Reminding Tacoma of Campaign Promises before Tax Implementation

Before Tacoma Council action to implement the utility tax portion of the recently voter-approved Prop. 3 to Fix Tacoma's Roads, the Chamber reminded Councilmembers of promises to voters to apportion dollars among all types of road and transportation projects.

It is important that from the very beginning of this Tacoma roads package that promises be kept with voters and all the advocates for the needed and necessary transportation projects.

ST3 Project List Considered

The conversation about the future of mass transit in our region took a big step forward Friday with the release of detailed studies for all the projects that could be part of a ST3 ballot measure next November. 

Sound Transit released details of the ST3 candidate projects, including cost and ridership estimates for each project along with other decision factors such as opportunities for transit-oriented development and non-motorized access options.

The Sound Transit Board identified the candidate projects last summer following a broad public involvement period. The Board focused on priorities for expanding regional transit services as the region’s population grows by a million people in the next 25 years.
Over the coming months, the studies will inform work by the Sound Transit Board to further narrow in on priorities and discuss the funding and size of a ballot measure. Stay tuned for details on how to provide input on a draft package the Board expects to release in March. Input next spring will shape a final measure planned for voter consideration in November 2016.

Check out the study results through the interactive map and full list of projects, where you’ll find more information including summaries comparing options for specific corridors. Visit the document archive for information about funding ST3, including Sound Transit’s cost methodology and track record of constructing projects on time and within budget.

Outreach about Transportation & Education

Have you heard AWB’s radio ad? 

AWB's 60-second spot, “System in Crisis,” is airing on radio stations throughout the Puget Sound, encouraging lawmakers to approve a bipartisan transportation package to reduce congestion and lower carbon emissions. 

You can listen to it HERE. 

AWB also joined with Keep Washington Rolling to place this full-page ad in last Sunday’s Seattle Times, and is part of a coalition called Recover Washington that’s airing this ad encouraging lawmakers to fund education without raising taxes. 

This is an unprecedented advertising round for AWB and it reflects the importance of the issues they’re dealing with this year.

Second Opportunity to Meet w/ Legislators

Chamber Members are invited to join the Chamber's delegation to Olympia for Legislative Advocacy Day #2 on Monday, April 6.

Registration with Karissa HERE.

House Takes Up Transportation Package Revenue

The Transportation Package is moving along in the Washington State House of Representatives.

Chamber Pres. Tom Pierson and the Chamber’s state lobbyist Michael Transue have scheduled meetings with almost every Pierce County legislator Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Several members of the Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee have volunteered to join the appointments these two days. Our thanks to these volunteers for their help in achieving better transportation infrastructure for the success of our businesses and the creation of more job opportunities in our community.

In other developments, the state House Transportation Committee has confirmed that it is holding a hearing at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 26 on the transportation package’s two revenue bills that have passed out of the Senate (ESSB 5987 and ESSB 5988). The meeting will be in House Hearing Room B (John L. O’Brien Building, Capitol Campus, Olympia, WA 98504). The Chamber’s Pres. Chamber Pres. Tom Pierson will be present as an advocate for improved transportation supporting businesses and our economy.

We strongly encourage you to attend and testify—keeping up momentum on a package is critical. If you or a colleague plan to go, please let the Chamber's Manager for Business & Political Gary Brackett know.

And, the SR-167 Completion Coalition (including the Chamber) along with stakeholders of the JBLM/I-5 project, will be hosting a stand up reception Thursday in Olympia.  This reception will be attended by a number of transportation leaders within the Washington State Legislature. 

We encourage an open discussion with our Legislative leaders about the outlook of the legislation in the House and ways in which we can help move the transportation package forward.

Pacific Ave I-5 Bridge Closure Monday

UPDATE: MARCH 27

Ramps will close for prep work for Pacific Avenue demo in Tacoma

In advance of the scheduled April 6 nearly year-long total closure of the Pacific Avenue overpass spanning Interstate 5 in Tacoma, crews have additional work that will require night ramp and lane closures. The closures could result in some delays during the week of March 30.

