Planning 2013-05-21 Minutes - Work Session - Comprehensive Plan Southcenter / Tukwila Urban Center and Transportation Element

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PC Work Session Minutes Cyndy explained that LOS A means very little traffic, and LOS B has a few more cars. LOS C and LOS D have progressively more congestion. LOS E is considered to be at capacity and LOS F is failure or breakdown of the traffic flow. Multi -modal LOS (MMLOS) must be developed. We got a grant for $70,000 with federal stimulus funding to study and implement new MMLOS using the 2010 Highway Capacity Manual, incorporating information from the Walk and Roll Plan. Tukwila was among the first to use this new method in the country, but when completed, the method didn't meet the City's needs. We need to do additional work to customize the method, and will return to this topic in future work plans. We have language that METRO and Sound transit have set for their LOS and headways. We do not control this, although we want to support these agencies' efforts. We have transit priority streets, and perhaps in the future will have different levels of service on these streets. Tukwila staff is working King County METRO to include transit signal priority at signalized intersections along the future RapidRide F -Line route to allow the RapidRide buses to stay on schedule without significantly affecting our traffic flow. Commissioner Strander asked about the RapidRide F line. Cyndy explained that RapidRide is Metro's version of Bus Rapid transit. Special buses will operate on a frequent headway, with a 7 to 10 minute arrival interval rather than 30 minutes. With frequent service, a timetable will not be needed. The RapidRide F line will replace Route 140. There will be fewer stops, but more frequent, higher capacity buses. This will be very good for Tukwila. Commissioner Strander asked if street lights would be coordinated with RapidRide. Cyndy reported that there would be transit signal priority along the route. A transponder on the RapidRide buses will communicate with the signal controllers to help the buses, but not at the expense of other uses. She continued that GMA concurrency requires that LOS service standards must be met, per Ordinance #2305. We are ok today, with only a few intersections falling to LOS F. Transportation concurrency must be met within six years due to the cost, and magnitude of projects. The Southcenter area has different way to calculate LOS that considers how quickly one gets through a corridor, rather than an individual intersection. Southcenter Boulevard and Grady Way /Interurban /West Valley Highway is under Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) control and currently operates at LOS F. This is a problem, but can't be addressed until I 405 work is done. All other corridors are at LOS E or better in Southcenter. 5 Rf Z: \DCD \PC minutes- -5.21 & 5.23\5-2 1 -13- -Work Session Minutes.doc 6/20/2013