Overview

In its comprehensive 171-page report issued in December, 2006, the regional transportation study commission appointed by Washington Governor Chris Gregoire made three basic recommendations - tolling, public-private partnerships and consolidation of the region's six separate transit agencies. Those topics were the key elements of our 2003 report, "How Do We Get There From Here." Legislation for a three-county transportation super-agency to plan, prioritize and fund road and transit projects passed the State Senate in 2007, but stalled in the House.

"Regional Transportation Commission Final Report," Regional Transportation Commission (of Puget Sound), Dec. 31, 2006.

"An Institutional Conundrum - A Simplified Overview Of Metropolitan Institutional Reform Applied To Transportation In The Puget Sound Region," Deb Eddy, Cascadia Center For Regional Development, 2004.

Best Practices For Enhanced Regional Mobility

Time lost in slow or stalled traffic poses major costs to employers, shippers, consumers, individuals and families. Continuing increases in population and vehicles miles traveled are projected for many major metropolitan regions, including Central Puget Sound. Comprehensive regional transportation planning and decision-making provides fosters implementation of best practices to meet the difficult challenge in years ahead: cutting traffic congestion to maintain and improve quality of life, even as population grows.

These best practices include region-wide, time-variable tolling; public-private partnerships to fund road and transit improvements; seamless, convenient and quick multi-modal transit designed to comport with a region's geography and population density; more para-transit; increased emphasis on ridesharing and telecommuting; and continued research and development of in-roadway and on-board "intelligent transportation systems" to reduce congestion, and safety risks.

Draft Vision 2040 Puget Sound Regional Council, 7/07.

"Lake Washington Urban Partnership," Washington State Department of Transportation, 4/30/07.

"Overview Of National Strategy To Reduce Congestion On America's Transportation Network," USDOT, 3/07.

"Washington Transportation Plan 2007-2026," WSDOT, 2007.

"Regional Transportation Commission Final Report," Regional Transportation Commission (of Puget Sound), Dec. 31, 2006.

"Reducing Congestion In Atlanta: A Bold New Approach To Mobility," Robert W. Poole, Reason Foundation, 11/06.

"Building Roads To Reduce Congestion In America's Cities: How Much & At What Cost?," David Hartgren, M. Gregory Fields & Robert W. Poole, Reason Foundation, 8/06; (WA state congestion analysis, from study).

"Why Mobility Matters," Ted Balaker, Reason Foundation, 8/06.

"Traffic Congestion & Reliability: Trends & Advanced Strategies For Congestion Mitigation," Cambridge Systematics & Texas Transportation Institute (for Federal Highway Administration), 9/1/05.

"2005 Urban Mobility Report," Texas Transportation Institute.

"Unclogging America's Highways - Effective Relief For Highway Bottlenecks," American Highway Users Alliance, 2/04

Regional Transportation Governance Legislation

Engrossed Senate Substitute Bill 5803, 3/12/07.

ESSB 5803 Senate Bill Report

House Bill Report, ESSB 5803.

SB 5803 legislative History