Transportation 2040

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DRAFT
Agenda item VII.B.
Transportation 2040
Update to the Regional Transportation Plan
Transportation 2040 Alternatives Development
Regional Staff Committee September 18, 2008
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Transportation 2040August/September Meetings
September 9/3 Alternatives Technical
Group 9/11 Transportation Policy Board
Transportation 2040 Working Group 9/15
Alternatives Technical Group 9/16 Regional
Commute Trip Reduction Working
Group 9/18 Regional Staff Committee
Transportation Demand Management
Steering Committee 9/19 Transportation
Operators Committee 9/23 Regional Safety
Forum 9/24 Pricing Task Force 9/26
King County Staff Presentation
August 8/7 Regional Traffic Operations
Committee 8/13 Freight Action Strategy
(FAST) 8/14 Transportation 2040 Working
Group Statewide Advisory Group for
Environmental Standards
(SAGES) 8/18 Alternatives Technical
Group 8/19 South County Area Transportation
Board 8/20 FHWA
Briefing 8/21 Regional Staff Committee 8/27
Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee 8/27
Pricing Task Force 8/28 Transit
Concepts Group
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Short Term Schedule

• RSC September 18 Alternatives development
  discussion
• PTF September 24 Finalize pricing concepts and
  integrate into draft alternatives
• WG October 9 Alternatives drafted begin
  discussing Preliminary Preferred Alternative
  (PPA)
• PTF October 22 Discuss draft alternatives and
  PPA
• RSC October 23 Discuss draft alternatives and
  PPA
• RSC November 6 Draft alternatives and PPA
  discussion (input to November 13 TPB Working
  Group)
• WGPTF November 19 Draft alternatives PPA
  discussion
• WG December 11 Alternatives recommendation to
  TPB
• TPB January 8 Alternatives recommendation to
  the EB
• WG Transportation 2040 Working Group

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Short Term ScheduleAlternatives Technical Group
(ATG)

• Sept. 30th Baseline revisions finalized
• Oct. 1st Commence baseline re-runs
• Oct. 3rd Distribute 1st draft alternatives
  details
• Oct. 10th Comments on details back to PSRC
• Oct. 31st Alternatives Details
• Distribute final draft alternatives details
• Nov. 10th Post-election adjustments complete
• Commence Alternatives Modeling/Analysis

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Regional Staff Committee Issues and Responses
Issue Alternatives descriptions should be
consistent, and need to include the underlying
philosophy behind each alternative. Response To
eliminate inconsistencies and simplify the
discussion, staff chose to name the alternatives
by number 1 through 5, and staff is writing a
clear philosophy for each. Issue Committee
members expressed concern about how the plan
would address preservation of the existing
infrastructure. Response Staff agreed, saying
the plan should be more explicit in its treatment
of system preservation. The current alternatives
description (which will be presented today)
should make this more apparent. Issue Non-tolling
financing options should be included in the
plan. Response Staff is working on a complete
list of funding options, and will share this
information with the committee. Issue RSC raised
the issue of how the alternatives analysis will
address energy consumption, either as part of the
formal criteria or elsewhere. Response Staff has
developed a possible approach to this issue,
which would assess the alternatives on three
factors (1) fuel consumption (for vehicle travel
only) (2) construction activity and (3) land
use development (see next slide).
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Transportation 2040 and Energy

• Possible Approach
• Energy Fuel Consumption
• Use models to quantitatively estimate fuel
  consumption for each alternative based on
  vehicle travel only
• To some extent, the analysis of emissions could
  be considered a surrogate
• Energy Construction Activity
• Qualitatively evaluate each alternative based on
  the amount of transportation system expansion
  proposed
• Energy Land Use Development
• Qualitatively evaluate each alternative based on
  the type and amount of land use development
  would rely on the interaction between UrbanSim
  and the travel demand model
• Staff will bring more information on this
  topic at future meetings.

