Taking It North to Alaska

We are often so wrapped up in our transportation gridlock that we fail to see others also suffer from that gridlock.

In an effort to break our gridlocked perspective, the Chamber's Alaska Committee took the issue of the proposed container tax to Alaska. You might ask "Why?" Well, the answer lies in that Alaskans have already proved themselves interested and involved. When that container tax was originally introduced into our legislative session, Alaskans, including the much-storied Gov. Palin, got involved with discussions with our Legislators and our Governor.

Taking the opportunity afforded by Tacoma's long-standing involvement in the annual Alaska State Chamber of Commerce Conference with a Tacoma Breakfast Briefing, the Port of Tacoma's Sean Eagan was the selected keynote speaker. His topic: What Should Alaskans Care About Washington's Transportation Infrastructure?

Most Alaskans automatically assume Washingtonians are looking for someone else to fund their transportation needs when we talk of a container tax, just making money at Alaskans' expense and never considering their wishes or interests. They see it as another in a long line of disappointments between the economic partnerships linking our two states.

We can certainly be sympathetic with their viewpoint, because after all, we've done this to ourselves. Beginning in 1995, Washington stopped making new investments in transportation. It's true we've begun to try to get ourselves out of the pothole we let time and neglect dig us. Our 2003/2005 two transportation packages of $11 billion, and the 14 cent gas tax are examples.

But overall, we've left a lot undone: SR-520, SR-99 Viaduct, SR-167. And now, we face another budget crunch:

• $714 million shortfall in an $11 billion package
• $137 million next year (in a $7.6 billion transportation budget)
• That 8% of the general fund of $2.6 billion

The container tax proposal was for $50 per TEU (acronym of twenty-foot equivalent unit the once prevalent length for containers, now most typically 40 feet long) or $100, empty or full of cargo, inbound or outbound. Unfortunately, the proposed Freight Investment Account lacked details leading skeptics to suggest its use for other than freight infrastructure. Those who shipped containers quickly yelped, saying why us and why not our competitors for barge, breakbulk, etc. The overall response was a (surprise!) legislative study.

That study, chronicled elsewhere, essentially said such a tax was economic suicide. The so-called Diversion Study postulated a decline in container volumes of 30%, a loss of 9,415 jobs and $591 million in lost wages.

So, what to do? While not making all the above points, Eagan did enumerate the options and the roadblocks for funding:

• Gas tax revenues are down because of gas prices and staycations. But, would a healthy 40% increase in gas taxes to 37.5 cents work? WA already is way ahead of most of the pack (of states) in its gas tax.
• Imposition of a license tax fee or vehicle excise tax? Oh yes, we had a 2003 citizens initiative on that subject. Anyone want to tackle it?
• Another initiative for property taxes, with the declining values in the housing market?
• A sales tax increase - already recently turned down by voters when they rejected handily the regional transportation package last November.
• A vehicle weight fee increase - with the numerous increases already heaped upon the trucking industry of recent years?
• An income tax, prohibited by the state's Constitution, and an albatross for anyone who wants to wear it.

Well, so far the stakeholders have not yet stepped up to the plate with alternatives. Most agree that we have a problem. Most agree that the proposed solutions, especially the container tax, are not viable.

So what is? Eagan challenged Alaskans, in their own best interests, to seek affirmative solutions and not just express opposition. If no container tax, then what revenue source? Without a revenue source, no transportation infrastructure investment. If no investment, we face increasing congestion, deteriorating infrastructure, delays, shifting market shares in throughput and higher prices for delivered goods anyway. And incidentally, deleterious effects on air quality for PM2.5 and ozone.

What's your suggestion?

Port's Annual Market Seminar Announced

HOV into View

HOV lanes are coming into view for the near-term future in Pierce County.

As the population of Pierce County grows, HOV lanes are becoming an increasingly important component of I-5 congestion relief. At the RAMP meeting, Eric Soderquist presented a comprehensive overview of the short-term/long-term HOV plan for Pierce County's highways.

You may view the PowerPoint that he shared with RAMP attendees.

