife passage for a transportation project in Novelty Hill, Right of Way acquisition for the Centennial Trail, an archeological sensitivity model for Kitsap County, and historic preservation of the Spanish steps in Tacoma. The vote was 10-3. For more information, contact Kelly McGourty at 206-464-7892 or kmcgourty@psrc.org.
The Transportation Policy Board received a special briefing on the VISION 2020+20 Update from Growth Management Policy Board members. Kitsap County Commissioner Patty Lent, chair of the Growth Management Policy Board, along with King County Councilmember David Irons and Everett City Councilmember Bob Overstreet, presented an overview of work underway on the VISION 2020 + 20 Update. The presentation covered initial analysis and research work that has been completed and then focused on four alternatives adopted by the GMPB in September for more detailed analysis. The schedule for the remainder of the project was also discussed. Transportation Policy Board members also had an opportunity to weigh in on the Transportation Issue Paper being developed to support the update and discuss the coordination of the two update processes underway. The Transportation Issue Paper will examine regional trends, the current transportation vision, public input from the scoping process, the baseline transportation information the Transportation Policy Board has developed for the Destination 2030 Update, and policy considerations for the VISION 2020+20 Update. For more information, contact Mike Cummings at 206-464-6360 or mcummings@psrc.org or Rocky Piro at 206-464-6360 or rpiro@psrc.org.
In other business, the Transportation Policy Board:
The Growth Management Policy Board took action to proceed with the framework for selecting the preferred growth alternative. Before taking action, the Board directed staff to address several issues in a revised document. The framework will be included in the draft environmental impact statement that will be released for public review in February 2006. The framework will later be refined and used as evaluation criteria to guide the selection of the preferred growth alternative that will be released for public review in September 2006. The draft framework focuses on environmental, economic, land use, transportation, public facilities and services, and environmental justice measures. For more information, contact Norman Abbott at (206) 464-7134, nabbott@psrc.org.
The Growth Management Policy Board was introduced to the economic issue paper for the VISION 2020 + 20 update. The purpose of the paper is to link the Prosperity Partnership's Regional Economic Strategy and the update of VISION 2020 and discuss how the VISION can be used to help implement the strategy. For more information, contact Ivan Miller at (206) 464-7549, imiller@psrc.org.
The Growth Management Policy Board was introduced to the Transportation Issue Paper for the VISION 2020+20 update. The Transportation Issue Paper will examine regional trends, the current transportation vision, public input from the scoping process, the baseline transportation information the Transportation Policy Board has developed for the Destination 2030 Update, and policy considerations for the VISION 2020+20 Update. For more information, contact Rocky Piro at 206-464-6360 or rpiro@psrc.org or Mike Cummings at 206-464-6360 or mcummings@psrc.org.
The Growth Management Policy Board discussed their meeting schedule for phase two of the VISION 2020+20 Update. The discussion included scheduled Board meetings, potential meeting of the Board's ad hoc committee, when to focus on selecting the preferred growth alternative, when to focus on crafting the multicounty planning policies, when the Board will brief the other PSRC Boards, and when the two 45-day official public review periods will take place. For more information, contact Norman Abbott at 206-464-7134 or nabbott@psrc.org.
In other business, the Growth Management Policy Board: |
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