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Other Issues and Responses (1)
Issue The EDD board and the Special Needs
Transportation Committee have separately
expressed thoughts about how the alternatives
will address economic prosperity and special
needs issues. Both groups asked staff to more
specifically address these issues in the
alternatives evaluation criteria. Response PSRC
staff is working with EDD staff and the special
needs committee to revise the criteria to include
additional economic prosperity and special needs
measures. Staff added a separate economic
prosperity criterion, with several measures to
evaluate how well the alternatives provide access
to the industry clusters (all 15 clusters will be
included), high-wage and living wage jobs, and
freight generators. To address special needs,
the Equity criterion is being expanded to address
transportation needs of youth, the elderly,
low-income, and people with disabilities. Issue G
roups have expressed interest in how energy
consumption (sustainability) will be addressed in
the criteria. Response The staff is discussing
how best to address this issue and will report
back to the Regional Staff Committee.
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Other Issues and Responses (2)
Issue Groups have expressed a need for a more
consistent way to name and describe the
alternatives. For example, alternative 5
(reduced emissions) seems to be described
differently than the other 4. Response We are
proposing to list them as Alternatives 1-5 and
not name them. Issue Concerns have been
expressed over whether system preservation is
adequately funded in the baseline
alternative. Response Staff is working on a more
comprehensive and clear way to describe and
present system preservation under both the
baseline and action alternatives. King County
DOT is working to collect more comprehensive
preservation needs information for use in the
Transportation 2040 planning process. .
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Other Issues and Responses (3)
Issue How will the plan account for the
implications of long term increases in the price
of fuel (e.g., mode shift, forecasting VMT)?
Response PSRC staff is designing three modeling
approaches (high, medium, and low) to evaluate
the potential implications of varying fuel
prices. Issue Staff should be prepared to
respond quickly to the results of the election
(ST and I-985). These could substantially change
the baseline alternative. Response Staff is
developing an analytical framework designed to
quickly respond to the results of the November
2008 election. Issue Working Group members have
expressed interest in knowing how the plan will
address new technology. Response Staff is
planning to hold an Innovation workshop at
which new technology and innovation will be
discussed. Ideas emerging at the workshop may
then be applied to the plan alternatives or may
be implemented within the draft and final plan.
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Other Issues and Responses (4)
Issue The importance of Tribal consultation in
the process has been raised. Response Staff is
adding a Tribal Consultation section to the
Transportation 2040 Public Participation Plan.
This will take the form of an expanded
Environmental Justice (EJ) component, and will
more specifically lay out the Tribal Consultation
process as part of our overall response to
SAFETEA-LU Section 6001 consultation
requirements. In addition, staff has begun its
formal consultation efforts with WSDOT, FHWA, and
FTA related to the Tribal aspects of EJ. Initial
contacts have been made with the WSDOT Tribal
Transportation Planning Office (TTPO), and staff
is already planning tribal consultation meetings
to discuss how tribal issues and concerns can be
aired and addressed in the planning
process. Issue Expand the health criterion
beyond active living to also address
environmental health concerns (e.g., air
pollution, water pollution and related diseases
of asthma and cancer). Response Staff is working
with the Bicycle-Pedestrian and Special Needs
groups to identify ways to measure the health
benefits and impacts of the alternatives. This
may result in either quantitative or qualitative
enhancements to the alternatives evaluation
criteria.
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Criteria
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Evaluation Criteria

• Mobility (M)
• Travel Time Savings
• Reliability Benefits
• Vehicle Operating Cost Savings
• Other User Costs
• Finance (F)
• Facility Operating Costs
• Capital Costs
• Operating Revenues
• Influence of Finance on the Economy
• Growth Management (GM)
• Population in Regional Geographies
• Employment in Regional Geographies
• Jobs and Housing Balance in Counties
• Population and Jobs in Regional Growth Centers
  and Jobs in MICs

• Economic Prosperity (EP)
• Accessibility to High-Wage and Living Wage
  Employment
• Accessibility to Cluster Employment (15 clusters)
• Accessibility to Freight Generators
• Environmental Stewardship (ES)
• Vehicle Emission Cost Savings
• Runoff From Impervious Surfaces
• Ability to Retain Open Space
• Quality of Life (QL)
• Accident Cost Savings
• Non-Motorized Travel
• Redundancy
• Equity (E)
• Geographic Equity
• Income Equity
• Distribution of Benefits to Passenger and Freight
  Users
• Special Needs and EJ Populations

Proposed changes shown in red and underlined
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Todays Discussion

• Provide initial guidance on the non-tolling
  components to be further analyzed in plan
  alternatives (not a recommendation on a preferred
  strategy).
• Reminder of what will be included in the plan
• The plan will contain a set of guidance
  statements that
• Support Demand and System Management
• Support Strategic Expansion
• Support Funding of Projects and Programs
• The Plan will not
• Provide specific direction on when a facility is
  to be built or program implemented.

