August 2002
The Executive Board has approved six important transportation projects for $37 million in federal funds available through the Regional Council. The $37 million fund was created to focus scarce transportation funds on regionally significant projects that help implement Destination 2030. The six projects were chosen from 28 projects requesting a combined $155 million. "This process is very competitive because our region's transportation needs far outweigh funding available," said Regional Council President Karen Biskey. "All 28 projects are good projects that help finish what's needed in the region's transportation plans. The six that won will put transportation dollars to work where they're needed most." The six projects are:
Pacific Highway South/International Boulevard Redevelopment: $11,400,000
| Reconstruct portions of, and widen, Pacific Highway South/International Boulevard (SR 99); provide HOV lanes, transit pullouts, transit shelters, transit system priority, curb, gutter, sidewalk, medians, landscaping, new and modified signal systems, channelization, street lighting systems, underground overhead utilities, implement access management, and make drainage system improvements. |
| Limited access highway (approx six miles in length) linking mid-Pierce County with I-5. Two traffic lanes in each direction. Located along the boundary of Fort Lewis Army Base & McChord Air Force Base. Includes signalized intersections. The eastern terminus will connect to the 176th Street South corridor that provides direct access to the Frederickson Industrial area and the South Hill commercial district. |
| Implement eight Transportation System Management, Travel Demand Management, and Transit Oriented Development projects in eleven Designated Urban Centers in King County and Kenmore, which will integrate transit facilities enhancements, enhance High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) use, and increase HOV trips. |
| Capacity, safety, access, and environmental improvements to SR 304 from the SR 3/304 Interchange to the Bremerton Ferry Terminal through: roadway widening, realignment, and preservation; high occupancy vehicle lane; interchange and frontage road improvements; access control; new intersections; signals; street lighting; bicycle lanes; sidewalks; landscaping and streetscape. |
| Construct intermodal stations in Everett, Mukilteo, and Edmonds for peak-hour commuter rail service between Everett and Seattle. Includes construction of: 3 intermodal stations at Everett, Mukilteo, and Edmonds; bus transfer areas and layover space at stations; pedestrian improvements including pedestrian bridges at Mukilteo and Everett Stations; bike lockers at all 3 stations; parking at all stations. |
| Construct a five lane overpass on Lincoln Ave from Thorne Road to Marc Avenue (3,000 ft) allowing for unimpeded movement of vehicles and trains that move freight and goods in the Port of Tacoma, and rail switching activity without compromising road freight movements between Port Terminals and other businesses. |
Air Quality Conformity Scoping Meeting Scheduled for August 20, 2002
The Regional Council will be hosting a public meeting with representatives of the U.S. Department of Transportation to review the air quality conformity analysis process for the 2003-2005 regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The public is encouraged to attend.
Guidance for Major Capacity Investments
Revised "Candidate to Approved" Procedures In May 2002, the Executive Board adopted Guidance for Major Capacity Investments, a document describing new administrative procedures for changing the status of projects in Destination 2030, the region's transportation plan. When Destination 2030 was adopted in May 2001, it included a policy for identifying the status of projects as either "Candidate" or "Approved." The new guidance document describes how projects move from Candidate to Approved status and contains a list of projects exempt from this process. In order to receive Approved status, projects are reviewed under the following six criteria: consistency with Destination 2030 policies, benefit-cost analysis, environmental documentation, planning requirements, financial feasibility and air quality conformity. One change resulting from the new guidance affects projects in the regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). All phases of a project may now be programmed in the TIP regardless of Destination 2030 project status; however, projects with Candidate status may not proceed to implementation (i.e., right-of-way acquisition and/or construction) until receiving Approved status. Download Guidance for Major Capacity Investments or call the Regional Council's Information Center at (206) 464-7532. For more information, contact Kelly McGourty at (206) 464-7892 or Jeff Frkonja at (206) 464-6180.
Regional Council Wins $1.8 Million Transportation Technology Grant
U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta announced that the Regional Council will receive a $1.88 million grant. The grant will apply global positioning system technology in a pilot project aimed at finding the best ways to advance value pricing tools in transportation planning.
