Cascadia - Articles/News: Prop. 1 Defeat: News & Opinion Round-up

(Last updated Dec. 3, 2007)

Indexed below are selected news and opinion articles on Puget Sound regional transportation, following the defeat of Prop. 1 on Nov. 6, with links and excerpts, from least recent to most recent. They are preceeded by a link to Cascadia Center's Transportation Action Plan for Puget Sound.

CASCADIA CENTER'S TRANSPORTATION ACTION PLAN FOR PUGET SOUND

Transportation Action Plan For Puget Sound, Cascadia Center For Regional Development, 11/15/07.

POST-PROP. 1 ARTICLES AND COMMENTARY

"From The Ashes Of Proposition 1," editorial, Seattle Times, 11/7/07.

EXCERPT: In the end, it isn't that regionalism is dead or that "this is a region that simply cannot get its act together on transportation"...Proposition 1 was just too big and complicated, all for the enormous sum of $18 billion. A new proposal will rise from the ashes of this behemoth, which grew beyond the average citizen's comprehension....Maybe we should try a version of congestion pricing that will actually change commuters' behavior. Maybe we should toll certain roads to collect more from users....And there was...no one actually responsible for the projects if something went south. Who could name the head of the clunkily named Regional Transportation Investment District, or RTID?

"520 A Priority As Officials Regroup After Election," Mike Lindblom, Seattle Times, 11/8/07.

EXCERPT: One possibility is to put a tax on the ballot just for the bridge, to supplement funding from tolls and gas taxes, said House Transportation Committee Chairwoman Judy Clibborn, D-Mercer Island, who supported Proposition 1....State Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, said it makes sense to tackle Highway 520 before addressing broader transportation issues. "Completing projects such as the 520 bridge and showing we can...do it right is important," he said. Despite the defeat, the state can still build pontoons off-site, in Grays Harbor or another port area, for a new six-lane bridge. Gregoire said construction on the lake needs to start by 2012.

...With billions in tax dollars denied them Tuesday, politicians may be forced to consider "congestion pricing" to discourage so-called nonessential trips while raising money for new projects. Tolls would go up and down based on traffic volume....The Discovery Institute's Cascadia Center, a Seattle transportation think tank, endorsed regional tolling in a new position paper, and King County Councilmember Larry Phillips, D-Seattle, said he'd support an advisory vote on congestion pricing.

"Transportation Fixes Still Need To Be Made," editorial, Everett Herald, 11/8/07.

EXCERPT: New funding sources, particularly tolls and congestion pricing, need to be moved from the back to the front burner....Tolls are a fact of life elsewhere in the country, and represent a transparently fair user fee (much more fair than using sales taxes for highway construction). They're already working well on the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The time for congestion pricing has come. Charging single-occupant vehicles variable rates to use carpool lanes in busy corridors could be a highly effective tool for managing traffic flow, and it recognizes the reality that with current growth projections, we can't build ourselves all the way out of gridlock. Better traffic management has to be part of the solution. A pilot project on Highway 167 between Renton and Auburn is scheduled to begin in the spring.

...Regional transportation governance is murky, as is its accountability and, sometimes, its coordination. That doesn't engender voter trust. State lawmakers need to reconsider proposals to create a directly elected board to oversee regional transit and highways.

"How To Fund Transportation Without Raising Taxes," Knute Berger, Crosscut, 11/8/07.

EXCERPT: ...many regional transportation wonks aren't convinced Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) are a bad idea. Some concepts avoid total privatization and settle for semi-privatization with their financing, such as partially funding projects with building trades or union pension funds. That's been floated as how to fund a new downtown tunnel concept by Cascadia's Bruce Agnew and has been pushed nationally by former Democratic congressman and presidential candidate Dick Gephardt in his role as a consultant for Goldman Sachs. The failure of Prop 1 puts tolls and congestion pricing forward on the agenda after they've mostly been lurking in the backrooms.

"Roads, Transit: Crafting Plan B," Doug MacDonald, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 11/9/07.

EXCERPT: We need a single new board of directors for regional transportation...Prop. 1's failure is proof that we really must have a total change from the old, divided, turf-bound way of planning transportation. A strong, fresh, smart board of directors must be created for regional transportation. It must replace all the project planning and finance planning powers of Sound Transit and RTID, the never-suited tango pair.

