Transportation 2040 provides for the development of new administrative procedures for the admittance of new projects into the plan, changes in project status, etc., as discussed in Chapter 7 of the Transportation 2040 plan document. In the interim PSRC will retain its existing processes for project status changes and the corresponding policy connections to the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Appendix M provides detailed information on the subset of Transportation 2040 investments that add capacity to Metropolitan Transportation System (MTS) facilities and are therefore subject to the Approval Process. Appendix D provides information on the MTS. Transportation 2040 Chapter 7, “Future Planning, Programming, and Implementation” contains more information on these activities.

Admission to Transportation 2040:

Transportation 2040 commits the region to revising the processes it uses to admit MTS capacity investments to the plan while also specifying an evaluation framework to use when considering admission. Until the revisions are complete, new admissions to the plan will occur on a minimal basis and be taken case by case through-out the interim period (until the expected General Assembly action of the new procedures in May 2012).

Project Updates:

Transportation 2040 strives to keep the investments listed as current as possible, however, given the ongoing nature of these investments sponsors should monitor the status of their projects and provide updated information to PSRC as necessary. To update an existing Transportation 2040 investment, please submit a formal request with the appropriate changes specified. Please NOTE that any changes that significantly alter the scope of an investment will be handled on a case by case basis and will be subject to the same guidelines as adding new investments. Sample letters and a schedule are provided below:
• Example letter: Refinement for Scope Change [pdf]
• Example letter: Refinement to Segment a Project [pdf]
• 2011 Application Schedule [pdf]

Candidate to Approval Process:

Transportation 2040 policies require PSRC’s Executive Board to approve regionally significant transportation capacity projects before those projects enter implementation phases. Project sponsors are responsible for requesting approval in a timely manner. Regional Council staff are committed to working with sponsors to ensure that projects meet the approval requirements and move smoothly toward implementation. For detailed information, see page M.4 of Appendix M.

Projects Affected
The approval process requirement only applies to regionally significant projects. This means they must be on a Metropolitan Transportation System (MTS) facility AND expand transportation system capacity.
• See page M.5, Figure M.2 of Appendix M for a look-up chart for the projects requiring Approval.
• For MTS maps please refer to Appendix D of the Transportation 2040 plan, “The Metropolitan Transportation System”
• NOTE: MTS facilities are subject to change

Timeline
Approval is granted by PSRC Executive Board action as recommended by the Transportation Policy Board. For application due dates see the Application Schedule [pdf] or the Board Meeting Schedule for exact dates of meetings.

How-To and Timing
PSRC offers a one-page checklist [pdf] of items your Approval requests should include. The introduction to Appendix M covers all details on the administrative procedures governing the Approval process and how to submit Approval requests.

Examples
The following are examples of successful Approval requests based on real projects.
• Example letter: Approval Request, roadway project (WSDOT) [pdf]
• Example letter: Approval Request and description change, roadway project (locally sponsored) [pdf]
• Example letter: Approval Request, Non-Motorized project (locally sponsored) [pdf]
• Example: Consistency with Multicounty Planning Policies Statement [pdf]
• Example: Financial Summary Statement [pdf]

Regional Transportation Improvement Program

Projects listed in Transportation 2040 cover a 30-year plan horizon. To implement that plan, PSRC administers the Regional Transportation Improvement Program, which is a four-year programming document. Project sponsors apply to PSRC to submit their projects in the TIP (see TIP Applications page for more information).

Transportation 2040 and the Regional TIP are separate documents. Not all projects explicitly listed in Transportation 2040 will be found in the current TIP, and not all projects with funds in the current TIP will be explicitly listed in the plan. However, before regionally significant capacity projects may be programmed in the TIP the projects must be contained in Transportation 2040. A thorough review of each project’s scope and other information is conducted before a project is submitted into the TIP. Candidate projects may program all phases in the TIP, but may not proceed to implementation (i.e. obligate right of way and/or construction funding) until Approval has been granted under the procedures outlined above.

Check the Approval Status in the TIP and Transportation 2040
Reports from PSRC’s databases are placed on the website at regular intervals.
• TIP project status information can be found in the TIP Appendix A listings. This is updated monthly and will have the most recent status information.
• The entire project listing for Transportation 2040 is contained in Appendix M which also shows project approval status. [For explanation of the codes used in the project lists, see Figure M.1 in Appendix M.] Transportation 2040 Appendix M is updated at less frequent intervals.

Printed copies of the project lists are available from the PSRC Information Center, info@psrc.org, 206-464-7532.