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Alternatives Concepts Development
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Intent of Alternatives

• Develop alternatives that include different
  strategies to meet the regions transportation
  needs (issues from scoping)
• Land Use - Better integrate transportation and
  land use decisions through implementation of
  Vision 2040.
• Economy - Support the Regional Economic Strategy.
• Congestion and Mobility Reduce congestion on
  facilities for all types of freight and person
  travel.
• Equity and Special Needs Transportation
  Equitably make transportation investments across
  the region and improve access to jobs and
  services for people with special needs.
• Safety Health - Improve the safety of the
  transportation system and assist the state in
  meeting the objectives of Target Zeroand
  encouraging healthy lifestyles.
• Security Support the regions ability to deal
  with emergencies.
• Energy and the Environment Reduce the causes of
  climate change and water quality impacts on Puget
  Sound
• Preservation of the System Make improvements to
  an aging infrastructure.
• Transportation Funding Support the development
  of sustainable transportation funding.
• Project Prioritization - Make the most of scarce
  transportation dollars.

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Organizing Framework

• Range of alternative concepts that represents
• Different constituent group interests
• A SEPA process with a broad range of alternatives
  and environmental impacts
• A range of financing and investment strategies
• Toll revenues will be directed toward
  transportation investments that improve travel in
  the corridor that they are collected in.
• A series of transportation strategies that could
  be implemented over time (phased)
• An integrated package of investments

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Organizing Framework

• The alternatives will vary components of the
  following investment strategies
• Improving Efficiency
• Demand Management Moving people and/or goods or
  ideas in the most efficient manor.
• System Management Improving the efficiency of
  the facilities that people or goods travel on.
• Strategic Expansion
• Roadways Choke points and bottleneck
  improvements, new roadways (SR 509,etc), etc.
• Transit New vanpools or buses or trains on
  existing routes or new routes and supporting
  facilities such as bus maintenance facilities,
  park and ride lots, etc.
• Bicycle and Pedestrian New or expanded trails or
  sidewalks
• What about tolls? Tolls are generally used as a
  means to improve the efficiency of a roadway or
  ferry and/or provide funding for maintaining or
  improving transportation facilities.

Improving Efficiency
Strategic Expansion
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An Illustration of Alternative Performance(Not
actual data)
Emissions Reduction Benefits
Travel Time Savings
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A Few Thoughts on the Baseline
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Alternatives
expansion transit
expansion transit
expansion transit
expansion transit
expansion roads
expansion transit
expansion Roads
expansion roads
expansion roads
pricing
expansion roads
expansion transit
pricing
pricing
expansion roads
system management
pricing
system management
pricing
pricing
system management
system management
system management
system management
demand strategies
demand strategies
demand strategies
demand strategies
demand strategies
demand strategies
Core Concepts that apply to all alternatives
Safety, Security, Special Needs, etc.
Preservation
1 2 3 4 5
Baseline
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Preservation A Central ThemeApply to All
Alternatives

• Preservation investments are proposed to remain a
  high priority investments within the plans
  investment principles/strategy. 
• Keeping transportation assets in safe and
  operable condition will be one of the regions
  highest priorities. 
• preserving existing service levels (transit or
  other services) will be highlighted as a regional
  priority.
• Preservation investments may require additional
  funding from existing or new funding sources
  across the many program areas (e.g. city streets,
  county roads, local and regional transit, ferries
  and highways) contained in the plan. 
• The plans financial strategy will need to
  describe the expectations about how funds will be
  made available to maintain safe and useful
  operations of existing transportation system
  elements.  These details will vary across the
  program areas, reflecting each programs specific
  set of financing and asset management challenges.