...Tomorrow's systems will exploit fast, frequent buses operating on an affordable network of free-flow lanes crisscrossing the region. And also vans, private custom transit now coming to Microsoft, even modern-age jitneys. And probably yet-to-be-seen Web-matched ride sharing. We need to embrace new technology in our transportation vision. Why would we have a plan to spend billions for projects stretching two decades into the future without taking into account that today's cars, buses and trucks would look like rotary dial phones next to cell phones -- figuratively speaking -- in comparison to tomorrow's transportation vehicles?

...We need, step by step, to add time-of-day tolls to all the region's most congested roads....Wouldn't it be better all around if we asked people to pay a bit with today's automatic transponders when the main roads are busiest, and gave people a break when traffic is light?

"Sims Outlines County Plan for 5 New Foot Ferry Routes," Susan Gilmore, Seattle Times, 11/10/07.

EXCERPT: Imagine catching a ferry from Shilshole to downtown Seattle, or from Kenmore to a job in the city. Those routes moved a bit closer to reality Thursday when King County Executive Ron Sims unveiled his plan for the county's venture into the passenger-ferry business. Not only would the county pick up foot-ferry service from Vashon Island to downtown Seattle and continue the Elliott Bay water taxi, it would inaugurate five other demonstration routes: Kirkland to Seattle, South Puget Sound to Seattle, Kenmore to Seattle, Shilshole to Seattle, and Renton to Seattle. The first route, Kirkland-Seattle, would begin in July 2009, followed by the South Sound route, under the county's plans. The ferry service would be financed by a property tax of 5.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation or $22 for a house assessed at $400,000.

Plan B: Now In The Making," editorial, Seattle Times, 11/11/07.

EXCERPT: The next package must be smaller....A starting list of must-haves: Highway 520 has to be redone before it falls into the lake. While redoing it, it must be expanded to accommodate traffic to job centers in Bellevue and Redmond. Pay for it in part with tolls. Replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct, either with a new structure or a sensible surface option. Perhaps extend light rail to Northgate. The density is already there, but this may have to wait until the first light-rail line opens. In Snohomish County, do key interchanges to Interstate 5, expand Highway 9 and improve Highway 2. Pick only the must-dos. Pierce County: Do Highway 167. Make that the priority. Bring on congestion pricing to change motorist behavior at peak times. In other words, get the most out of roadways we already have.

"There Are Real Solutions to Reducing Congestion," Bob Williams, Everett Herald, 11/10/07.

EXCERPT: ....introduce legislation that repeals the 2007 bill that eliminated congestion relief as a priority and legislation that streamlines the governance process for transportation and bases DOT funding on the priorities of safety, maintenance and reducing congestion. Do we really need 128 state, local and regional government agencies having a voice in what gets done?.....change the transportation budgeting process. The 2000 Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation recommended transportation funding be tied to performance-based outcomes, clear goals and benchmarks....the state needs to take a serious look at public-private partnerships for road construction. It is no accident that states like Georgia and Florida are engaged in major highway construction because those states have been willing to engage the private sector as investors.

"After Prop. 1: A Look Down The Road," Bill Virgin, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 11/12/07.

EXCERPT: Research the opportunities to set up, through public entities or private concerns, targeted bus and transit services. This isn't a revolutionary concept. Bus service is already offered for special events such as Husky games and the Puyallup Fair. Metro is studying an improved bus service called RapidRide along the Pacific Highway South corridor. The University of Washington operates buses linking hospitals on its campus and First Hill. Microsoft has started bus service to get employees to its Redmond campus. Even casinos run bus service to collect patrons. Making mass transit attractive by routing it to where people are actually going and cutting the time it takes to use it would remove the "we're going to force-feed you castor oil and Brussels sprouts" attitude that permeates transit planning in this region....

Many people like having a car. They like driving, or at least find the convenience and flexibility to be worth the cost and occasional frustrations. So long as transportation planners consider those who favor the automobile as the enemy, to be herded, punished and reviled, the public will return the favor -- and will likely shred Son of Prop. 1, the Return of Prop. 1, Prop. 1 Strikes Again, Prop. 1: Next Generation, Prop. 1: The Final Reckoning and all the other ballot-box sequels headed their way.

Focus Efforts Now On Telecommuting," letter to editor, Everett Herald, 11/12/07.