Persistence Pays

Ribbon Cutters: Executive Ladenburg, Rep. Flannigan, Sen. Kastama, BNSF's Finn, Mayor Baarsma, Commissioner Petrich (barely), Councilmember Lonergan, Pierce County's Ziegler and FHA's Mathis. Photo credit: PSRC

It was almost a decade in coming since the first steps were actually taken, but the community recently celebrated the opening of the D Street Overpass.

These august personages all played a vital - and often long-term - part in getting the complete package together for what will be multi-faceted benefits to the community, separating rail and road traffic, increasing speeds for intercontinental rail and easing local movement for both E. & W. Foss Waterway as well as Dome District traffic.

And, as Port of Tacoma Commissioner Clare Petrich noted in her ribbon-cutting remarks, sometimes those in at the beginning need recognition too. I too wish to join her in recognizing a small Pierce County cadre that, while serving on the Central Puget Sound Economic Development District Board at the beginning of the decade, got what we believe were the first committed dollars to this project: Commissioner Petrich, Denise Dyer alt. for Executive Ladenburg, Rob Allen alt. for Pierce County Council and Gary Brackett, Chamber staff and private sector representative.

VOTE! The new Narrows Bridge for America's Transportation Award

The new Tacoma Narrows Bridge project is one of 10 signature transportation projects in the running for the prestigious “America’s Transportation Award,” reflecting the best in management and innovation by the American Association of State Highway Transportation officials (AASHTO).

TNB, an engineering marvel built by experts and craftsmen from Washington and around the world now competes for the People’s Choice Award, decided upon by people across the nation via an online voting process. The winning state receives a substantial cash award to donate to a local or regional community service project of its choice.

Cast your vote today, voting ends Oct. 19: www.americastransportationaward.org/Voting.aspx

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Project named finalist in National Transportation Award Competition

Public can vote for its choice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lloyd Brown, WSDOT Communications Director 360-705-7076

OLYMPIA – The Tacoma Narrows Bridge project is one of 10 signature transportation projects named today as finalists for the prestigious “America’s Transportation Award,” reflecting the best in management and innovation by the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

Spectacular bridges, toll and access roads, innovative interchanges and interstates will now compete for the Grand National Prize – selected by a panel of community, business and transportation leaders – and the People’s Choice Award – which will be decided by an online voting process.

The America’s Transportation Award recognizes achievement in the development and construction of transportation projects, and instills an appreciation of transportation as a key element of our quality of life. Forty-one projects were entered into the America’s Transportation Awards competition with 23 chosen as regional winners, narrowing the field to 10 finalists. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge project team won the regional competition among 18 western states in the category for "on time delivery" for projects exceeding $200 million.

"We believe the New Tacoma Narrows Bridge was a special project that represents the best of what our people stand for - hard work, determination and success,” said Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond. “Now is the chance for the entire region to show the rest of the country that our project - on time and on budget - was the best of the best transportation projects in 2007."

The Grand National Prize-winning state will receive funds to support a graduate-level educational grant in the transportation field. The People’s Choice Award will fund a community service project selected by the winning state department of transportation. Awards will be presented at the AASHTO Annual Meeting in Hartford, Connecticut, October 19.

The competition is cosponsored by the American Automobile Association (AAA), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and AASHTO to bring public attention to transportation projects around the country that make a positive difference to people, businesses and communities.

On-line voting for the People’s Choice Award begins today and will continue to October 19. Cast your vote: www.americastransportationaward.org/Voting.aspx

For complete information on each of the finalists and the voting ballot, go to http://www.americastransportationaward.org/.

WSDOT Breaks Ground on First Segment of Crossbase Highway

On Wednesday, July 30, WSDOT broke ground on Project 1, the first segment of the overall SR 704, Cross Base Highway in Pierce County.

Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond, County Executive John Ladenburg and many others were on hand to celebrate this milestone.

Project 1 will be built for $7.35 million and connect Spanaway Loop Road to SR 7, drastically improving safety and mobility. A new dual right-turn lane from Spanaway Loop Road to southbound SR 7 will ease back-ups during peak travel times. The project is scheduled to wrap up in June 2009.