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Baseline Demand Management
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Baseline Bicycle Pedestrian
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Baseline Roadway Efficiency
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Baseline Roadway Expansion
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Baseline Transit (High Capacity)
EXPANSION
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Baseline Ferry
EFFICIENCY
EXPANSION
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Baseline Strategies Transit (Bus Service)
EFFICIENCY
EXPANSION

• Staple service in high-density corridorsall
  day, high frequency, high access, highest
  possible speed given that its core service
• Community Connections lower density corridors,
  may not be all day, lower frequency, speed, lower
  ridership volumes (e.g., life-line service)
• Specialized Service market driven, peak-service
  (e.g., PR service, employer partnerships,
  DART/ACCESS) 
• Community Connections and Specialized Service are
  more policy-driven, staple service is
  ridership-driven (or at least should be)

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Starting with the Core Concepts (apply to all
alternatives)
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Alternatives
expansion transit
expansion transit
expansion transit
expansion transit
expansion roads
expansion transit
expansion Roads
expansion roads
expansion roads
pricing
expansion roads
expansion transit
pricing
pricing
expansion roads
system management
pricing
system management
pricing
pricing
system management
system management
system management
system management
demand strategies
demand strategies
demand strategies
demand strategies
demand strategies
demand strategies
Core Concepts that apply to all alternatives
Safety, Security, Special Needs, etc.
Preservation
1 2 3 4 5
Baseline
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Core StrategiesDemand Management

• Efficiency
• Employers provide alternative mode subsidies
• Education Coordinated, employer-based
  alternative mode marketing, promotion, education,
  and incentive program
• Carshare (ZipCar/ FlexCar) Market-driven
• Ridematch.com upgrade to calendaring system and
  tool for reward/incentive distribution
• Vanpool Programs Same as baseline
• Guaranteed Ride Home service current service
  configurations
• Parking Management
• Coordinated Parking Management programs in the
  five metropolitan cities (e.g. agree on
  synergistic strategy for pricing on-street
  parking)
• Off-street parking policies that promote
  vanpool/HOV use

GTEC A State program that identifies
appropriate areas to promote opportunities to
commute to work using transit, carpools and
vanpools
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Core StrategiesBicycle and Pedestrian

• Efficiency
• Education/Encouragement
• Regional bike map
• Online walk/bike route planner
• Regionally coordinated individualized marketing
  program
• Best practices manual for employers
• Safety Improve roadway crossing safety for
  bikes/peds
• Complete Streets Accommodate bike/ped in all
  future roadway and transit projects, where
  appropriate
• Transit Access Increase bike rack capacity on
  buses region wide
• Expansion
• Regionally coordinated bike share program

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Core StrategiesRoadway

• Efficiency
• Complete freeway ramp metering integrate with
  connecting arterials region wide
• Coordinate arterial signals on a corridor and
  regional basis with at least low-tech solutions
• Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) on I-5 and
  Airport Way
• FAST Corridor Grade-Separation projects
• Expansion/Major Preservation
• Six-lane SR 520 Bridge
• Alaskan Way Viaduct (details TBD)

Important Freight Strategy
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Core StrategiesTransit (High Capacity)

• Expansion
• Baseline will include original Sound Move or ST2
  depending on November vote

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Core StrategiesTransit (Bus Service)

• Efficiency
• Adapt to fixed guideway high-capacity transit
  (alternative specific)
• Operations consolidate stops, rationalize routes
• Operations reinvest freed service hours in
  staple service or new special purpose service
• Support Integrated transit farecard and
  automatic vehicle location (AVL) region wide
• Shared RoW Transit-Focused Mgmt BAT lanes and
  TSP or similar where new service is in the
  pipeline
• Maintenance/expansion of Level of Service (LOS)
• community connections (including
  lifeline/special needs) maintain existing LOS
• staple service (such as Metro 71/72/73) reach
  threshold LOS on critical routes maintain
  existing service on remainder
• special purpose (such as Metros Brickyard P
  R route) add service where appropriate

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Core StrategiesFerry

• Efficiency
• Variable fare pricing on certain routes at peak
  hours
• Reservation system on some or all routes
• Add transit connections and park ride capacity
  at ferry terminals
• Implement operational and pricing strategies
  BEFORE considering costly expansion

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Other System Management

• Integrated regional traveler information online
  for all types of travel (car, bus, train,
  bicycle, etc.)