"State Seizes 520 Bridge Reins," Chris McGann, Todd Bishop, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 11/13/07.

EXCERPT: Now that Puget Sound-area voters have killed the ambitious roads and transit plan outlined in Proposition 1, the state will take back responsibility for replacing the state Route 520 Bridge, Gov. Chris Gregoire said Monday.....Gregoire said she wants to keep her commitment to begin construction on the 520 replacement by 2012....Gregoire did not give specifics about how she plans to raise the money to replace 520. But user taxes such as tolls and variable-rate congestion pricing for freer flowing restricted lanes are a likely option.

"Gov. To Seattle: You Dithered Away Your Chance," David Brewster, Crosscut, 11/13/07.

"Fast Forward To A Time When Innovation Moves The Region," Steve Marshall & Bruce Agnew, Cascadia Center for Regional Development, Seattle Times, 11/16/07.

EXCERPT: In the wake of voter rejection of the Proposition 1 roads-and-transit measure, some will say we should step back and let the dust settle. Instead, let's move forward fast....One step should be a high-tech transformation of the park-and-ride/bus-rapid-transit system so it is faster, more convenient and attractive. This may do more to reduce congestion in a shorter period of time, at less cost, than any other alternative. There are some 50 park-and-ride lots around Puget Sound and most of them fill up early each workday morning. They are one of the undisputed success stories and one reason why bus use here is among the highest in the country. We can build on this success.

An expanded ring of high-tech park-and-ride facilities would attract and intercept cars outside congested urban zones and support frequent express-bus service...They can be centers that have coffee stands and kiosks where commuters can pick up newspapers, dry cleaning, movies, drugstore basics and groceries – and perhaps orders from Amazon.com....Park-and-ride facilities can be central platforms for transit options: express bus, light rail, van pools, company transit (such as Microsoft's Connector bus service), flex-car rentals and other alternatives coordinated through interactive, hands-free communication and information services of the kind Microsoft and Ford are jointly developing.

"Traffic Audit Can Form Basis Of New Plan For Roads, Transit," (State Auditor) Brian Sonntag, Tacoma News Tribune, 11/18/07.

EXCERPT: Clearly, Proposition 1 was not what the public wanted. The first step in moving forward should be to ask citizens about their needs and what they are willing to support......the recent performance audit on traffic congestion in the region should serve as a good starting point for any discussions.....We learned from our extensive citizen outreach that congestion clearly is the primary focus of the public....The audit recommends a single agency to oversee transportation planning in the region. It identifies 128 public entities with responsibilities for transportation planning and spending in Puget Sound. This complex mix of agencies is awkward at best. Quite understandably, their interests are narrowly focused. At the same time, congestion knows no boundaries. One organization needs to coordinate the myriad of transportation planning activities and be positioned to decide what is best for the Puget Sound region. Planning for public transit and new lane capacity must be done together instead of independently.

"Washington Lawmakers Plan To Pass A Major Highway Tolling Bill," Austin Jenkins, Crosscut, 11/20/07.

EXCERPT: Look for a major highway tolling bill to come out of the 2008 Washington Legislature, which convenes in January. Transportation leaders say they're confident they can pass legislation next year that will create a framework for how tolls will be imposed and collected down the road....The bill as drafted says the Legislature would have sole authority to impose tolls, thus excluding local jurisdictions. Toll prices would be set by the Washington State Transportation Commission, an appointed body. The bill would allow tolls to continue to be collected after a project is paid off — a significant departure from current policy. Finally, the legislation permits toll prices to fluctuate between peak and off-peak travel times, which is called "variable pricing."

"Regional Transport: Much Can Be Done Now," Bruce Agnew, Puget Sound Business Journal, 11/30/07.

EXCERPT: Businesses, residents and visitors all have a stake in a smoothly operating transportation system. Central Puget Sound's population is projected to grow 52 percent by 2040. We can't build our way out of road congestion, but we can manage what we have -- and what we add -- much more strategically. Tolling and congestion pricing, pension fund investment, improved bus rapid transit plus Eastside commuter rail, advanced vehicle and traffic technology, and regional decision-making. Each is essential.

The Pacific Northwest rightly prides itself on balancing its abundant natural beauty with robust economic growth. Meeting the challenge will become harder each year. How we plan for future regional mobility, and what kind of leadership we can summon, will help determine whether we succeed.