The remaining SR 704 projects will be completed as funding becomes available. The planned six-mile, multi-lane highway stretches east to west between Fort Lewis and McChord military bases, and connects SR 7 to I-5. The new corridor will provide congestion relief and reduced delays on I-5, SR 512, SR 7 and county roads.

Chamber Board Supports Top 3

Today, the Chamber's Board of Directors accepted a resolution to support the top three priorities of the East Foss Transportation Study.

The Tacoma City Council, in a study session July 15, remanded the East Foss Transportation Study to two of its Council Committees: Environment and Public Works Committee and the Economic Development Committee.

These two Council committees will be charged with reviewing the East Foss Transportation Study and bringing recommendations for implementation to the full Council.

The East Foss Transportation Study itself identifies these implementation options:

• incorporate appropriate sections of the traffic study into the S-8 Shoreline Master Plan Regulations;
• Implement the recommended three priority projects;
• Participating entities need to take study recommendations back to their boards/commissions (Chamber and Port of Tacoma);
• Increase coordination of advanced facility planning between the City of Tacoma and the Port of Tacoma;
• Facilitate partnerships to share infrastructure costs to maintain existing uses and to increase economic development in the study area.

E. Foss Transportation Plan

As a component of the compromise to resolve the Tacoma Comprehensive Land Use Plan amendment, which resulted in stopping gentrification of industrial lands at the Foss Waterway, an E. Foss Transportation Plan study was authorized. The Plan amendment was adopted in December 2005 and the study begun in December 2006.

The directed objectives of the study were to:
- separate industrial and non-industrial land uses
- address traffic and related issues of the area

The study area is roughly encompassed as the east bank of the Foss Waterway, Commencement Bay to the north, the Puyallup River and Puyallup Avenue. The stakeholders group to oversee the study and provide technical assistance consisted of Don Meyer, Foss Waterway Development Authority, Jay Steward (and others), Port of Tacoma and Gary Brackett, Chamber. Additionally, various City of Tacoma staff participated and Dana Brown, administered the project.

The Thea Foss Transportation Study was presented to a Tacoma City Council study session July 15, 2008. The study contains nine recommended solutions, and a “top three” priority recommendations.

The top three priorities identified in the E. Foss Peninsula Transportation Plan are:
- area-wide street and rail crossing maintenance
- improve the E. 11th St. at E. “F” Street/St. Paul intersection
- move forward with SR-509 at “D” Street ramps feasibility

All recommendations are estimated to cost $23.999 million.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge One Year Anniversary Celebration

Save the date! Wednesday, July 16 marks the one year anniversary of the new eastbound Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Please join Governor Chris Gregoire, Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste and the Washington State Department of Transportation as we commemorate a year of successes and share stories on the impact of the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge across the South Sound.

Where: War Memorial Park in Tacoma
When: Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Time: 11:00 a.m.

The event is open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Questions or RSVP? Contact Ian Morrison, Office of the Governor, (360) 239-4212 or ian.morrison@gov.wa.gov.

Bow Down to Foss

Hard on the heels of a NOAA study apportioning a greater share of airborne soot among tugboats and large cargo ships, comes the welcome news that one of our own sets the standard.

Foss Maritime tugboat company, which has its roots and history in Tacoma, announced that it has been awarded the 2008 William M. Benkert gold award for marine environmental protection by the US Coast Guard. Foss was also chosen by the California Air Resources Board Carl Moyer Program to fund the Green Dolphin hybrid tug project.

According to the NOAA study, tugs put out more soot for the amount of fuel used than other commercial vessels. Large cargo ships emit more than twice as much soot as previously estimated, it said.

WSDOT Releases West Coast Corridor Transportation Study

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has released the West Coast Corridor Coalition Trade and Transportation Study Final Report. The study conducted an analysis of freight, trade, and transportation trends in the West Coast, and outlined the identification and description of key chokepoints, constraints, and issues in the region.

