RAMP 6/1 @ 8AM

AGENDA  -  June 1, 2016

The Fabulich Center

3600 Port of Tacoma Road; 98424

  

8:00     Welcome & Self-Introductions                                  

  

8:05     2016 RAMP Feedback Survey                             

            https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2016RAMP

      

8:10     I-5 Construction Project Updates: Pierce County HOV Lanes & I-5/SR-16 Interchange

            Jon Deffenbacher, WSDOT

  

8:40     Freight Mobility & FAST Act Funding Advisory Committee

            Sean Ardussi, Puget Sound Regional Council

  

8:50     Round Robin

  

9:00     Closing Remarks & Adjourn

  

Next RAMP Meeting

9/7/16 @ 8AM

(No July/August Meeting)

RAMP is a regional coalition including business, labor, public and private organizations and citizens dedicated to improved mobility in the South Sound and Washington State.  Our mission is to ensure a healthy regional economy associated with the development of an effective, efficient transportation system and the resources to sustain it. RAMP is co-chaired by Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy, Port of Tacoma Commissioner Don Meyer and Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber President & CEO Tom Pierson.  

RAMP 8/6/14 Presentation: I-5: M Street to Portland Avenue; Construction coming soon

At last week's RAMP meeting, Claudia Bingham Baker, Communications Manager WSDOT's Olympic Region, gave an overview of the construction getting underway within the next month or two.  This construction will significantly affect traffic flows over I-5 as two bridge replacements were undertaken.

The presentation was so popular, WSDOT provided it to us for further distribution.

The PDF can be found here.

RAMP 6/4/14 @ 8AM

 

AGENDA  -  June 4, 2014

The Fabulich Center

3600 Port of Tacoma Road; 98424

8:00     Welcome & Self-Introductions                                  

8:10     Federal Surface Transportation Reauthorization

            Allison Camden, Federal Relations Manager, WSDOT

8:30     Governor’s Carbon Emissions Reduction Task Force

            Matt Steuerwalt, Governor’s Executive Policy Director
            Charles Knutson, Governor’s Senior Policy Advisor for Transportation

8:55     Round Robin/Good of the Order

9:00     Closing Remarks & Adjourn

Next RAMP Meeting

July 2nd, 2014
Fabulich Center; 3600 Port of Tacoma Road; 98424

RAMP is a regional coalition including business, labor, public and private organizations and citizens dedicated to improved mobility in the South Sound and Washington State.  Our mission is to ensure a healthy regional economy associated with the development of an effective, efficient transportation system and the resources to sustain it. RAMP is co-chaired by Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy, Port of Tacoma CEO John Wolfe and Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber President & CEO Tom Pierson. 

11/6/13 RAMP 8AM

AGENDA  -  November 6, 2013

The Fabulich Center

3600 Port of Tacoma Road; 98424

8:00     Welcome & Self-Introductions                                  

            Pat McCarthy, RAMP Co-Chair, Pierce County Executive

8:05     Point Defiance Bypass Rail Project

            David Smelser, Cascades High Speed Rail Program Manager

8:20     Sound Transit Updates:

            - Tacoma Trestle Replacement
            - Long Range Planning
            Chelsea Levy, Sound Transit

8:45     State Transportation Package

            Tom Pierson, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber President & CEO

8:50     Round Robin

9:00     Closing Remarks & Adjourn

            John Wolfe, RAMP Co-Chair, Port of Tacoma CEO            

Next RAMP Meeting

TBD

RAMP is a regional coalition including business, labor, public and private organizations and citizens dedicated to improved mobility in the South Sound and Washington State.  Our mission is to ensure a healthy regional economy associated with the development of an effective, efficient transportation system and the resources to sustain it. RAMP is co-chaired by Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy, Port of Tacoma CEO John Wolfe and Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber President & CEO Tom Pierson. 

