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Planning for Equity
PSRC incorporates equity and social justice in its regional growth, transportation, and economic development planning.
Last Updated:
Jul 31, 2018
The region's vision for 2050 is to provide exceptional quality of life, opportunity for all, connected communities, a spectacular natural environment, and an innovative, thriving economy.
Northgate Transit Center, Seattle
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What is VISION 2050?
VISION 2050 is the region’s plan for growth. By 2050, the region's population will reach 5.8 million people. The region’s cities, counties, tribes, ports, agencies, businesses, and communities have worked together to develop VISION 2050 to prepare for this growth and serve as a guide for sustaining a healthy environment, thriving communities and a strong economy. VISION 2050 is a plan for the long-term that can be adjusted as the region changes. Impacts due to COVID-19 are being monitored for future consideration.
Why is VISION 2050 important?
VISION 2050’s multicounty planning policies, actions, and regional growth strategy guide how and where the region grows through 2050. The plan informs updates to the Regional Transportation Plan and Regional Economic Strategy. VISION 2050 also sets the stage for updates to countywide planning policies and local comprehensive plans done by cities and counties.
What's in VISION 2050?
- Browse the plan overview below or download the plan overview flyer
- Read an overview of how VISION 2050 evolved from VISION 2040
- View a matrix of how VISION 2050 differs from VISION 2040 at the policy level
Introduction & Overview: The Region's Vision for 2050
The central Puget Sound region provides exceptional quality of life, opportunity for all, connected communities, a spectacular natural environment, and an innovative, thriving economy.
Multicounty Planning Policies
VISION 2050’s multicounty planning policies (MPPs) serve many purposes. MPPs provide a framework for updating countywide planning policies. Cities and counties use MPPs as a guide when updating local comprehensive plans. At PSRC, VISION 2050 and the MPPs inform updates to the Regional Transportation Plan and Regional Economic Strategy. The MPPs provide policy direction for the implementing the Regional Growth Strategy. VISION 2050 actions outline responsibilities and tasks for PSRC, local governments, and others to implement the plan. Learn more about regional planning.
VISION 2050 works to...
Provide opportunities for all. Ensuring that all people have the resources and opportunities to improve their quality of life is essential. The plan addresses current and past inequities, particularly among communities of color, people with low-incomes, and historically underserved communities. Learn more about planning for equity.
Increase housing choices and affordability. The region is experiencing a housing affordability crisis. VISION 2050 identifies coordinated strategies, policies, and actions to expand housing options and create greater affordability. Learn more about the Regional Housing Strategy.
Sustain a strong economy. VISION 2050 plans for economic growth and opportunity that creates widespread prosperity and living-wage jobs throughout the region. The plan encourages more dispersed job growth, especially in Snohomish, Pierce, and Kitsap counties, to provide greater access to employment and better balance of jobs and housing. Learn more about the Regional Economic Strategy.
Significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change is an urgent environmental, economic, and equity threat being addressed at all levels, from the local to an international scale. VISION 2050 outlines how state, regional and local partners can act in coordination to reduce emissions in the region and prepare for climate impacts. View the climate change analysis completed for the 2018 Regional Transportation Plan.
Keep the region moving. VISION 2050 lays out a foundation for completing regional transportation investments and future work to strengthen connections to and between the region’s centers. The plan prioritizes transportation funding investments that support regional growth centers and manufacturing/industrial centers. Learn more about the Regional Transportation Plan.
Restore the health of the Puget Sound. The region has made progress restoring the health of Puget Sound, but significant challenges remain. VISION 2050 establishes a coordinated approach to watershed planning to restore the health of Puget Sound. Learn more about Stormwater and Watershed Planning.
Protect a network of open space. A healthy natural environment is the foundation for the region’s high quality of life and thriving economy. VISION 2050 plans for the protection and enhancement of natural areas through regional, collaborative approaches that leverage local, county, and stakeholder actions. Learn more about the Regional Open Space Conservation Plan.
Grow in centers and near transit. Adding jobs and housing in more compact, walkable, transit-served locations will help reduce environmental impacts, lessen congestion, and improve health outcomes. VISION 2050 supports planning for vibrant, attractive neighborhoods with access to jobs, schools, and services. Learn more about Centers.
Act collaboratively and support local efforts. Achieving VISION 2050 cannot be accomplished through individual efforts alone. VISION 2050 calls for coordinated planning between cities, counties, agencies, tribes, and military installations. Learn more about regional collaboration through PSRC's Executive Board.
Regional Growth Strategy
The Regional Growth Strategy defines roles for different types of places in accommodating the region's population and employment growth, which inform countywide growth targets, local plans and regional plans. The Regional Growth Strategy assumes 65% of the region's population growth and 75% of the region's job growth will locate in regional growth centers and near high-capacity transit. The VISION 2050 Supplemental EIS studies the environmental outcomes of the Regional Growth Strategy. Learn more about guidance to implement the Regional Growth Strategy.
This graphic shows how cities and unincorporated areas are categorized by "regional geographies" and how much growth is allocated to each geography. Snohomish County Cities & Towns and Rural figures are rounded to the nearest half percent and 500 population. Other figures are rounded to the nearest whole percentage and 1000 population. Tribal lands are also identified as a regional geography in VISION 2050.
Implementation
VISION 2050 is implemented through the collective work of PSRC, counties, cities, and other agency partners. The plan includes actions to guide regional and local implementation. Local comprehensive plans largely implement VISION 2050.
PSRC supports implementation through:
- Local assistance and planning guidance
- Policy and plan review
- Regional transportation planning and funding
- Regional economic development planning
Featured Implementation Projects