The document discusses Seattle's efforts towards more sustainable transportation over several decades, including establishing a bus transit system in the 1960s, developing light rail and streetcar lines, and combating urban sprawl. It outlines Seattle's climate action plan and various programs to reduce carbon emissions and provide more transportation choices for citizens, such as the One Less Car Challenge. The selection process for transportation projects is also summarized in four steps.
20. Step 1: Identification of transportation needs
Step 2: Identification of non-discretionary programs
and projects
Step 3: Prioritization of discretionary projects
Step 4: Ordering projects for implementation
Project Selection Process
1967: First Puget Sound Regional Transportation Plan rules out rail transit in favor new highways and roads.
1968: King County voters approve 7 of 12 Forward Thrust bond issues, but reject 47-mile rail transit plan costing $1.15 billion ($385 million local).
1970: Second Forward Thrust rail plan fails
1972: King County voters approve Metro Transit plan limited to bus service; Seattle voters scrap R. H. Thomson Expressway and reject Bay Freeway.
1983: Metro approves construction of downtown transit tunnel for new "dual-mode" electric-diesel buses.
-Opened in 1990
-produce fewer emissions than standard diesel buses
-city starts moving towards being more eco friendly
1990: State Legislature approves expanded growth management powers and planning for Puget Sound rapid transit system
2010: RapidRide BRT
1981: Puget Sound Council of Governments (now Regional Council) renews rail transit planning.
1982: George Benson’s Waterfront Streetcar enters service (it is extended in 1990; City Councilman Benson also saved the Monorail during the Westlake Center development and championed installation of rails in the downtown bus tunnel).
-First streetcar run in Seattle since 1941
1988: King County advisory ballot on rail approved by 2-to-1 margin, called for accelerated planning for rail service by 2000, Metro transit accelerates planning for high capacity transit.
1996: Seattle Link Light Rail approved by ballot measure
-Construction completed 2009
2007: Construction begins on Seattle Streetcar Network
1970: Census counts more King County residents living outside Seattle than within (growth vs. development)
1985: King County passes first true growth management plan to combat sprawl (development)
-http://nextcity.org/daily/entry/gifs-sprawl-boston-dc-dallas-san-diego-seattle
-urban growth from 1940 to present
Seattle currently ranked in top 10 most walkable cities in the U.S.
-Green being more walkable area (better access)
Seattle’s solution to sustainable transportation depends on a three legged stool
- create livable, walkable communities
- provide transportation choices
- encourage people to use those choices, and to be part of the solution
-Seattle leads the nation in innovative solutions to environmental challenges
-Seattle has been recognized ad the nations most sustainable city by STAR communities, which is a national organization that evaluates the livability and sustainability of US communities
Charting the path to Carbon Neutral by 2050
Office of sustainability and environment is the primary driver behind Seattle’s climate policy but every city department plays a role
Climate action plan is the first step
Climate Action Plan
city council unanimously adopted the plan in June 2013
focuses on the cities actions to reduce greenhouse emissions and support vibrant neighborhood, economic prosperity, and social equity
Deals mainly with road transportation, building energy and waste
Ultimate goal is 58% reduction in GHG by 2030
Transportation and Land Use
Implementing transit, bike and pedestrian friendly policies to provide better transportation choices for residents and businesses
27% inc in pedestrians and 64% inc in biking since 2011
49% of residents commute to work in a single occupancy vehicle (goal is 42% by 2020)
In Motion Program
- Ask people to reduce their drive-alone trips by two a week
One Less Car Challenge
Encourages drivers to try life with one less car
Level 1 – participants park their car for a month
Level 2 – sell or donate their vehicle, agreeing not to replace it for a full year
In 2007 Level 2 participants grew from 30 to 146 with 10-20 people applying every week
Comprehensive Plan
20 year vision plan and roadmap towards building a sustainable Seattle
Guide to deciding where to build new jobs, houses, how to improve our transportation system, and other capital investments
Focusing on how to grow while preserving and improving our neighborhood as well as protecting our environments, quality of life, and economic development
Comprehensive plan ties back to the three legged stool with its …
Four Core Values:
Community
Environmental stewardship
Economic opportunity and security
Social equity
Almost 40 percent of Seattle’s greenhouse gas emissions come from Seattle's cars and trucks.