Ralph Cipriani Plans New Adventures
Long-time transportation planner Ralph Cipriani bade farewell to the Puget Sound Regional Council in July, looking forward to some summer travel before taking on a new consulting position. During his eight years at the Regional Council, Ralph led development of two award-winning regional transportation plans -- the Metropolitan Transportation Plan in 1995 and Destination 2030 in 2001. Ralph is also well known for his work with the Transportation Pricing Task Force, and played an important role in obtaining a recent FHWA Value Pricing grant (see article above). "We'll miss Ralph's passion and sense of humor, and wish him continued success," said Mary McCumber, Regional Council Executive Director. |
Growth in Traffic & Vehicle Miles Traveled
Traffic in the central Puget Sound region continues to grow at the same rate as population and employment. This is much different than the explosive growth in traffic in the 1980s, but continued growth still means congestion will continue to get worse. In the nine years from 1981 to 1990 the population of the Puget Sound region increased 19 percent, the number of employed persons increased 40 percent, and the amount of automobile traffic, measured by total vehicle miles traveled (VMT), increased 73 percent! In the last ten years (1990 to 2000), while population increased 19 percent and employment increased 20 percent, VMT increased a comparable 25 percent. In the 1980s the rate of employment growth outstripped the rate of population growth as more households became two-worker households. The overall number of workers rose from four out of every ten people in 1976 to five out of every ten people in 1988. Commute to work distances became longer, and the number of registered vehicles also grew faster than the population. These trends changed in the 1990s. In the last five years (1996-2001) the average annual rate of growth in employment has been 1.2%, in population 1.7%, and in VMT 1.8%. The long-term rates of growth of population, employment and VMT are projected to continue to oscillate around 2%. It is important to note that this Trend discusses changes in the average rates of growth over five-year periods. The annual growth in population, employment, registered vehicles, and VMT continues. The following table shows the actual numbers with their average annual growth rates. The Regional Council's current 2030 forecasts for population and employment predict that growth will continue. The regional population is expected to exceed four and a half million before 2030, a 40 percent increase. If VMT continues to grow at the same rate as population and employment, as is now the trend, then total VMT also will increase over 40 percent by the year 2020. The construction of new roads will barely keep pace with this growth, even if the current rate can be maintained. Congestion at current levels or worse will continue into the foreseeable future.
| Population1 | Employed persons2 | Average weekday vehicle miles traveled3 | ||
| 1981 | 2,309,400 | 1,021,200 | 30,337,000 | |
| 1985 4-year average annual growth rate (1981-1985) | 2,436,200
1.3% | 1,115,800
2.2% | 39,222,000
6.6% |
|
| 1990 5-year average annual growth rate (1985-1990) | 2,748,800 2.4% | 1,434,500 5.2% | 52,612,000 6.1% |
|
| 1995 5-year average annual growth rate (1990-1995) | 3,020,000 1.9% | 1,523,900 1.2% | 60,125,000 2.7% | |
| 2000 5-year average annual growth rate (1995-2000) | 3,275,800 1.6% | 1,718,800 2.4% | 65,843,000 1.8% | |
| 2001 5-year average annual growth rate (1996-2001) | 3,323,700 1.7% | 1,659,900 1.2% | 65,925,000 1.8% |
| 1Sources: | (non-Census years) Estimate, Office of Financial Management, Washington State. (1990, 2000) U.S. Census |
| Coverage: | King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties |
| 2Source: | Estimate, Employment Security Department, Washington State. |
| Coverage: | King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties |
| 3Source: | Highway Performance Monitoring System, Department of Transportation, Washington State |
| Coverage: | Seattle-Everett and Tacoma Urbanized Areas (basically Everett to Tacoma, Puget Sound to Lake Sammamish) |
| Because of different geographic coverages, it is not possible to use these figures to compare population or employment to VMT. | |
206-464-7532 - FAX 206-587-4825 - infoctr@psrc.org Sign language and communication material in alternative formats can be arranged given sufficient notice by calling Grace Foster at 206-464-7090. TDD\TTY; 206-464-5409. Funding for this newsletter provided in part by member jurisdictions, grants from U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Highway Administration and Washington State Department of Transportation.
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