10/2 RAMP 8AM

 

AGENDA  -  October 2, 2013

The Fabulich Center

3600 Port of Tacoma Road; 98424

 

8:00     Welcome & Self-Introductions                                  

            John Wolfe, RAMP Co-Chair, Port of Tacoma CEO

  

8:05     Transportation in Washington

            Lynn Peterson, Secretary of Transportation

            Washington State Department of Transportation

 

8:25     Q&A on Washington Transportation

 

8:45     Round Robin

     

9:00     Closing Remarks & Adjourn

            Tom Pierson, RAMP Co-Chair, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber President & CEO

 

Next RAMP Meeting

November 6^th, 2013

Fabulich Center; 3600 Port of Tacoma Road; 98424

 

RAMP is a regional coalition including business, labor, public and private organizations and citizens dedicated to improved mobility in the South Sound and Washington State.  Our mission is to ensure a healthy regional economy associated with the development of an effective, efficient transportation system and the resources to sustain it. RAMP is co-chaired by Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy, Port of Tacoma CEO John Wolfe and Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber President & CEO Tom Pierson. 

I-5 South 38th Street Exit to Open Early

Good news for Tacoma area motorists—the new I-5 South 38th Street exit is set to open early. Currently, the 38th Street exit, which provides access to the Tacoma Mall and is a part of the I-5/SR 16 Eastbound Nalley Valley project, is closed to traffic. The new ramp, which was originally scheduled to open the end of next month, will now open early due to, “Good weather, detailed planning and rapid progress” (Baker, 2013, para. 2).

In a press release last week, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) said the exit could reopen as early as Tuesday, but noted that “a dry night for roadway striping is necessary to tie the new ramp into the highway” (para. 5). The recent rain in the area may briefly postpone the early reopening.

For more updates and information on this project, visit WSDOT’s website.

References

Baker, C. B. (2013). New I-5 exit to South 38th St. opens five weeks early. Olympia, WA: WSDOT.

Tacoma Amtrak Station Relocation

The past few months local officials, concerned citizens, business representatives, and other key stakeholders came together to form a Citizen Advisory Committee and reviewed a proposal by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) that would relocate Tacoma’s Amtrak train station, currently located at 1001 Puyallup Avenue, to the Freighthouse Square mixed –use retail facility at 25-1 East “D” Street.

The relocation of the station is due to the Point Defiance Bypass Project, which will reroute passenger trains to an existing rail line along the west side of I-5 through south Tacoma, Lakewood, and DuPont.

The Committee developed 25 initial recommendations that were organized into four broad categories consistent with the long-term goals of the Dome District where the current and future station is located. These recommendations were then shortened and prioritized.

The most significant recommendation was related to the “blockage of East “C” and East “D” streets by trains, train-related safety gates, safety arms, or signaling devices that occur when trains are passing in order to improve pedestrian and vehicular north-south circulation throughout the district.”

The Committee noted that WSDOT’s current proposal of relocating the Amtrak train station to Freighthouse Square would result in these streets being blocked for a longer period of time than currently, because of the increased length of the Amtrak trains. Tacoma City Councilman David Boe also pointed out critical safety issues related to this recommendation, since increased wait times may entice impatient drivers and pedestrians to go around safety gates and related devices.

The Committee recommends placing the station platform onto the trestle to the east. The current Tacoma Trestle is a 100 year old, wooden, single-track trestle leading up to Freighthouse Square. The aging trestle needs to be replaced with a new concrete double track structure anyway, adding weight to the Committee’s recommendation to build the platform on the trestle.

In addition, the Committee noted the importance of having the Amtrak station located in Tacoma and the Dome District, creating a transit hub and making it easy for travelers to visit downtown Tacoma, UWT, the Glass Museum, and other key places. 

Other Committee recommendations were related to noise, parking, traffic circulation, urban and station design, and can be found in the City’s website.

Lane Closures on I-5 around DuPont

From WSDOT:

"Starting next week, motorists will encounter single and multiple lane closures during night hours in both directions of Interstate 5 near DuPont as crews begin a project to replace over 4.5 miles of concrete median barrier.  

Crews will close a single lane of northbound and southbound I-5 between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 4-5, to install construction signs. Barrier work, and multiple night lane closures, will begin the following week. From 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, Sept. 10 through Friday, Sept. 14, crews will close multiple lanes of southbound and northbound I-5 starting near Berkeley Ave. 

The closures will be repeated in both directions of I-5 in various locations within the project limits through mid-October."

Truckers back completion of SR-167

Several trucking companies from around Washington state joined the chorus calling on lawmakers to complete SR 167, a critical freight corridor of state and national significance. Finishing the remaining six miles to SR 167 from its end in Puyallup to the Port industrial area will improve access to the Port of Tacoma. 

