Title
Transportation Capital Project Funding Status Briefing
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Discuss upcoming transportation capital projects.
Report
Issue:
Whether to discuss upcoming transportation capital projects.
Staff Contact:
Joey Jones, Project Engineer II, Public Works Transportation, 360.753.8307
Presenter(s):
Joey Jones, Project Engineer II
Background and Analysis:
At this meeting, staff will present information about the status of transportation Capital Facilities Plan (CFP) projects. Specifically:
• What are significant upcoming CFP transportation projects
• How will the new sales tax revenues be used
Each year, the CFP is updated with new projects and new information about how we plan to fund projects. We use the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) to inform the update of the CFP. The TMP is a prioritized list of projects are that help people walk, bike and use transit.
Staff will provide an update on the status of the current CFP transportation projects and what major projects are on the horizon.
In 2023, Council decided to collect a new sales tax revenue for bicycle, pedestrian, and active transportation projects in the CFP. Revenue collection began April 1, 2024. It is anticipated the sales tax will generate approximately $3.1M per year. Staff will provide information on how this funding will be used.
Climate Analysis:
In the Thurston Region, transportation-related emissions are the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels in transportation is essential to lessening our impact on the climate. We can do that by replacing gas-powered vehicle trips with trips made by walking, biking and transit. The projects in the TMP make those modes more safe and inviting.
Implementing the TMP will help us achieve the following strategies:
• T2. Increase the efficiency of the transportation system. TMP projects will retrofit our streets to make walking, biking and transit more safe and inviting.
• T4. Increase the use of public transit. TMP projects help make transit more inviting for more people through better access to bus stops. Changes to signals and street design to prioritize the movement of buses.
• T5. Increase the use of active forms of travel, such as walking and biking. TMP projects add enhanced bike lanes, bike corridors, sidewalks, enhanced crosswalks, and pathways to our streets to better serve people walking and biking.
Equity Analysis:
Our current street system is oriented around the car. TMP projects will help make our transportation system more fair by changing our streets to better serve people who can’t or choose not to drive.
TMP projects will make it easier to walk, bike and ride the bus. The projects are prioritized near common destinations, such as schools, bus routes, stores, and large worksites.
Making it easier to get around without a car is a significant step towards achieving greater equity in our community.
When the streets are not changed to make them better for walking, biking and transit, people who don’t or cannot drive face limited opportunities - reduced access to jobs, services, and social connections. Building streets that work better for more people is the focus of the TMP. Funding the projects from the TMP means our streets can more equitably serve more people in our community. In the TMP, see information about income, poverty and car ownership on page 15 and a discussion of equity on page 146.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Public input was sought in Fall 2019 on the development of the Transportation Master Plan. Each year the City’s advisory bodies and the general public can provide comment on the preliminary Capital Facilities Plan (CFP). In the last two CFP review processes, the community has asked to increase the pace of construction of bike, pedestrian and active transportation projects.
Financial Impact:
There is no financial impact related to this discussion.
Options:
1. Receive the briefing.
2. Do not receive the briefing.
3. Receive the briefing at another time.
Attachments:
None