In addition to the below closures, three around-the-clock ramp closures remain in place:
• Southbound I-5 to State Route 7
• Northbound SR 7 to southbound I-5
• A Street to Interstate 705

Wednesday, April 1
• At 10 p.m., the southbound State Route 167/Portland Avenue on-ramp to southbound I-5 will close until 6 a.m. the following day.
• At 11 p.m., the northbound I-5 collector/distributor exit to southbound SR 7 will close until 4 a.m. the following day.

Friday, April 3
• At 12:01 a.m., the northbound I-5 collector/distributor exit to SR 7 will close until 4 a.m.

Lane and shoulder closures
From Monday through Thursday, March 30-April 2, drivers may encounter night lane and shoulder closures on I-5, SR 7, and the northbound I-5 collector/distributor lane (from State Route 16 and South 38th Street).

City of Tacoma streets
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, drivers will see single lane closures on East 27th Street and Wiley Avenue.

Know before you go
Stay informed with nearly 200 specialized alerts from Washington State Department of Transportation. Other roadway information is available via WSDOT’s travel alerts web page and Twitter account.

Hyperlinks within the release:
• Tacoma Traffic web page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/construction/pugetsound/tacoma.htm
• WSDOT self-subscribe alerts: https://service.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOT/subscriber/new
• Travels alerts web page: www.wsdot.com/traffic/trafficalerts/
• Twitter @wsdot_tacoma: https://twitter.com/wsdot_tacoma

ORIGINAL

Monday, April 6, WSDOT will close Pacific Avenue in Tacoma at Interstate 5 for almost a year.  WSDOT takes this opportunity to give you a heads-up about the closure, and to explain why it is necessary.

The closure is part of WSDOT’s I-5 - M Street to Portland Avenue – HOV project, in which they are widening I-5 to accommodate HOV lanes. The columns supporting the overpass conflict with the alignment of the future widened highway, so the overpass will be demolished and rebuilt during the long-term closure.

WSDOT has worked with the City of Tacoma to create a detour route. It fully recognizes this will be an inconvenience for drivers who will need to modify their travel plans, and thanks you in advance for your patience while this work is under way. This project is one piece of a larger effort called the I-5 - SR 16 Tacoma/Pierce County HOV Program, which is a substantial investment by WSDOT to increase highway capacity in Pierce County.

I-5 Expansion Will Close Pacific Ave. Overpass

April’s showers won’t dampen the demolition of a four-lane overpass spanning Interstate 5 in downtown Tacoma. The Pacific Avenue overpass will soon be turned into a pile of rubble to make way for high occupancy vehicle lanes.

The bridge demolition is part of the Washington State Department of Transportation’s I-5 - M Street to Portland Avenue – HOV project. The Pacific Avenue overpass is one of two bridges that will be removed and rebuilt in this project to create HOV lanes through Tacoma.

Pacific Avenue will close at I-5 Monday, April 6, and remain closed until March 2016, while crews demolish and rebuild the overpass. During the closure, drivers can cross I-5 using a signed detour route to nearby McKinley Way. Once the new overpass at Pacific Avenue is open to traffic, WSDOT will close the McKinley Way overpass for 18 months while crews replace it.

“We know this lengthy Pacific Avenue closure will affect Tacoma businesses and residents, which is why we won’t close both Pacific Avenue and McKinley Way at the same time,” said WSDOT Olympic Region Administrator Kevin Dayton.

Demolition of the Pacific Avenue overpass is expected to take approximately three months. Construction crews will first demolish the bridge approaches and then the bridge, working overnight hours when I-5 traffic volumes are lowest. Crews will start on the northbound side of I-5 near the Interstate 705/State Route 7 interchange. Drivers should expect lane and ramp closures on I-5 during demolition, and details of the lane closures will be forthcoming.

Help for drivers
Real-time travel and traffic information are available.
• Online tools that provide traffic camera images and a map of highway incidents and closures.
• The 511 travel information hotline. For out-of-state callers, it’s 1-800-695-ROAD (7623).
• The WSDOT mobile app, email alerts and other tools, such as Twitter.
• Overhead and roadside electronic signs.