Some of the key findings of the report include:

• West Coast seaports - led by Los Angeles, Long Beach, Seattle, Tacoma, and Oakland - handled over one-half of all containerized shipments entering and departing the United States in 2006. Locally, the Portland/Vancouver, WA to Seattle trade flow accounted for $23 billion in total value according to the (Federal Highway Association) FHWA Freight Analysis Framework in 2002.
• In the same year, the West Coast’s airports handled nearly 8.4 million tons of overseas freight, accounting for 42 percent of the U.S. total.
• The region’s north-south transportation infrastructure, with I-5 as its backbone, has emerged as a crucial trade corridor for both domestic commerce and international trade, connecting West Coast metropolitan areas and serving increasing volumes of NAFTA-related shipments. Total domestic trade among these major West Coast metropolitan areas totaled over 145 million tons, valued at more than $254 billion in 2002. The majority of goods movement among the West Coast mega regions and their major metropolitan areas- approximately 75 percent- occurs by truck, primarily on the I-5 and SR-99 corridors.

The West Coast Corridor Coalition Trade and Transportation Study Final Report can be reviewed here.

Pierce County Seeks Input on Transportation Plan Update

Pierce County Public Works is seeking input on an update of the Pierce County Transportation Plan. The Plan maps out the County's strategy for meeting transportation needs over the next 20 years. Planning of this sort is required by the State Growth Management Act.

This year’s update will be the most comprehensive update to the original transportation plan since it was prepared in 1992. Unlike previous updates, this Plan will address all components of the transportation system -- maintenance, operations, preservation, improvements, and administration (collectively referred to as 'MOPIA'). This year's plan is intended to represent project and services that the County can realistically afford to implement over the next 20 years.

Click here to learn about the draft alternatives.

Transportation LIT

The Prosperity Partnership toured the logistics and international trade (LIT) industry beginning the morning at the Port of Tacoma after an orientation/walk-thru at the REI distribution center in Pierce County.

The Prosperity Partnership was conducting the second of its annual quarterly orientation for civic and community leaders. This session focused on one of the region's targeted market clusters: Trade and Logistics. Greeted by PoT Commissioner Dick Marzano, who began by telling all what we already know: the economy and the PoT business are down. But he quickly followed with what we don't know: the weaker U.S. dollar has lead to the highest export volumes ever right now. The question for everyone is: Where have the containers gone? (We wonder what are the implications for Washington's high value agricultural exports? Or even more so, the many lower-value agricultural products that have taken advantage of the bargain-basement container rates available when so many were being shipped empty?)

Marzano let everyone on the tour know that the PoT entered the late '80s transshipping about 1.4M TEUs. The Port now has the capacity to ship 4M, and the potential to ship 15M TEUs. He notes that rail capacity is needed, especially when regional expectations for growth are factored into projections as this region's ports are "discretionary," meaning 70% of the cargo into here leaves for other destinations and can thus be shipped thru any available port.

Terry Finn, Government Affairs manager for BNSF said the PNW transcontinental line is the 6th most important in terms of container volume, he said. Noting that one railroad serving the Pacific Northwest (PNW) (Union Pacific being the other in the U.S., but also noting 2 Canadian railways that serve Western Canadian ports), has 1,500 miles of track in Washington. At present, he said, there are only small segments of Puget Sound's rail lines that have a Level of Service of "E", meaning they are significantly congested. Finn shared that Stampede Pass, restricted from carrying double-stack containers due to the low crown of the tunnel, carries an average 6 trains per day, while the Columbia River route carries 34-35 per day. A fairly recent state study said the Class 1 railroads need $39 billion capital investment by 2035, short $13.5 billion. There is an internal competition for all projects within the railroad for capital.

Tour participants piled back on the bus for what tour guide Tim Farrell, Executive Director, PoT called the "surge pile" -- his speak for the process of unloading ships before loading trains. Farrell went on to explain that it was faster to unload ships than to load trains, plus it was more expensive to have ships remain idle, all of which determined the work order. A few interesting points Farrell made:

• A typical Panamax ship like the K Line vessel then unloading at the PoT will fill 5-6 trains with its cargo of containers.


• Ships are very fuel efficient, moving 1 T of cargo 1,600 miles on 1 gal. of fuel


• The grain terminal at the PoT holds a comparable volume equal to 1 ship. It takes 5-6 trains to fill the terminal and 3-5 days to load the ship. (One vessel was at the terminal and one was anchored in Commencement Bay at the time.)


