November 2003
Sets Regional Economic Development Project Priorities
The Regional Council and Economic Development District (EDD) coordinated the region's participation in the federal Public Works Program this year. The competitive grant program provides funding for infrastructure-type projects.
The goals of the Public Works Program are to support long-term economic development in areas experiencing substantial economic distress through the creation, expansion, or retention of permanent jobs that help raise income levels. This is done through investments that support the construction or rehabilitation of essential public infrastructure and development facilities necessary to generate private investments that provide higher-skill, higher-wage jobs.
The EDD Board of Directors has reviewed Public Works applications submitted during the FY 2004 funding cycle. The Board ranked seven of the thirteen projects. The results of the ranking will be submitted to the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) for project funding consideration.
The top ranked projects generally fulfill an urgent development need such as retaining an existing employment base or allowing a community to capitalize on a development window of opportunity. The top ranking helps to secure funding. The projects were ranked as follows:
City of Lakewood -- Industrial Sewer| Installation of sewer lines within urban growth area. This is meant to spur development of industrial and retail businesses, in area recently zoned for industrial. Grant request: $1,500,000. Total project cost: $4,700,000. |
| Finance land exchange to move railroad tracks to create better access between two adjacent parcels that are seeking redevelopment. Grant request: $1,157,000. Total project cost: $2,702,000. |
| Rebuild seawall at Terminal 25 to support the location of a warehouse, distribution facility, and corporate HQ. Grant request: $2,400,000. Total project cost: $4,800,000. |
| Expand infrastructure for a native plant and habitat restoration facility. Funds support expansion of existing successful business. Grant request: $150,000. Total project cost: $1,004,000. |
| Stabilization of a riverfront bank to foster investment and reinvestment in riverside businesses, and help preserve historic downtown area. Grant request: $350,000. Total project cost: $700,000. |
| Controlled access at SR-92, with street, telecommunications, and sewer infrastructure. Grant request: $3,000,000. Total project cost: $11,816,000. |
| Design phase of stormwater detention facility. Grant request: $500,000. Total project cost: $1,000,000. |
For additional information, please contact Ivan Miller, 206-464-7549 email imiller@psrc.org, or Richard Berndt, 206- 587-5061 email rberndt@psrc.org, or visit the Regional Council's website at psrc.org.
Puget Sound Milestones --
Two new chapters of the Regional Economic Profile, Chapter 4: Industry Clusters, and Chapter 5: Comparison to Peer Regions are now available on the Regional Council's Web site, psrc.org or from the Information Center 206-464-7532 or infoctr@psrc.org
FAST Takes Aim at Global Competiveness
In Gateway regions like ours it's important to focus on the movement of freight and goods within and through the region. The freight story involves four transportation modes -- rail, highway, maritime and air -- and their inter-modal connections at our three deepwater ports in Tacoma, Seattle and Everett and our several rail yards.
The FAST-Corridor interagency team (FAST-CAST) is taking a fresh look at freight issues and global competitiveness. This work will build on our success. The region is nationally recognized for its Regional Freight Mobility Roundtable and FAST Corridor, its action agenda to build projects. Most of the 15 FAST Phase I projects from Everett to Tacoma are either completed or underway. Another 10 Phase II projects are in the works.
Contributors to new dialogue have included: Scott Garl from the Boeing Company (psrc.org/projects/freight/boeing.htm ), Doug Baker of United Parcel Service, Dan Gatchet for the trucking industry (Puget Sound Trucking), Kent Christopher and Doug Ljungren from the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma, Cliff Benson from the Puget Sound Steamship Operators Association, and Chris Fidler from the air cargo industry (DHL/Airborne Express). Railroads are also represented.
Dr. Jess Browning, Director Emeritus of the University of Washington Global Trade Transportation & Logistics program has helped launch the new effort. Browning describes the pattern of emerging markets and production centers on the far side of the Pacific, and outlines the regional "Pentaport" strategy being developed in South Korea for that region. Pentaport is a five point integrated action plan with business, technological, leisure, airport and marine elements. An environmental component is also included.
 Port of Seattle Commissioner Patricia Davis, PSRC President and Seattle Councilmember Richard McIver, new state Transportation Commissioner Dan O'Neal, Senator Patty Murray and Seattle Councilmember Richard Conlin join in cutting the ribbon on the new SR 519 Atlantic Street Overpass, one of the first 15 FAST-Corridor projects, funded in part via PSRC. |
Key competitiveness questions for the Puget Sound include: What is the big picture? What is the most critical issue in the next five years? How should we position the region and state in an increasingly competitive global economy? The objective is to "define the core freight strategies and opportunities that FAST Corridor partners can implement to strengthen our national and state economic interests and competitiveness."
The FAST-CAST intends to craft a vision and new actions to build on the results already delivered. Some of this work will fold into the updates of VISION 2020 and Destination 2030, the region's long-range transportation plan.
The FAST Corridor is co-sponsored by the Washington State Department of Transportation and the PSRC. For more information contact Pete Beaulieu
206-464-7537 or pbeaulieu@psrc.org.
SAVE THE DATE! -- 12-12-2003
VISION 2020 Update Workshop
The workshop will be a key meeting with resource agencies, environmental interests, community development groups, and private sector interests and will help frame the VISION 2020 Update Scoping Process. The all-day workshop will be held at the Seattle Center Olympic Room on December 12, 2003. More information is available on the Regional Council Web site, psrc.org.