Hyperlinks within the release:
• Project web page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/piercecountyhov/i5_msttoportland/
• Online tools: www.wsdot.com/traffic/
• Mobile app: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Inform/mobile.htm
• Travel info: www.wsdot.wa.gov/inform
• WSDOT regional Twitter account: https://twitter.com/wsdot_tacoma

Senate Transportation Package Detailed

The first public hearings on the Transportation Package revenue bills is Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 3:30 p.m. in the Senate Transportation Committee. AWB’s government affairs staff is lining up panels of business representatives to testify on those bills.  A number of our Grassroots Alliance partners will also be testifying.

For your information, here are details about the various bills:

Revenue bills:
• SB 5987  Concerning transportation revenue
• SB 5988 Concerning additive transportation funding and appropriations
• SB 5989 Authorizing bonds for transportation funding

Reform bills:
SB 5990 Transferring certain state sales and use taxes collected on transportation projects to the connecting Washington account.
• Requires that sales and use tax on transportation projects be transferred to the Connecting Washington Account (within the Motor Vehicle Fund).
• Becomes effective on only new-law revenue projects upon becoming a law.
• Becomes fully effective on all other transportation projects starting with the 2019-2021 biennium.

SB 5991 Concerning activities at the department of transportation funded by the environmental legacy stewardship account.
• Designates 20% starting in the 2015-2017 biennium from the ELSA account for WSDOT stormwater legacy projects and culvert projects.

SB 5992 Modifying certain requirements for ferry vessel construction.
• Requires WSF to use a design-build, fixed price contract.
• Design and Coastguard approval must be complete before construction begins.
• WSF must hire an Independent Owners Representative to manage ferry contract(s).
• Initial bids will have a Build in WA requirement, but if they are all above 5% of the engineer’s estimate, the contract will be rebid and out-of-state companies may bid.
• The project budget may not contain more than 5% of the fixed price contract as contingency.

SB 5993 Concerning public works contracts and projects.
• Changes WSDOT apprenticeship requirements from 15% to 13%, and makes the apprenticeship provision apply only to projects costing $3 million or more.
• Percentage decrease in apprenticeship requirements sunsets in ten years (2015-2025).
• Makes prevailing wage surveys able to be submitted electronically.
• Excludes the payment of prevailing wages to off-site workers involved in the manufacture or fabrication of nonstandard items used or incorporated into the project on new law transportation projects.
• Restore funding for helmets to hardhats program.

SB 5994 Concerning permits for state transportation corridor projects.
• Limits the use of a local hearing officer to only those appeals of critical area permits where WSDOT consents - otherwise, appeal goes to the superior court.
• Declares that WSDOT is not required to obtain various local zoning permits for construction staging areas related to the construction of state highways.
• Provides that only WSDOT or another permittee may appeal building permits issued by cities, towns, or counties for temporary buildings supporting highway construction.
• "To the greatest extent practicable" permits must be issued to WSDOT within 90 days of filing the permit application.
• Exempts highway maintenance and certain minor highway improvements from the Shorelines Management Act.
• Exempts projects from the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) if they are categorically excluded under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
• Excludes WSDOT construction material that does not threaten human or environmental health from the definition of solid waste under RCW 70.95.030.

SB 5995 Modifying the transportation system policy goal of mobility.
• Adds "congestion relief and improved freight mobility" to the existing Mobility Goal.

SB 5996 Concerning Washington state department of transportation projects.
• Addressing the permitting of certain transportation projects (ESHB 1978).
• Creates a seven-step required permitting process for all transportation projects. undertaken by WSDOT that require the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act.
• Requires the Dept. of Ecology to undertake rule-making and convene a work group regarding local permitting of transportation projects under the Shoreline Management Act.
• Directs WSDOT to continue using the multiagency permit program and places various requirements upon the staff and the program.
• Requires WSDOT environmental staff to develop all environmental documentation and oversee project work in order to ensure compliance.
• Removed sections 10 and 13 in previous version to 520 and AWV project and right-sizing provisions.

SB 5997 Concerning transportation project delivery.
• Encourages WSDOT to use Design Build on projects over $10 million.
• Creates Expert Review Panel to include two outside experts, WSDOT, AGC, and ACEC to make recommendations for improvement of Design Build Project delivery.




http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5989&year=2015

President Praises Transpo Package

Tom Pierson, President and CEO of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber stated, “We applaud the bi-partisan leadership in the State Senate with the release of their transportation package. This significant step moves us closer to ensuring more jobs in our state -- we must make investments to be more globally competitive.”