• Only low-sulfur fuel was available at the local truck stop such was the demand and the implications for environmental accountability.

Although this wasn't the chronological order of the day, Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani presented his staff for a discussion of several topics, to include cruise ships and air cargo, avoiding a repeat of the TEU focus of the morning. Yoshitani spoke (justifiably) proudly of the four new international air carriers adding direct flights along with Northwest Airlines adding additional direct service.

Diana Parker says the 3rd runway is "complete," and scheduled to open in November 2008. That third runway is actually the 2nd "all-weather" runway, as it allows our airport to land two jets side-by-side simultaneously.

Tom Green gave some valuable insights into the air cargo services of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, especially that air cargo is non-discretionary (locally originated or destined). Most intriguing was this first-heard conversion for comparing maritime container volumes with air shipments:

1 TEU max 20 tonnes and one 747 freighter max 110 metric tonnes

So, the region's ports volumes of about 4M TEU's can be compared with the airport's 319K metric tonnes. A very useful resource for those interested in air cargo is the PSRC's air cargo study.

There were other noteworthy reports that either have been addressed in previous blogs, like the challenges before the trucking industry, or perhaps don't exactly fit the purpose of this blog, like foreign direct investment. An especially worthy subject was the presentation by Susan Crane of Port Jobs and readers are encouraged to visit the website for their 2006 study Employment in Logistics and International Trade.

Although not all speakers during the tour are presented in this blog, my personal kudos for their participation in helping our regional leadership attain a better understanding of this most important growth industry for our region: Logistics and International Trade, not a lite subject.

Environment Trumps Growth and Development

J. Christopher Lytle, Deputy Executive Director and CEO of Port of Long Beach (PoLB) said at today's Transportation Club of Tacoma that environmental challenges trump container volume growth or infrastructure development.

Lytle, well traveled among international lines, including some time in Tacoma, spoke of the overriding concerns the Port of Long Beach had with its future development. Their priorities are of no small import (pun intended) given their prominence as a premier port on the West Coast. Begun in 1911, the PoLB is now the 2nd busiest U.S. port, and the 16th busiest in the world. It has 3,600 A., 7 container terminals, 72 cranes. 82% of its revenue comes from containers. Along with 70 million tons of bulk cargoes, the port handles 7.3 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). That represents $140 billion in cargo value. For the future, the forecast is that containers at PoLB will increase from 15.7 million in 2007 to 42.7 million TEUs by 2030.

Lytle said projects aren't getting done because of environmental issues, and air quality is the top issue of the top environmental issues. In 2005, the PoLB adopted its Green Port Policy, and in 2006, its Clean Air Action Plan, along with its regional partners including the Port of Los Angeles (PoLA). Among its goals, reducing San Pedro Bay pollution by 45% within 5 years, cleaning up trucks and equipment, adopting shore-side electricity and low-sulfur fuels.

PoLB recognizes that vessels are 50% of its problem with trucks 25%. To accomplish these goals, the PoLB has adopted an incentive plan to encourage vessels to reduce speed, and 90% of lines have complied to get reductions in fees. The port has also instituted green leases, a new locomotive fleet and low-sulfur fuel incentives. (The PoLB will pay the difference between low-sulfur and other diesel fuels, a $10 million expense.) The port has even partnered with others in funding a hybrid tug!

Lytle also said the PoLB expects its lines to be good community partners. (I suggest joining the Chamber.) He gave examples of OOCL donating $140,000 ($100,000 to an ADA-park; $40,000 for school computers) and Hyundai $100,000 (for a local high school).

To address that 25% of the problem that are trucks, the PoLB has instituted an incentive program to remove all pre-2007 trucks by 2012, to replace dirty diesel within 5 years, and to use a TEU fee to refinance/retrofit truck replacement/participation loans.

He was questioned about the move to convert truck owners/operators to employees. He said the PoLB and the PoLA have different philosophies. The PoLA is supporting the change in the economic model for owners/operators becoming employees of truck lines. The PoLB believes the users of truck services should have choice as part of their economic model. He did agree the old model is broken, and spoke of the concession agreement of providing $150/company or $100/truck for the replacement program. A link quid pro quo is required that truckers meet all federal standards, truck maintenance and NO STREET PARKING that upsets the neighbors. Lytle did clarify that owners/operators would be subsidized with $1,400, splitting 50% each, with the revenue source as the TEU fee (paid by the beneficial cargo owner). And finally, that trucking fees must go up - significantly.