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Safety - Core Concepts(apply to all alternatives)

• Safety
• Coordinate regional efforts in support of Target
  Zero, the State Strategic Highway Safety Program
• All Alternatives will include some level of
  safety improvements. Core safety mitigation
  program examples
• Education on current causes of fatal and
  disabling issues through trend data
• Emphasis on bicycle and pedestrian safety
  improvements
• Safety data will be monitored and reported on a
  regular basis.
• Adjustments to plan will be made in accordance
  with findings.

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Security - Core Concepts(apply to all
alternatives)

• Security
• Participate and raise awareness regarding
  regional security efforts related to emergency
  recovery planning such as
• Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant
  Transportation Recovery Plan
• Regional ITS implementation Plan (includes input
  from Emergency Management Focus Group)
• Continue efforts to coordinate evacuation and
  sheltering of special needs populations
• Security data will be monitored and reported on a
  regular basis.
• Adjustments to plan will be made in accordance
  with findings.

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Core Concepts (apply to all alternatives)

• Special Needs
• Update and implement the Coordinated
  Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan.

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Alternatives Development
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Alternatives
expansion transit
expansion transit
expansion transit
expansion transit
expansion roads
expansion transit
expansion Roads
expansion roads
expansion roads
pricing
expansion roads
expansion transit
pricing
pricing
expansion roads
system management
pricing
system management
pricing
pricing
system management
system management
system management
system management
demand strategies
demand strategies
demand strategies
demand strategies
demand strategies
demand strategies
Core Concepts that apply to all alternatives
Safety, Security, Special Needs, etc.
Preservation
1 2 3 4 5
Baseline
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Alternative 1

• Alternative 1
• Emphasizes improving the efficiency of the
  existing transportation systems by focusing on
  investments in demand and system management and
  additional transit services.
• Assumes a limited opportunity for additional
  traditional transportation funding and limited
  reliance upon tolling.
• Baseline and Core improvements-plus
• Efficiency Improvements including
• Working from home program aimed at employers
• Use technology to improve flows on arterials
  (signal coordination, etc.) and freeways (speed
  harmonization, etc.)
• Vanpools 20 annual increase
• Incident Management expanded on freeway and added
  to arterial system
• Improved traveler information systems to allow
  informed travel choices
• Improve bike and pedestrian facilities region
  wide
• Signal prioritization for transit
• Explore Freight related ITS
• 1 lane HOT lane network
• Strategic Expansion Improvements
• Significant Expansion in Bus Transit Service
  Hours
• SR-520 Bridge
• HCT per November vote
• Park Ride lot expansion emphasizing shared
  ride.

Improving Efficiency
Strategic Expansion
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Alternative 2

• Alternative 2
• Emphasizes strategic expansion in both roadway
  and transit capital programs throughout the
  region, with modest investments in system and
  demand management.
• Assumes sizable opportunity for additional
  traditional transportation funding and modest
  reliance upon tolling.
• Baseline and Core improvements-plus
• Efficiency Improvements including
• Working from home program aimed at employers
• Use technology to improve flows on selected
  freeways (speed harmonization, etc.)
• Signal coordination across jurisdictions-low
  technology
• Improve bike and pedestrian focused on centers
• 2 lane HOT network
• Strategic Expansion Improvements
• Significant HCT service expansion modest bus
  service expansion
• Complete
• I-405,
• SR-167,
• SR-509
• Arterial Improvements
• HOV System

Improving Efficiency
Strategic Expansion Transit Roadway
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Alternative 3

