RAMP Agenda for May Meeting

Rachel Smith, Sound Transit, "D to M Street Construction Update"

Ron Landon, Program Manager, Olympic Region, WSDOT
"The Region's Project Scoping Program"

Scott Boettcher, ORA Special Project Consultant
"iPRMT: Getting environmental permitting right the first time"

iPRMT is a web-based application developed and hosted by the Governor’s Office of Regulatory Assistance (ORA) with the assistance of the Washington State Association of Counties, the Association of Washington Cities and a multi-agency advisory group and business team. One of the primary purposes of iPRMT is to help applicant develop complete and “ready-for-review” permitting applications. Complete and “ready-for-review” permitting application move through the regulatory decision-making process much more smoothly and predictably and save everyone time and money (agencies and applicants alike). The first permitting application being supported by iPRMT is JARPA (Joint Aquatic Resource Permit). Scott Boettcher will provide a brief overview of iPRMT and take questions. You can read more about iPRMT at http://ora.wa.gov/regulatory/projectreview.asp

George Walk, Dir., Gov't. Relations, Pierce County
"Legislative Report/Project List/Budget Language"

Wednesday, May 4
8:00 a.m.
Fabulich Center
3600 Port of Tacoma Rd., Tacoma 98421

WA Truck Tracking Pilot Project

This morning, Barbara Ivanov, Co-director of WSDOT's Freight Systems Division, presented a briefing to the RAMP attendees about the Truck Tracking Pilot Project.

Begun by the Legislature in 2007, there is now two years of data in the central Puget Sound Region (King, Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap) and nine months of data in the balance of the state.  The project uses GPS data from about 6,000 monitored trucks (1-2% of total truck traffic) to model the value statistics:  travel time.

Already, WSDOT is able to highlight a Top 10 Worst  highway stretches for central Puget Sound and the Top 10 Worst stretches for Washington state.  This info is promised for posting on DOT's website by the end of the contracted study period - June 2011.

RAMP Agenda: WSDOT Truck Tracking

 
WSDOT Truck Tracking Pilot Project
Barb Ivanov, Co-director of WSDOT’s Freight Systems Division

Sen. Murray's Transportation Protocol
Sean Murphy, Office of Sen. Parry Murray

Wednesday, April 6, 8:00 a.m.
Fabulich Center
3600 Port of Tacoma Road

Lincoln Ave Bridge Long Term Detour

LOCATION: Lincoln Avenue bridge in Tacoma

DETAILS: The Tacoma Public Works Department will rehabilitate the Lincoln Avenue Bridge starting in May of this year. This work will require closure of the bridge for 7 months up to one year depending on weather.

DETOUR: During the bridge closure a temporary heavy haul route will use Puyallup Avenue, Pacific Avenue, and SR 509 to cross the Puyallup River. All existing heavy haul routes will remain in place except the Lincoln Ave. Bridge. This temporary route will be removed once the bridge project is complete. A detour map is attached.

MORE DETAILS: You will still need to obtain the proper permits from the City of Tacoma and from the State of Washington.

If you have questions or would like more information about the bridge project, call Dan Soderlind or at (253) 591-5263.

JBLM Growth Plan – Transportation Recommendations presented at RAMP

The goal of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) Growth Plan is to promote mutually beneficial relationships between JBLM and surrounding communities, while carefully planning and coordinating facilities and infrastructure to best serve the base and benefit local communities. The final draft of the Plan was released in mid-December and can be downloaded here: http://www.jblm-growth.com/

Dan Penrose from the City of Lakewood and Jon Pascal, a consultant for the Transpo Group presented the transportation-related recommendations in the Growth Plan to RAMP this morning. The recommendations were identified by an expert panel of community members and serve to prioritize transportation-related investments on and around JBLM.

 High priority transportation recommendations include:
1. Improve regional mobility through I-5 improvements

2. Improve regional mobility through HOV and transit improvements

3. Reduce traffic congestion through transportation demand management policies and strategies

4. Reduce military –related impacts on I-5 flow through JBLM gate and on-post transportation improvements, including completing the Joint Base connector

5. Complete the Cross-Base Highway

The News Tribune reported on the plan in late December. You can view it here:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/12/24/1477246/managing-armys-growing-pains.html

Sound Transit Plans Open Houses

In January, Sound Transit will host a series of open houses in South Sound communities to present information on the Sounder Station Access Planning Study. The agency is conducting the study to identify potential improvements in the ways commuters access its Sounder stations.

