NOVEMBER 2000
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Citizen Advice Used to Develop Transportation Plan - Comment on Least Cost Planning Extended
The Regional Council is in the midst of developing a 30-year transportation plan for the central Puget Sound region called Destination 2030. When complete, the plan will serve as a blueprint for how we invest in road, bus, ferry, bike, pedestrian and rail systems through 2030, and will include an action plan for what gets done in the next 10 years.
At the end of August, the Regional Council released a report that described options for the plan and asked for public comments by October 20. Elected leaders who serve on the Council's Transportation and Growth Management Policy Boards are reviewing those comments and will recommend a draft plan in December. The final plan will include the most effective and affordable elements of each of the options.
Based on suggestions received during the public review, the Regional Council is extending the comment period for one issue related to the plan -- least cost planning. Least cost planning is a state requirement that calls for comparing the costs and benefits -- both indirect and direct -- of transportation investment options.
The Regional Council has released a supplemental report that analyzes the costs associated with different options for the Destination 2030 plan. The public comment period on least cost planning continues through November 27. The timeline below shows key decisions on the plan coming up over the next five months.
To comment on least cost planning: e-mail destination2030@psrc.org, fax (206) 587-4825, write to the Puget Sound Regional Council, Attn: Destination 2030, 1011 Western Avenue, #500, Seattle, WA 98104, TDD/TTY: (206) 464-5409.
To receive copies of the least cost planning analysis or other Destination 2030 publications, contact the Information Center, (206) 464-7532, infoctr@psrc.org, or visit the Regional Council's Web site, psrc.org.
The Transportation Enhancements Committee, made up of experts in the various enhancement areas, has prepared a draft list of projects that will be considered by the Regional Council's Transportation Policy Board and Executive Board for approval in November.
The final list of recommended projects will then be submitted to the statewide Transportation Improvement Board in December. The central Puget Sound region will receive $8.1 million for our regional priorities, and has the opportunity to submit an additional 10 projects for a $5.4 million statewide competition.
Enhancement Projects to Go to Executive Board --
35 Projects Recommended by citizens Committee
The Transportation Enhancements Program was created in 1991 as part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), and reauthorized in 1998 with passage of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21).
Under this legislation, every state must reserve at least 10 percent of its Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds for designated "transportation enhancement" activities. These activities are designed to improve the transportation experience in and through local communities. Examples include bike and walking trails, historic preservation, archeological planning and research, and improving wildlife habitat affected by highways. For more information, visit the Regional Council's Web site, psrc.org, or call Kelly McGourty at (206) 464-7892.
| Redefining Community Conference |
A smart growth conference planned for January 19-20 in San Diego aims to demonstrate how redesigning existing neighborhoods can create safer and healthier communities. Presented by California's Local Government Commission and Penn State, the conference will look at the links between community design, health and crime. The Puget Sound Regional Council is a co-sponsor.
At the conference, experts will present case studies, techniques, and best practices that have influenced public health and safety by increasing physical activity, decreasing violent crime, and reducing pedestrian/auto accidents. For more information and to register, visit the conference Web site: outreach.psu.edu/C&I/RedefiningCommunity/.
Burke-Gilman/Sammamish River Trail Use: More People Using Trails to Commute to Work and School
More people are using the Burke-Gilman/Sammamish River Trail to commute to work and school, according to a recent survey. Commute and shopping trips on the trail have grown more than six times from 1985 to 2000.
More information on trail use is described in the November issue of Puget Sound Trends (PDF file), available on the Web at psrc.org, or by calling the Regional Council's Information Center, (206) 464-7532. For information on the trail data, contact Becca Aue, (206) 587-5665.
Source: Moritz, William E., Ph.D., "Burke-Gilman/Sammamish River Trails -- User Counts and Survey Results". 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000.
In 1985, 94 percent of all trail trips were made for recreational purposes and the remaining 6 percent were for commuting to school and/or work. This year's survey results show that only 62 percent of all trips were for recreational purposes while 32 percent were for commuting and 6 percent were for shopping.
User counts show that between 1980 and 1995, trail use continued to grow every year, with a drop off in 2000. Trail usage jumped by 65 percent from 1990 to 1995, while regional population grew only 10 percent. One reason for this could be that prior to 1993 the two trails were not connected as they are today. There was a 3-mile gap between Bothell and Kenmore. In 1993, that missing link was completed, providing a continuous trail from Gas Works Park in Seattle to Marymoor Park in Redmond. The final joining of the trails coincides with a steep increase in use during that same time period.
The drop off in use recorded between 1995 and 2000 is more difficult to explain. It could be due to weather conditions that were present on the day counts were taken this May. Or, it could be that the trail is a victim of its own success -- many users, especially bicyclists, are complaining that the trail is becoming too crowded, which may lead them to choose alternate routes. Future counts will be needed to determine if the decline in users in 2000 is actually the beginning of a downturn in use or if it is due to other temporary factors.
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