• Alternative 3
• Emphasizes expanding the core highway system
  through user/toll financing with modest
  investments in system management, bus services
  and arterial improvements.
• Assumes modest opportunity for additional
  traditional transportation funding for
  non-highway uses and reliance upon toll financing
  of highways.
• Baseline and Core improvements-plus
• Efficiency Improvements including
• Use technology to improve flows on selected
  freeways (speed harmonization, etc.)
• Vanpools 10 annual increase
• Signal coordination across jurisdictions-low
  technology
• Working from home program aimed at employers
• Improve bike and pedestrian focused on urban area
  and connecting centers
• Tolling on central Puget Sound system
• Strategic Expansion Improvements
• Focused expansion of Transit Bus Service hours
• Complete RTID like improvements
• Portion of I-405
• Portion of SR-167
• HOV System

Improving Efficiency
Strategic Expansion
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CORRECTED Alternative 4

• Alternative 4
• Emphasizes an integrated mix of investments to
  improve the efficiency of the highway system and
  support transit and arterial improvements in
  existing corridors.
• Assumes limited opportunity for additional
  traditional transportation funding and reliance
  upon toll financing of highways and non-highway
  uses.
• Baseline and Core improvements-plus
• Efficiency Improvements including
• Use technology to improve flows on selected
  freeways (speed harmonization, etc.)
• Vanpools 10 annual increase
• Signal coordination across jurisdictions-low
  technology
• Working from home program aimed at employers
• Improve bike and pedestrian focused Metro Core
  cities and connecting centers
• Tolling on central Puget Sound freeway system
• Strategic Expansion Improvements
• Expansion in Transit Bus Service Hours in all
  tolled corridors
• Complete Bottlenecks and Chokepoints
• HOV System
• Significant expansion in bus RoW, light rail, and
  commuter rail
• Park Ride lot expansion both drive-alone and
  shared ride

Improving Efficiency
Strategic Expansion
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Alternative 5

• Alternative 5
• Emphasizes investments that improve the
  efficiency of the roadway system (freeways and
  arterials), reduce vehicle use, and convert
  transportation fleets to reduce carbon dioxide
  emissions.
• Assumes a replacement of fuel-based financing
  approaches with charges that relate to vehicle
  use. Revenues are broadly used to support
  mobility and limit vehicle emissions.
• Baseline and Core improvements-plus
• Efficiency Improvements including
• Use technology to improve flows on arterials
  (signal coordination, etc.) and freeways (speed
  harmonization, etc.)
• Vanpools 20 annual increase
• Signal coordination across jurisdictions-high
  technology
• Working from home program aimed at employers
• Improve bike and pedestrian throughout region
• Tolling on central Puget Sound system
• Continuous bicycle and pedestrian network
• Explore Freight related ITS
• Strategic Expansion Improvements
• Major Expansion in Transit Bus and HCT Service
  Hours
• HOV System
• Large expansion of bus RoW, light rail, and
  commuter rail
• Park Ride lot expansion

Improving Efficiency
Strategic Expansion
Bus focused option under discussion
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Individual Alternatives Strategies Demand Mgmt
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IN ADDITION TO Core Strategies
GTEC growth and transportation efficiency
centers
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CORRECTED Individual Alternatives Strategies
Bicycle Pedestrian

• IN ADDITION TO Core Strategies
• MIC manufacturing industrial center
• CTR Commute trip reduction

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Individual Alternatives Strategies Roadway
Efficiency
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IN ADDITION TO Core Strategies
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CORRECTED Individual Alternatives Strategies
Roadway Expansion
IN ADDITION TO Core Strategies
Potential Freight Strategy Under
discussion roll back baseline to avoid VMT
increase? Other details still under
discussion
v Included
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Individual Alternatives Strategies Transit
(High Capacity)
EXPANSION
IN ADDITION TO Core Strategies Still Under
Discussion bus service focus instead?
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Individual Alternatives Strategies Transit (Bus
Service)
EFFICIENCY
EXPANSION
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IN ADDITION TO Core Strategies
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Individual Alternatives Strategies Ferry
EFFICIENCY
EXPANSION
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IN ADDITION TO Core Strategies
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Other Strategies

• General Efficiency Integrated regional
  multimodal traveler information online
• Alternative 5 Technological approaches to
  vehicle emissions (passenger, freight, transit)

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Questions?

• Questions?