Possible improvements the agency is studying include increased parking, pedestrian sidewalks, crosswalks and bridges, bicycle commute options, and transit facility enhancements.

Open houses will include:

• A description of Sound Transit service areas, transit routes, 2011 budget, and the Sound Transit 2 program

• Objectives of and timeline for the Sounder Station Access Planning Study

• Overview of existing station access issues and discussion of potential solutions

• Informal Q & A and public comment

All events take place from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Tacoma - Tuesday, Jan. 18

University of Washington -Tacoma
Jane Russell Commons
1918 Pacific Avenue

Sumner - Wednesday, Jan. 19
Sumner School
High School Commons
1707 Main St.

Puyallup - Thursday, Jan. 20
Puyallup City Hall: Chamber Hall
333 South Meridian

Lakewood – Tuesday, Jan. 25
Lakewood Boys & Girls Club
10402 Kline St SW

Kent - Wednesday, Jan. 26
Kent Senior Activity Center
600 E. Smith Street

Auburn - Thursday, Jan. 27
Auburn City Hall: Council Chamber
25 W. Main Street

The Station Access Study is part of the ST2 regional transit funding package that voters approved in November 2008. The study is planned through 2011.

Sound Transit seeks volunteers for Citizen Oversight Panel

Sound Transit relies on the oversight and expertise from the dedicated and independent group of volunteers who make up the Citizen Oversight Panel (COP). The COP helps the agency plan, build and operate the regional mass transit system. The COP was created in 1997 to independently monitor Sound Transit and make sure it meets its commitments to build and operate a regional bus, light rail and commuter rail transit system. Voters approved local funding for the system in November 1996 and then again for major expansions in 2008.

 

The 15 COP members represent a variety of interests, professional expertise and experience. Sound Transit actively seeks to include persons from diverse backgrounds and professional areas of expertise to support agency oversight, planning and operations. Persons of color and women are encouraged to apply. The COP meets twice monthly during normal business hours and acts as an independent oversight entity by digging into agency details, asking hard questions and reporting its findings to the Sound Transit Board of Directors.

 

To Qualify You Must:

• Be a registered voter within the Sound Transit District
• Reside and/or work in King County, Pierce County or Snohomish County within the Sound Transit district boundary
• Have experience/skills in one or more areas of expertise related to the panel's responsibilities-business and finance management, engineering, large projects construction management, public facilities and service, government processes, and public policy development or review
• Be able to attend meetings twice each month during normal business hours.

To Apply:

 Submit both a one-page letter and a resume to Aaron Reardon, Sound Transit Board Chair, 401 South Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98104-2826. The materials should be received by December 30, 2010.

 

The letter should include:

• Brief statement of interest in serving on the panel
• Specific qualifications for serving on the panel
• Highlights of related experience and expertise

Appointment Process:

 

Copies of all letters and resumes will be provided to the Sound Transit Board for its review. The Board's Executive Committee will review the nominations and recommend candidates. The Board of Directors will confirm the appointments.

  

Please contact Bruce Gray at 206-398-5069 or bruce.gray@soundtransit.org with any questions or concerns.

 

 

 

Clibborn and Kastama stress job-creation projects to RAMP

At the October RAMP meeting Representative Judy Clibborn, Chair of the House Transportation Committee and Senator Jim Kastama emphasized that the job creation potential of new transportation investments will determine project funding.  In the coming legislative session, with the state budget deficient growing legislators will be looking to support (and hopefully fund) transportation projects that demonstrate long-term job growth and further economic development investments.  View the full presentation here.

WSDOT announces plans for I-5 congestion relief

The Washington State Department of Transportation has announced plans to partner with Joint Base Lewis McChord to help ease congestion motorists are currently experiencing on northbound Interstate 5 between Lacey and DuPont.

Those actions include improving signal timing at DuPont/Steilacoom and Nisqually interchanges, adding more WSDOT incident response crews to quickly clear disabled vehicles in the area, and working closely with personnel from Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) to coordinate other congestion-reducing efforts.