In 2005, Mayor Nickels began a national movement of mayors by committing Seattle to meet the goals of the Kyoto Protocol and reduce its carbon footprint.
Kyoto Protocol City Goals:
- Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their own communities, through actions ranging from anti-sprawl land-use policies to urban forest restoration projects to public information campaigns; - Urge their state governments, and the federal government, to enact policies and programs to meet or beat the greenhouse gas emission reduction target suggested for the United States in the Kyoto Protocol -- 7% reduction from 1990 levels by 2012 - Urge the U.S. Congress to pass the bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction legislation, which would establish a national emission trading system
Funding for Bridging the Gap:
The first is a commercial parking tax. The second tax charges businesses $25 per full-time employee per year, but only for those employees who commute to work in a single-occupancy vehicle. Not only do these taxes provide additional transportation funding, but they target the driver behavior that contributes most to greenhouse-gas emissions.
In 2006, Seattle voters passed a nine-year, $365 million levy for transportation maintenance and improvements known as Bridging the Gap. The levy is complemented by a commercial parking tax.
Reduce the infrastructure maintenance backlog.
Pave and repair Seattle streets.
Make seismic upgrades to our most vulnerable bridges.
Improve pedestrian and bicycle safety and create safe routes to schools.
Increase transit speed and reliability.
Neighborhood Street Fund – first $1.5 million annually
Maintenance Programs – no less than 67%
Pedestrian/Bike/Safety Programs – no less than 18%
Transit & Major Projects – no more than 15%
http://sdotblog.seattle.gov/2013/03/26/what-is-bridging-the-gap/#sthash.f22S9jNw.dpuf
Focus on moving people and goods, not cars.
Pedestrian Master Plan-http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/pedestrian_masterplan/
Bridging the Gap includes $29.8 million over the next nine years
Bicycle Master Plan-http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/bikemaster.htm
Today 6,000 people commute by bike daily
Seattle Connections:
Provide riders with transit service every 15 minutes, 18 hours a day, seven days a week that connects our 37 urban villages to each other and the region.
Investing in signal, Intelligent Transportation Systems and road enhancements supporting ‘ RapidRide’ bus service.
Proposing an investment of $1.5 million annually in King County Metro Transit’s new transit partnership program using Bridging the Gap funds. This could add 45,000 new Seattle service hours. In addition, Seattle is investing $22.5 million of our Bridging the Gap funds to make changes in our right-of-way that improve transit speed and reliability.
Creating three Center City transportation hubs where people can make easy connections to buses, ferries, light rail and other modes.
Neighborhood Service Centers- “Little Town Hall”
Purple- Downtown Seattle
Orange and Gold are neighborhood centers
Neighborhood centers
Goods and Services in a central location
Promote walking and public transportation use
Used as transportation “hubs” to connect outer areas to downtown area via public transit
Washington State Growth Management Plan
State law that requires state and local governments to manage Washington’s growth by identifying and protecting critical areas and natural resource lands, designating urban growth areas, preparing comprehensive plans and implementing them through capital investments and development regulations.
Project Selection Process:
Step 1
Ongoing process which projects for future funding are identified (what the city needs)
Get this info through citizen requests, transportation strategic plans, projects in current CIP or SDOT planning
Step 2
Identifies non-discretionary programs and projects that must be budgeted for completion
Includes urgent safety/emergency need, projects currently in construction, services that generate tax revenues, reimbursable services (repairing facilities, street use permitting)
Step 3
Projects remaining after step 2 are ranked based on a 100 point scoring system allowing them to be based on merits
Evaluation criteria includes – safety, preservation and maintenance, cost effectiveness, mobility improvement, economic development, comprehensive plan/urban village land use strategy and improving the environment
Step 4
- Projects are evaluated on their readiness for funding and implementation