A final question to Lytle was concerning the nature of container fees. While he saw no reason such fees couldn't be used here - (he's been gone too long) - several in the audience quickly explained to him the nature of discretionary cargo (low metro population) and close international competition (Vancouver and Prince Rupert).

Intermodal Conference: Part Uno

Thanks to both the proximity and success of the Port of Tacoma, and their initiative as Principal Sponsor, the Tacoma metro enjoyed recent presentation of the Northwest Intermodal Conference May 19-20. Presented by Cargo Business News, this had to be one of the better transportation conferences.

The NWIC focused on the essential factors that affect the volume of intermodal traffic through the Pacific Northwest gateways and the development of strategies that will successfully drive this business. Attendees learned about the future of the intermodal business through Northwest ports from a panel of experts including business leaders hailing from every sector of the industry - ports, shippers, ocean carriers, railroads, intermodal marketing companies, third party logistics, equipment suppliers and other service providers – as well as from expert panelists from the fields of economics, academia and public policy. Issues discussed included the future of Pacific Northwest intermodal, trade trends, infrastructure development, industrial real estate solutions and shipper perspectives.

Tim Farrell, Executive Director, Port of Tacoma, began the conference with opening remarks, challenging the attendees to notice the opportunities and competitive advantages of the Port of Tacoma. Capacity, environmental quality and political support are all in the strong hand held by the Port of Tacoma.

The opening keynote by Walter Kemmsies, Chief Economist, Moffat &Nichol, called to mind just how important it is for a community to be ready when the economic tide rises. Not all boats rise the same; those rise highest and fastest that are prepared to take the flood at its crest. Kemmsies expects a return to the long term trend in late '08, although his forecast is for slow growth through 2011. Nevertheless, slow growth is positive growth. And Kemmsies particular insight is his expectation that north-south trade could hold the greatest surprises.

Kemmsies, noted, as did other speakers later in the conference, that global trade has grown 2x GDP growth since 1950. This growth he attributes to containerization, trade agreements, the world wide web and offshoring. He cites tht the number of ports that can handle containers has increased from 75 in 1970 to about 550 in 2007.

For the U.S., Kemmsies says TEU (20-ft. equivalent units, a common denominator for container length) has increased 5x for our GDP growth of 2x between 1982 and 2007. His forecast is for PNW ports share of the North American volume to grow by 15% in the next decade. The current division on container volumes is due to the nature of cargo from origin to port of entry. West Coast ports receive household goods from Asia. East Coast ports receive medicine, toys, etc. from Europe, up 22%.

Kemmsies forecasts a 3.1% GDP growth and a 7.8% TEU growth until the next decline (recession) in 2011 (as the economy follows its pattern of 8.5 year cycle).

EIS Scoping for Blair-Hylebos Project

The Port of Tacoma is gathering input as it begins considering potential environmental impacts of redeveloping terminals, roads and railways on a Tacoma Tideflats peninsula.

Redevelopment plans on the Blair-Hylebos Peninsula include:
· Relocating the Totem Ocean Trailer Express marine terminal
· Building a new container terminal for NYK Line
· Widening a section of the Blair Waterway
· Lengthening a wharf at Washington United Terminal
· Improving road and rail infrastructure

Given the scope of the redevelopment proposal, the Port of Tacoma plans to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS). The environmental review process provides several opportunities for the public to comment on the proposed project:

· May 2008: Scope of environmental analysis
· September 2008: Draft Environmental Impact Statement
· February 2009: Final Environmental Impact Statement

The Port has scheduled a meeting May 29 as part of the public review process for the redevelopment project. The meeting is set for 4:30 to 7 p.m. in Room 104 of The Fabulich Center, 3600 Port of Tacoma Road in Tacoma. Sue Mauermann, Director, Environmental Programs says staff from the Port’s Sustainable Development department will be available in an open house format to discuss various aspects of the project. Project managers are scheduled to deliver a short presentation at 6 p.m. and take public comment.