Recently, numerous drivers have reported to WSDOT that the five-mile stretch of I-5 between Lacey and JBLM is taking up to an hour during morning commutes.

Both agencies are also vigorously pursuing intermediate and longer-term solutions, including installing ramp meters, closed-circuit TV cameras, and other driver information tools that will provide WSDOT and motorists real-time traffic information and active traffic management along the corridor. Those tools could be installed as soon as spring 2011, or when funds become available.

WSDOT engineers that have been observing the increased and daily congestion analyzed traffic data through the corridor and reported that volumes on the northbound I-5 on-ramps at Mounts Road and Nisqually have noticeably increased. They believe that ramp meters could improve traffic flow on I-5 by regulating the rate at which vehicles enter I-5 at these ramps.

“Population growth over the past several years has put us near capacity on this section of I-5,” said Kevin Dayton, region administrator. “That combined with the recent redeployment of troops has’ tipped the cup’ in terms traffic volumes that can be handled in this corridor.”

Officials at the base concede that growth at JBLM and the recent return of soldiers from deployment are contributors to the current morning congestion. Base officials have convened a working group to recommend immediate actions that could further ease traffic congestion.

JBLM officials are also looking for ways to mitigate the base’s impact on traffic. The base has participated in a Department of Defense (DOD)-funded regional traffic study and a DOD-funded study to identify and mitigate issues associated with the base’s growth. WSDOT and local municipalities have all taken part in the efforts. Together, the agencies have applied for a grant to take this study to the next level.

“We have an outstanding partnership with JBLM, working traffic-related issues,” said Kevin Dayton, “We’re continuing this partnership as we look for immediate and long term solutions to our collective transportation needs.”

For now, Dayton asks drivers to change their driving patterns if they have the flexibility to do so. WSDOT encourages drivers to watch and listen to local news broadcasts, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/tacoma/ or call 511 to “know before you go.” You can find all this information and more at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/.

Port of Tacoma Distributes Clean Truck Stickers

The Port of Tacoma is making special stickers available as part of its clean truck program.

The stickers can be placed on the driver-side door of trucks that have 1994 or newer model year engines, the port said in a statement. The deadline to comply for all trucks delivering or picking up from Port terminals is January 1, 2011. More than 500 stickers have already been distributed to trucks that are preregistered under the Port’s best management practices list.

Between October 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010, the Port of Tacoma will begin identifying trucks without stickers and informing drivers of the clean truck program standards and the requirement to display the clean truck sticker.

TATS the Second Time

I-5 and Growth at Camp Murray

Most of you have probably followed the developing controversy within the Tillicum community about proposed gate relocation for Washington National Guard's HQ at Camp Murray.

Seemingly a simple question of where to stack the queue turns into a more complex problem when the needful expansion of I-5 is considered. Recently, Lakewood, as lead in the Office of Economic Adjustment funded study of I-5 between (roughly) SR-512 and DuPont, found a necessity to accommodate the employment growth at JBLM to increase capacity and support infrastructure.

That point, among several, is brought home in an open letter by WNG Adjutant General Timothy Lowenberg on the issue pledging to work with (not "rolling over") the installation's neighbors. That's all here in the enclosed letter.

Brown Bag Webinar Canx

The Brown Bag webinar has been cancelled for this Thursday given the lack of participants (there were only three registrants as of yesterday). The presentation will be available on the Port’s web site beginning on Thursday and will be available for viewing over the next few months. Viewers will be able to post questions/comments and receive feedback.

President Obama announces transportation funding proposal

WSDOT’s Federal Transporation Issues blog reports that yesterday President Obama announced a proposal that includes a $50 billion "upfront investment" in roads, transit, rail and airport runways, and also provides clues about the administration's priorities for the next surface transportation program (such as moving away from earmarking to performance-based funding). It's part of a larger proposal to stimulate the economy and create jobs in the short term. Read more here

Action Needed on Transportation Before Funding Out

The current extension of federal law reauthorizing the important federal funding for our transportation system expires on December 31, 2010.