UPDATE: 2-17-2015
Details of the Senate Transportation Package available HERE.

The State Senate Leadership’s package includes $1.9 billion for completion of SR 167 and another $450 million for improvements to the I-5 corridor adjacent to JBLM.  Completion of 167 will provide jobs to our workers and increase our global competitiveness.  The I-5 corridor serves both our tremendous interstate commerce and our region’s largest employer – JBLM.

It would also provide authority for Sound Transit to seek a ballot measure for ST-3, as well as local options for other needs in the region. 

Option to Call National Leaders into PMA-ILWU Negotiations

If you wish to join in support of national leadership in seeking a resolution of the PMA-ILWU contract negotiation, you may sign a petition on the White House website urging President Obama to get involved to end the dispute. 

Two Volunteer Positions Open

The Tacoma City Council is seeking qualified citizens to fill two vacant positions on the Planning Commission representing the “Environmental Community” and “Public Transportation.”  Applications are being accepted at the City Clerk’s Office.  Please visit here.

2015 is an important year for the Planning Commission as the City is required, per state GMA laws, to do a thorough review and update to the City’s Comprehensive Plan. Tacoma 2040: Growing Tomorrow’s City  

Helping Set a State Freight Mobility Plan

The Chamber has submitted to Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) its comments on the draft Washington State Freight Mobility Plan.

(Click on Image for a Larger View of the Chamber's comments.)

When adopted in its final form, the Freight Plan will be used to guide state and federal policies and investments in state freight systems. The structure and content of the Freight Plan is compliant with the federal Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act guidance for state freight plans, as well as state requirements.

The draft State Freight Plan and the Plan’s Public Comment Form may be found at: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Freight/freightmobilityplan.  

The State Freight Mobility Plan applied advanced analysis and extensive public outreach to answers many important questions for the first time:
•    Where are the state’s high-value supply chains? 
•     What roads, highways, freight rail lines, waterways and intermodal facilities make up Washington State’s freight system? How do we objectively define the State’s Freight Economic Corridors?
•     What are the recommended performance goals for the State Freight Economic Corridors? What measures should we use to evaluate performance? 
•     Gauged against current performance, what locations on the Freight Economic Corridors have preservation needs and/or poor mobility performance?
•     How do we prepare for future demand on the Freight Economic Corridors?
•     How should we evaluate the economic impacts of highway projects with freight benefits?
•     What are the state’s priority freight policies, operational and capital project recommendations?
The State Freight Plan is multimodal. It includes the freight rail findings and recommendations of the Washington State Rail Plan, other state transportation plans, and many of the recommendations found in the recently published Washington Freight Advisory Committee report.

With the help of many partners and stakeholders, WSDOT has taken a big step towards a unified state freight planning process in the new State Freight Plan. For the first time WSDOT and the Washington State Freight Advisory Committee invited Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), Regional Transportation Planning Organizations (RTPOs), Tribes, and Ports to submit regional multimodal freight priority projects drawn from existing regional transportation plans and located on the State Freight Economic Corridors.  The Freight Plan, along with other modal plans, will be used to inform the new Washington Transportation Plan.

The Future of Regional Mass Transit

Last fall, thousands of residents expressed interest in regional mass transit as Sound Transit kicked off a process to update the Long-Range Plan, a blueprint for future mass transit expansion in Puget Sound. Those comments helped shape the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Draft SEIS), which is available for public review June 13 – July 28, 2014. The Sound Transit Board of Directors plans to update the Long-Range Plan later this year after the Final SEIS is issued. This plan will provide the framework for potential future mass transit expansion—a vital service for our growing population that is expected to grow by 30 percent by 2040.

Now is the opportunity to provide formal comments on the Draft SEIS and share your regional transit priorities – we’d encourage you to participate as a Chamber member. Sound Transit is currently on its way to completing 30 miles of light rail extensions that voters approved for funding in 2008. Your comments on the Draft SEIS will help the Sound Transit Board identify future transit expansions after the light rail extensions are complete in 2023. Comments will be shared with the Sound Transit Board and responded to in the Final SEIS.