Trucking companies expressing their support for the project include Premier Transport, PCC Logistics, Tacoma Transload and D&B Trucking of Tacoma, Tyson Trucking of Eatonville, American Container Transport of Ellensburg, Truck Force of Vancouver and Truck Express of Covington. 

For more information on SR-167, please see: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR167/TacomaToEdgewood/

RAMP 6/6 @ 8AM

Agenda - 6/6/12

The Fabulich Center

3600 Port of Tacoma Road

; 98424

8:00     Welcome & Self-Introductions                                  

            Tom Pierson, Co-Chair, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber             

8:05     SR-520 Bridge & Pierce County

            Julie Meredith, WSDOT

8:20     Puyallup River Bridge Construction

            Chris Larson, City of Tacoma

8:35     Port of Tacoma Strategic Plan Update

            Don Meyer, Port of Tacoma Commissioner

8:45     Round Robin

     

9:00     Closing Remarks & Adjourn

            Pat McCarthy, Co-Chair, Pierce County

           

Next RAMP Meeting

Wednesday, September 5^th - 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. – The Fabulich Center

RAMP is a regional coalition including business, labor, public and private organizations and citizens dedicated to improved mobility in the South Sound and Washington State.  Our mission is to ensure a healthy regional economy associated with the development of an effective, efficient transportation system and the resources to sustain it. RAMP is co-chaired by Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy, Port of Tacoma CEO John Wolfe and Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber President & CEO Tom Pierson. 

State Asks For Transportation Feedback

The Washington State Transportation Commission is asking for feedback on transportation in Washington.  This includes the roads, highways, bridges, public transit, rail, ferries, airports, sidewalks & bike lanes that connect the state to move people and goods.

The survey covers topics regarding transportation priorities, funding mechanisms, and long-term efforts.  With such a comprehensive subject, the survey is about 50 questions long and takes some time to finish.  Luckily, the WSTC has enabled a mechanism allowing you to save the survey and return to it later.  While you will have about two weeks to complete the survey, we would you encourage you to start it today and make sure your priorities for both the Tacoma-Pierce County area and the state are represented.

Survey: http://www.voiceofwashingtonsurvey.org/

Grants for Goods Movement

Today, FHWA announced it was soliciting applications for grant programs totaling an estimated $430 million nationwide. In previous years, some funding for these grant programs was designated by Congress and the remainder was discretionary and awarded through a competitive process. In the FY11 budget passed in April, Congress directed that all funds were discretionary.

WSDOT must submit all applications to FHWA by the close of business on June 3rd.  APPLICATIONS DUE TO WSDOT BY MAY 20!

The FHWA administers discretionary programs through its various offices. These discretionary programs represent special funding categories where FHWA solicits for candidates and selects projects for funding based on applications received. Each program has its own eligibility and selection criteria that are established by law, by regulation, or administratively. Descriptions for each program, along with selection criteria, are available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/discretionary

FHWA Administrator Victor Mendez identified the following goal for the 2011 Discretionary Program: “FHWA’s goal is to get these funds put to work as quickly as possible, providing needed transportation improvements and supporting economic growth. To that end, they are advancing these programs on an accelerated timeframe.”

Please send a copy of ALL project applications to your MPO and WSDOT (hlpgrants@wsdot.wa.gov) by the end of the day Friday, May 20th. MPOs will review the projects for consistency with the statewide and metropolitan planning requirements.

In addition, MPOs will prioritize the Public Lands Highways and Transportation, Community and System Preservation projects for their region and submit to WSDOT (taxs@wsdot.wa.gov) by the end of the day Wednesday, May 25th.

The details and applications for each of the programs are posted at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/discretionary  The nine programs for which Washington is eligible and approximate amounts of funding available Nationwide (including any carryover funding from previous years) are as follows:

• Ferry Boat Program - $42,479,303
• Highways for Life Program - $22,622,895
• Innovative Bridge Research and Deployment Program - $4,163,000
• Interstate Maintenance Program - $93,202,918
• National Scenic Byways Program - $40,542,344
• Public Lands Highway Program - $94,588,680
• Rail Highway Crossing Elimination in High Speed Rail Corridors - $33,313,210
• Transportation, Community and System Preservation Program - $57,085,000
• Truck Parking Pilot Program - $7,300,000

Final prioritization for PLHD, TCSP, Ferry Boat and Rail Highway Crossing programs will be by a team with representatives from Association of Washington Cities, Washington State Association of Counties and WSDOT.