Destination 2030, the central Puget Sound region's transportation plan, details fixes for the worst congestion bottlenecks in the region. An ongoing task in the plan is to measure how traffic conditions improve after transportation investments are made, and to identify improvements within problem areas.

The Regional Council is developing ways to measure progress in implementing the Destination 2030 plan. A major goal of this work is to measure and alleviate congestion on highways and arterials using the region's Congestion Management System (CMS). The CMS provides feedback to decision makers on the best ways to make our transportation system work better. The CMS collects data on transportation system performance and develops strategies to reduce congestion and enhance the mobility of people and goods.

There are many ways to measure congestion. One example is the Washington State Department of Transportation's "travel rate index" for highway and arterial corridors. The travel rate index shows how much additional time it takes to make a trip during the peak period compared to free-flow conditions. The map shows 10 regional highway segments that currently have the highest travel rate indexes in the region.

Congestion is just one of many measures used to indicate how well transportation systems are working. Other measures track progress toward key goals such as: keeping the air clean and healthy, making roads and buses more safe, providing more access to transit, adequately maintaining roads and bridges, and managing growth. Together, these tools track performance so that adjustments can be made if things aren't working.

For more information, contact Ralph Cipriani at (206) 464-7122 or Karen Richter at (206) 464-6343.

Peak Hour Congestion on Central Puget Sound Highways and Freeway Corridors Ten locations with the Highest Travel Rate Index (1998 base year)

1	I-5: I-90 to SR 2 travel rate index: 2.51 (151 % longer)
2	I-405: I-5 (Tukwila) to I-90 travel rate index: 2.45 (145 % longer)
3	I-5: Lakewood (SR 512) to Seattle (1-90) travel rate index: 2.32 (132 % longer)
4	SR 2: I-5 to SR 9 travel rate index: 2.11 (111 % longer)
5	I-405: I-90 to I-5 (Lynnwood) travel rate index: 2.05 (105 % longer)
6	I-90: I-5 to I-405 travel rate index: 1.32 (32 % longer)
7	SR 520: I-5 to I-405 travel rate index: 1.31 (31 % longer)
8	SR 520: I-405 to SR 202 travel rate index: 1.27 (27 % longer)
9	I-5: Thurston/Pierce County Line to Lakewood (SR 512) travel rate index: 1.27 (27 % longer)
10	SR 16: Tacoma (I-5) to Gig Harbor travel rate index: 1.26 (26 % longer)

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Note: The 10 highway segments shown on the above map have the worst peak hour congestion of all state highways in the central Puget Sound region. The travel rate index is a measure of how much longer it takes during peak time to travel a certain distance compared to free-flow conditions. 1.00 = no significant delay. 1.50 = 50% longer. 2.50 = 150% longer. Source: Washington State Department of Transportation.

VISION 2020 Award Nominations Due December 31 There's still time to submit a nomination for the annual VISION 2020 Awards program. The VISION 2020 Awards recognize outstanding work around the region to achieve our growth and transportation strategy, VISION 2020. Transportation improvements, innovative housing, parks and open space programs, and many other efforts that improve quality of life in the region are eligible to apply. Anyone may propose a nomination. The deadline is December 31, 2001. To receive the VISION 2020 award nomination materials, contact Anne Avery at (206) 587-4818, aavery@psrc.org, or go to the Web at www.psrc.org/projects/awards/index.htm. Back to top Attention PSRC Members Executive Board Appointments Due in January In January the Regional Council will invite members to appoint or reappoint their representatives and alternates on the Executive Board and Operations Committee. The 26-member Executive Board carries out the delegated powers and responsibilities of the Regional Council between meetings of the General Assembly. The Operations Committee, composed of 10 members selected from the Executive Board, reviews and makes recommendations to the Executive Board on the budget and work program, and on contracts and other financial and personnel issues. As specified in the Regional Council's Interlocal Agreement, representation on the Executive Board is proportional to the region's population. Appointments and/or reappointments are due by January 18. For a listing of the current representatives on the Executive Board and Operations Committee, or for other information, call Sylvia Nelson at (206) 464-7518. Back to top Housing Starts Declining in Central Puget Sound Region Net total housing starts (gross housing starts adjusted for demolitions/losses) in the central Puget Sound region declined for the second consecutive year during 2000. A net total of 26,020 housing units were authorized for construction, down slightly from 27,100 units in 1999 and 28,690 units in 1998. The single family housing sector, which had been quite level from 1997 to 1999 (ranging between 13,710 and 13,840 units per year), fell off by 1,660 units or 12.1 percent from 1999 to 2000. The multifamily sector, by contrast, showed a slight increase of 920 units or 7.9 percent from 1999 to 2000. Together, the net total number of housing starts for the region stayed well within levels established since 1996 when activity in the residential development market picked up after a lull from 1991 to 1995. Figure 1. Net Permitted Housing Units by Structure Type, Central Puget Sound: 1980-2000 Net single family housing starts fell off slightly in all four counties from 1999 to 2000, while net authorized multifamily construction saw increases in all counties but Snohomish, where it remained level. Across housing sectors, net permitted residential development from 1999 to 2000 stayed essentially flat in King County, increased slightly in Kitsap County, where the multifamily development market showed signs of a rebound from three previous years of stagnant activity, and fell off in Pierce and Snohomish counties. Figure 2. Net Permitted Housing Units by Permit Activity and Structure Type by County, Central Puget Sound: 1999 and 2000     Permitted Housing Units By Permit Activity Net Permitted Housing Units By Structure Type County Year New Units Lost Units Net Units Single Family Mobile Home Multi-Family King 1999 13,930 -1,480 12,450 4,290 210 7,960 2000 13,690 -1,450 12,240 3,770 140 8,330 Kitsap 1999 1,520 -80 1,430 1,100 320 20 2000 1,580 -80 1,500 1,020 280 200 Pierce 1999 6,380 -390 5,990 4,210 750 1,020 2000 6,080 -320 5,750 3,670 730 1,360 Snohomish 1999 7,440 -210 7,230 4,200 430 2,600 2000 6,780 -250 6,530 3,680 230 2,620 Central Puget Sound Region 1999 29,260 -2,160 27,100 13,790 1,700 11,600 2000 28,120 -2,100 26,020 12,130 1,370 12,520 For questions regarding the data presented in this article, contact Carol Naito at (206) 464-7535 or cnaito@psrc.org. Notes: Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10, and may appear to sum incorrectly as a result. The data presented in this issue of Puget Sound Trends are derived from the Regional Council's Residential Building Permit Database. The Regional Council annually collects permit data from each local jurisdiction in the region for all authorized building activities that result in a housing unit gain or loss. Individual permit records are geocoded and compiled into an electronic database, summaries of which are available to the general public.

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