Public involvement opportunities through July 28:

There are several methods to provide your feedback now – all details, including the full environmental document, is available at soundtransit.org/longrangeplan. Join the conversation by:
• Email: LongRangePlan@soundtransit.org
• Attending a meeting: Complete a comment form or provide verbal testimony at a public open house/hearing (see below)
• Mail: Sound Transit, Attn: Karin Ertl, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA 98104
• Going online: take an online survey at soundtransit.org/longrangeplan

There will be open house/public hearings in July 2014. At each meeting, an open house will be held throughout, and a public hearing will begin 30 minutes after the start of the meeting for those wishing to provide testimony directly to Sound Transit.

All meetings will be held 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. with public hearing at 6:00 p.m., except for a daytime meeting in Seattle.

Tacoma – Thurs, July 10
Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center |1500 Broadway

Federal Way – Wed, July 16
Truman High School | 31455 28th Ave S

DAYTIME: Seattle – Thurs, July 10
Union Station |401 S Jackson St
12:00 – 2:00 p.m. with public hearing at 12:30 p.m.

Questions? Call 206-903-7000 or email LongRangePlan@soundtransit.org

Thanks for Congressional Support to Fix HMT

This comprehensive Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) reform bill takes significant steps to improve American port competitiveness and protect jobs.

Passage of the bill would increase our state’s port competitiveness by directing additional federal investments into our maritime infrastructure and leveling the playing-field for U.S.-bound cargo. 

The signers of this letter believe strongly that the solutions in the Maritime Goods Movement Act strike the right balance to maintain the world-class trade gateways that support the Northwest’s economy. 

Transportation Package Coalition Speaks Up

The state's coalition for a transportation package is continuing its advocacy for adoption by the current legislature a comprehensive package this session. 

Planning the Port-Industrial Area's Future

At this month's Manufacturers-Industries-Maritime (M-I-M) meeting, two major planning documents underway were featured. Having completed their draft phases, requiring complementary and collaborative efforts by the Port of Tacoma and the City of Tacoma, these land use and transportation plans identify policies and action strategies to support capital improvements, attract private investments and encourage economic growth.

Kell McAboy, Planning Manager, Port of Tacoma, explained the Port of Tacoma’s land use and transportation planning that will identify policies and recommendations to support capital improvements, attract private investments and encourage economic growth.

The land use and transportation plan will build on the goals and initiatives in its Strategic Plan by providing information, policies and recommendations to support capital improvements, attract private investments and encourage economic growth.

The plan will be a policy-based document that identifies and prioritizes actions needed to achieve the Port's goals. It will act as a form of communication for decision makers and be designed to guide development over a 10 to 20 year planning horizon.

The area of focus for the plan is the Port of Tacoma Manufacturing Industrial Center (MIC) as designated by the Puget Sound Regional Council. Here is the link to the DRAFT Plan.

The City of Tacoma enjoys the economic contributions of the Port of Tacoma. 

Ian Munce, Special Assistant to the Director of Planning & Development Services, City of Tacoma explained the City of Tacoma’s collaboration with the Port of Tacoma, in preparing a Container Port Element (CPE).

In order to protect the unique and critical infrastructure and industrial node of our state’s intermodal ports, in 2009, the Washington State Legislature amended the Growth Management Act (GMA) to include a requirement for a Container Port Element (CPE) in the GMA Comprehensive Plan for cities that contain a marine container port with annual operating revenues in excess of $60 million.

The legislative intent is “… to ensure that local land use decisions are made in consideration of the long-term and widespread economic contribution of our international container ports and related industrial lands and transportation systems and to ensure that container ports continue to function effectively alongside vibrant city waterfronts.” RCW 36.70A.085

Accordingly, the City of Tacoma, in collaboration with the Port of Tacoma, has prepared a Container Port Element for public review. Consistent with state requirements, the element provides policy guidance to achieve the following:

•         Protection of core areas of container port and port-related industrial areas within the City

•         Efficient access to the core area through freight corridors within the city limits

•         Protection against potential land use conflicts along the edge of the core area

•         Identification of key transportation corridor improvements.

The text of the Proposed CPE, together with background information, can be found on the City Website. To access the webpage for the CPE visit the Planning Services Division’s homepage and click on “Container Port Element”, or go directly to the CPE.