Regional Council Revises Policy and Plan Review Process
The Regional Council's Executive Board has adopted revisions to the process for reviewing local comprehensive plans, countywide planning policies, and transit agency plans. This process guides the Council's review of these various plans for consistency with the regional transportation plan, Destination 2030 as well as certification responsibilities under the Washington State Growth Management Act.
The revisions were developed to reflect work of the policy boards over the past 18 months to implement Destination 2030. Primary revisions to the process include:
- Identification of the physical design guidelines established in Destination 2030.
- Provision of guidance for the review and certification of plans for formally designated regional growth centers.
- Provision of additional guidance for reviewing and commenting on transit agency plans.
The revised Policy and Plan Review Process is available online at psrc.org or from the Information Center, 206- 464-7532 or infoctr@psrc.org. For more information contact, Rocky Piro at 206-464-6360, e-mail rpiro@psrc.org.
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| Newly Available Census 2000 Data Illustrate Diverse Commute Modes |
Journey-to-work data from the 2000 Census show some interesting, though not unexpected, patterns. Residents of military bases and adjoining towns reported the shortest average commutes. Ferryboat riders and workers from the more remote corners of the region reported the longest average commutes. Residents of Seattle and cross-Sound places reported the highest transit shares. Seattle, Bremerton, and Olympia have the highest shares of walk and bike trips. Central and South Seattle, Bremerton, and Tacoma have the highest percentage of zero-vehicle households. And working at home tends to be associated with higher household incomes.
Table 1 shows data from the 20 largest places in the region, including the number of workers, mode to work, duration of commute, and household vehicle availability. Figure 1 identifies those cities and Census Designated Places (CDPs) with the highest shares of work-at-home. Many of these places also have high average household incomes.
The full version of this issue of Puget Sound Trends is available on the Regional Council's Web site, psrc.org, or from the Information Center at 206-464-7532 or infoctr@psrc.org. Please contact Larry Blain at 206-464-5402 or lblain@psrc.org with questions about this Trend.
| Table 1 -- Journey To Work Data For The Twenty Largest Places | ||||||||
Place |
Workers |
Drive Alone |
Carpool |
Transit |
Walk/Bike |
At Home |
Average Duration |
Households with Zero Vehicles |
| Seattle in 3 parts | (minutes) | |||||||
| North Seattle | 135420 | 59.2% | 11.9% | 16.9% | 7.3% | 4.7% | 24.6 | 11.6% |
| South Seattle | 87025 | 62.4% | 15.3% | 15.6% | 3.1% | 3.7% | 26.9 | 14.7% |
| Central Seattle | 86434 | 49.6% | 9.6% | 20.0% | 15.6% | 5.3% | 23.1 | 24.0% |
| Tacoma | 85355 | 73.3% | 15.1% | 5.1% | 2.8% | 3.6% | 25.4 | 12.1% |
| Bellevue | 56445 | 74.0% | 11.3% | 6.6% | 3.0% | 5.2% | 21.6 | 5.6% |
| Everett | 41800 | 71.5% | 17.8% | 4.0% | 3.4% | 3.3% | 27.2 | 9.4% |
| Federal Way | 41240 | 73.8% | 16.1% | 5.8% | 1.4% | 2.9% | 30.2 | 6.1% |
| Kent | 39565 | 73.5% | 15.5% | 5.6% | 2.2% | 3.2% | 28.7 | 7.6% |
| Kirkland | 26820 | 76.3% | 10.6% | 5.4% | 2.3% | 5.3% | 21.9 | 4.2% |
| Renton | 26695 | 72.9% | 15.8% | 6.1% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 27.7 | 8.5% |
| Shoreline | 26215 | 70.2% | 13.6% | 10.1% | 2.1% | 4.1% | 26.9 | 6.4% |
| Redmond | 25640 | 76.1% | 11.8% | 4.2% | 3.6% | 4.3% | 20.7 | 5.1% |
| Lakewood | 24480 | 75.3% | 15.8% | 3.9% | 2.5% | 2.4% | 25.2 | 10.6% |
| Olympia | 21610 | 71.2% | 12.8% | 5.1% | 7.5% | 3.4% | 19.9 | 10.8% |
| Edmonds | 19710 | 76.6% | 10.5% | 6.4% | 1.6% | 4.8% | 27.6 | 4.3% |
| Auburn | 18920 | 72.9% | 15.8% | 4.9% | 3.5% | 2.9% | 27.8 | 9.4% |
| Seattle Hill-Silver Firs CDP | 18075 | 78.5% | 14.2% | 4.0% | 0.3% | 3.0% | 29.5 | 2.2% |
| Cascade-Fairwood CDP | 18040 | 76.9% | 13.9% | 5.4% | 0.7% | 3.1% | 30.3 | 4.4% |
| Sammamish | 17145 | 79.7% | 9.6% | 2.1% | 1.1% | 7.6% | 30.3 | 0.9% |
| Lynnwood | 16615 | 70.3% | 15.4% | 7.5% | 2.8% | 4.0% | 27.6 | 9.3% |
| Notes: "Place" is an incorporated city or other densely settled area locally named. For this analysis, Seattle has been divided at the ship canal and at yesler way into north, central, and south parts. "Workers" are residents who reported a place of work (paid or volunteer) the week prior to completing the 2000 census. "Carpool" includes vehicles with two or more people, taxis, and motorcycles. "Transit" includes bus, streetcar, rail, elevated rail, and ferry boat. | ||||||||
| Figure 1 - Work-at-Home and Household Income |
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| 206-464-7532 - FAX 206-587-4825 - infoctr@psrc.org |
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