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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTrans 2012-08-20 Item 3D - SCATBd - 7/17/12 Meeting SummaryqOUTH COUNTY AREA TRANSPORTATION BOARD (SCATBd) July 17, 2012 Mayor Dave Hill Mayor Pete Lewis Councilmember Marcie Palmer Stacy Trussler Councilmember Stacia Jenkins Councilmember Jeanette Burrage Councilmember Wayne Snoey Councilmember Jeanne Burbidge Emiko Atherton Commissioner Don Meyer Councilmember Noel Gerken Charlie Howard Chris Arkills Councilmember Rose Clark Terry Davis Tom Gut mm�l City of Algona (Chair) City of Auburn (Vice Chair) City of Renton WSDOT City of Normandy Park City of Des Moines City of Covington City of Federal Way King County Council (Alternate) Port of Tacoma City of Maple Valley PSRC King County Executive (Alternate) City of Burien South Sound Chambers of Commerce City of SeaTac (Alternate) The sub-committee also recommended revising the SCATBd Agreement to say that, each participating member shall appoint an alternate, but only elected designated alternates may vote in place of designated voting representatives in the absence of the designated representative. The current Agreement makes no distinction between elected and non- 31 SCATBd Meeting Minutes July 17, 2012 Page 2 elected alternates. Mayor Lewis noted that SCATBd's strength was having elected officials at the table. Mayor Lewis reported that as result of the failure of Auburn's TBD transportation bond measure, his city was lowering the speed limits on several key arterials to keep drivers safe from the impacts of deteriorating street arterials. Mayor Lewis said that speed limit reductions include the reduction to 30 mph in the East Valley Highway corridor, and 35 mph reduction in the Lake Tapps Parkway corridor. II I 1 The Board discussed possible ways to use SCATBd's dues; suggestions included updating the SCATBd legislative message brochure, and a legislative lunch dinner to engage with local legislators. The Board agreed to maintain the current dues structure. N 32 SCATBd Meeting Minutes July 17, 2012 Page 3 The Board also discussed the need to get an early November start in engaging with local legislators. SCATBd members said that the Board should update their priority projects so that a there is a common list of priority projects that can be used in discussions with legislators, that a message of transportation priorities is critical and there should be a plan to educate the leadership of the legislative caucuses on transportation issues because they set the agendas. SCATBd Action: A Motion was made and seconded directing the SCATBd Technical Advisory Committee to update the SCATBd's list of priority projects from its member jurisdictions. SCATBd passed the Motion. IV. Metro's 2011-2021 Strategic Plan for Public Transportation and Service Guidelines, Chris O'Claire King County Metro. Chris O'Claire briefed the Board on the update of Metro's Strategic Plan and the accompanying Service Guidelines which were adopted last year. She explained the plan and guidelines were developed in the context of a significant funding shortfall and regional growth, and influenced by recommendations from the Regional Transit Task Force. She said the service guidelines are intended to guide investments through objective, quantifiable measures focusing on factors that seek to achieve a balance of productivity, social equity and geographic value. The ordinance approving the plan and guidelines required future refinements to the guideline's methodology for service additions in existing and new corridors. The refinements will include: Incorporating input from local jurisdictions Addressing factors, methodology and prioritization of transit service additions More closely align factors used in the development of the All-Day and Peak hour transit service with jurisdictions' growth decisions and land use actions Create a category of additional service priority to reflect transit-supportive actions and development Ms. O'Claire said a preliminary report on the process is due to the King County Council at the end of October and a Strategic Plan and Service Guidelines Update will be completed in April of 2013. She explained that her group was heading up a staff- level working group that is currently working on a process to address these issues. The initial working group meetings have focused on identifying issues and areas of concern, such as coordination, predictability and relationship with Sound Transit service. She said they are currently meeting with local city land use and transportation planners and holding meetings to consider potential changes to the guidelines, including: Higher or lower target service levels 33 SCATBd Meeting Minutes July 17, 2012 Page 4 More identified needs Impacts to prioritization of investments Potential for new coordination or partnerships The staff-level working group will continue to meet with city planners over the summer to help provide input to a preliminary report outlining concepts, which is due by October 31. Boardmembers noted that Covington, Maple Valley and the Black Diamond areas have grown and Route 168 was able to increase its service frequency because of a state grant. The state grant funding will soon end and there is a concern about how Metro will maintain the Route 168 frequency. Boardmembers also asked for information on staff level participation from local cities in the working groups, Ms. O'Claire noted that the South King County area had strong representation but asked Boardmembers to let her know how Metro can reach out to involve local jurisdictions. She said they were collecting feed back on transit corridors within jurisdictions and whether or not they were characterizing these corridors for transit service. V. Metro's Alternative Service Delivery Plan, Matt Hansen, King County Metro. Matt Hansen briefed SCATBd on Metro's Alternative Service Delivery Plan and said that it was a five-year plan that is intended to guide Metro's decision-making about the provision of alternatives to fixed-route service in King County between 2012 and 2017. It outlines how and where Metro will pursue alternative service delivery options and the process we will follow when working with communities to choose alternative products. It also recommends candidate areas for the first demonstration projects. Mr. Hansen said the proposed plan was sent to the King County Council on June 15 for their review and adoption. The proposed plan includes a two year demonstration process for providing alternatives to fixed-route bus service in less-populated areas in the Snoqualmie Valley area, Southeast King County, and Vashon Island. The two year process will involve going out into the community to learn what types of transit trips being taken, and what kind of transit options to apply to address those types of trips. He also reminded the Board that Metro's congestion reduction charge will expire in two years, and the resources to develop alternative service will come from savings from those services that will be eliminated. Mr. Hansen explained, in the short term, given Metro's limited revenues, alternative services will play a key role in addressing transit needs in areas where fixed-route bus service may be reduced or eliminated. In the longer term, alternative transit services could be used to complement existing bus service if additional revenues became available. Metro will begin reaching out to community organizations and the public to explore service partnerships. Metro will also make adjustments to the Plan, during the next five years, based on information learned from the demonstration projects. Mr. Hansen said the array of possible alternative products is continuously changing, and M 34 SCATBd Meeting Minutes July 17, 2012 Page 5 Metro should explore new technologies and delivery methods as they emerge if they show potential for use in King County. faul'YARFine, oun y Monica Whitman, SCA Cathy Mooney, City of Kent Jim Seitz, City of Renton Matt Hansen, King County Metro 35