Comments on the scope of the environmental analysis, to be prepared later this summer, must be received by 5 p.m. June 6 to be considered in drafting the EIS. Comments may be sent by mail to: ATTN: Matoya Scott, Port of Tacoma, PO Box 1837, Tacoma, WA 98401-1837, or by e-mail.

Meeting Dates Set for ST2 Public Outreach

Sound Transit has scheduled seven open houses throughout Pierce, King and Snohomish Counties to inform the public and get feedback on the new, ST2 proposal. If you are interested in regional equity and insuring that Pierce County gets its fair share of transporation dollars please attend one of the following meetings.

Two Open Houses will be held in Pierce County:

Sumner: Tues., June 3, Daffodil Valley Elementary School, 1509 Valley Ave.
Tacoma: Tues., June 10: Washington State History Museum, 1911 Pacific Ave.



Open Houses outside the County include:

Thurs., May 22: Lynnwood Convention Center, 3711 196 St. S.W., Lynnwood
Wed., May 28: Highline Community College, 2400 S. 240 St., Des Moines
Wed., June 4: Northgate Community Center, 10510 5 Ave. N.E., Seattle
Thurs., June 5: Meydenbauer Center, 11100 N.E. 6 St., Bellevue
Wed., June 11: Everett Station, 3201 Smith Ave., Everett



All meetings run 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.; presentation at 6:30 p.m.

Sound Transit Seeks Public Input on Transportation Package

One of the primary take aways from last year’s failed Roads and Transit initiative, Proposition 1, was that voters want a transportation package that will provide real congestion relief in a reasonable timeframe and at a cost that will not burden future generations.

Sound Transit’s response is a scaled back transit-only proposal in which all projects can be completed within 12 years for 62 percent to 67 percent less than the total price tag for the roads and transit projects that formed Proposition 1.

Sound Transit staff will be providing an overview of the proposal at the next RAMP meeting May 7th, 8am - 9am at the Fabulich Center at the Port of Tacoma.

The scaled back proposal includes the following projects:

Link light rail: 18 to 23 miles of light rail expansions to the north, south and east, potentially serving communities including Bellevue, the Overlake area of Redmond, Mercer Island, Des Moines and Seattle’s northern University District, Roosevelt and Northgate areas. Connector light rail service would link Seattle’s International District, First Hill and Capitol Hill areas.
Sounder commuter rail: Increases of up to 90 percent in Sounder service between Tacoma and Seattle, potentially including 12 additional daily trips and platform extensions to allow longer trains.

ST Express regional bus: Service increases of 10 to 15 percent in key corridors, bus rapid transit service on State Route 520 and up to 20 miles of new arterial transit lanes.

Improved station access: Funding to increase access to transit facilities in Auburn, Edmonds, Everett, Kent, Lakewood, Lynnwood (including Ash Way and Mariner), Mukilteo, Puyallup, South Tacoma, Sumner, Tacoma and Tukwila. Projects will be tailored to the needs of each location and may include expanded parking; pedestrian improvements at or near stations; additional bus/transfer facilities for improved feeder service to stations; bicycle access and storage; and new and expanded drop-off areas to encourage ride-sharing.

Partnerships for expanded transit: Partnership funding for Eastside passenger rail on existing freight tracks; as well as for potential extensions of Tacoma Link light rail and projects in Bothell, Burien, Kirkland and Shoreline.

This month Sound Transit will launch a major public involvement effort to get input on the new plan. The public outreach includes meetings around the region (to be scheduled in Mid-May) as well as opportunities to comment in an online survey and by mail. In June and July the Board will consider the public priorities that are identified and whether to move forward with a 2008 ballot measure.

In the mean time you can e-mail your comments to future@soundtransit.org.

2008 Pierce County Projects

At the next RAMP meeting (May 7th, 8am - 9am, Fabulich Center at the Port of Tacoma) George Walk, the Director of Government Relations for Pierce County will be providing an overview of the transportation projects in Pierce County funded in the 2008 Supplemental Transportation Budget.

A summary of the projects is provided here.