We hear from Members of Congress and their staffs that the absence of vocal and widespread public engagement is a signal that doing a highway and transit reauthorization bill is not worth the effort.

Here is the U.S. Chamber’s interactive state map that will show you how much money and time our crumbling transportation system is costing consumers. Your cost: $266!  That's time sitting in traffic thanks to inadequate capacity, the cost of fixing your car because of potholes, and the millions needed to bring our transit systems up to speed.

Take action by writing our elected officials and asking them to make transportation funding a priority before December.

SR-167 Extension Maintains Momentum

Contributed by Michael Transue, Government Affairs and Lobbying Services on behalf of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber

The proposed extension of SR-167 from Puyallup to the Port of Tacoma is not a new idea – it has been envisioned in the highway’s design for approximately 30 years. On the one hand, the proposed SR-167 extension continues to lack full funding. On the other hand, the project’s economic rewards, including an estimated $10.1 billion in estimated new payroll, better freight mobility, and the creation of 79,000 jobs by 2025, remain true. Other important benefits include.

• Congestion relief on local roads and neighboring communities;

• Faster and safer local travel options for motorists and freight movement;

• Improved regional mobility by giving motorists and trucks much better access to I-5, the existing I-167 corridor, and the Port of Tacoma; and

• Enhanced surface water quality and improved stream habitat.

Planning for the future funding cycles and appropriations will be one key to the success of the project. The State continues to move forward in discussing (and hopefully funding at some point) the current list of outstanding mega transportation projects, including the SR-167 extension.

Pierce County businesses and business leaders will need to be ready to support and advocate to the legislature and other elected officials that the SR-167 extension be included in any proposed state-wide funding package. Several studies have been completed to date on the extension including an “SR-167 tolling feasibility study” recently completed by WSDOT.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber has been asked by our business and government leaders to make the SR-167 project its top-tier priority moving forward – we can do so without diminishing our support for the Cross-Base highway. As the 2011 Session approaches, still in the mitts of a recession, a state-wide funding package seems unlikely. November 2009 election results will have some impact on the Legislature and our advocacy efforts – the extent to which we won’t know until then. The prospects for such a package in the 2012 Session seem much more likely.

To that end, the Transportation Partnership has been re-invigorated and re-established. The Partnership was the driving force for the transportation revenue packages at the state level in 2003 and 2005. The Partnership’s Steering Committee will consist of leaders from the labor community, businesses interests (Tacoma-Pierce County and Greater King County Chambers), the Washington Roundtable, and interests from the Spokane and Vancouver areas.

The Transportation Partnership intends to advocate for a state-wide effort to fund the construction of the remaining mega projects in the state – including the SR-167 extension. The early involvement, at all levels, by Pierce County’s business and government leaders is critical to the success of this project. As the Transportation Partnership develops its agenda, strategies, and action plan(s), the Chamber via RAMP will keep members and RAMP participants informed and encourage their involvement and advocacy at the appropriate time.

TATS Brown Bag

TATS (Tideflats Area Transportation Study), begins its public involvement opportunities with a Brown Bag Luncheon on Sept. 9 (see enclosed flyer). 

The TATS will examine conditions and ideitify roads to potential improvement to keep freight moving. This study is most important to the success of our economy as the port-industrial area is the heart of our economy. 

Please note that if you are unable to attend, the event will be hosted via the web.  For details on the webinar contact Kell McAboy. 

click on image for a large view

RAMP comments on SR 167 tolling study

The co-chairs of the Regional Access Mobility Partnership (RAMP) have submitted comments to Secretary of Transportation, Paula Hammond in support of tolling on SR 167.

The co-chairs, the Executives of Pierce County, the Port of Tacoma and the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber support the use of toll revenues to partially pay for construction cost associated with the extension of SR 167 between Puyallup and the Port of Tacoma.

Read the full letter here.

Tideflats Area Transportation Study

The Port of Tacoma has established a webpage for the Tideflats Area Transportation Study.

The Tideflats Area Transportation Study will identify future transportation needs for the growth of freight-related traffic to and from the Tacoma Tideflats area.  The study will analyze existing transportation conditions and identify roads to be examined for potential improvement to keep freight moving.

Overmatch of States' Dollars for Highways