HomeMy WebLinkAboutTrans 2013-04-23 Item 3B - SCATBd - 3/19/13 Meeting Summary and 4/16/13 Meeting AgendaSOUTH COUNTY AREA TRANSPORTATION BOARD (SCATBd)
March 19, 2013
MEETING SUMMARY
Members
Mayor Lewis (Chair)
Councilmember Marcie Palmer (Vice- Chair)
Councilmember Jeanne Burbidge
Stacy Trussler
Joe Timmons
Councilmember Elizabeth Albertson
Councilmember Carol Benson
Chris Arkills
Commissioner Don Meyer
Maiya Andrews
Mayor Dave Hill
Councilmember Kate Kruller
Councilmember Stacia Jenkins
Councilmember Wayne Snoey
Kelly McGourty
Elizabeth Leavitt
Stevan Gorcester
City of Auburn
City of Renton
City of Federal Way
WSDOT
King County Council (Alternate)
City of Kent
City of Black Diamond
King County Executive (Alternate)
Port of Tacoma
City of Burien (Alt)
City of Algona
City of Tukwila
City of Normandy Park
City of Covington
PSRC
Port of Seattle
Transportation Improvement Board
I. Open Meeting
SCATBd Chair Lewis opened the meeting and asked for introductions. SCATBd approved
summary of February 19 meeting.
II. Reports, Communications and Citizen Requests to Comment
Chair Lewis reported on the March 5 Chair and Vice Chairs of the three transportation
boards. He said that because of King County staff reductions in 2014, staff will not be able
to maintain the current support levels for the three transportation boards. This has led to a
desire to have commonality among the three transportation board Agreements, which will
define services that county can offer with reduced staffing levels. Chair Lewis noted that
the three boards' differences will be reflected in the procedures document, which will
include information on membership, voting rights, and dues structures. He said the new
Agreement will not change how SCATBd currently operates.
SCATBd approved the posting of the 2012 SCATBd Progress Report on SCATBd's
website.
III. Legislative Update — Carolyn Robertson, Government Relations Manager for the
City of Auburn
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Ms. Robertson briefed the Board on the upcoming State revenue forecasts and noted that it
is expected to be about $350 to $500 million lower than anticipated. She reported that the
state was already short $957 million in its current budget. The State also expected to see a
$150 million revenue loss due to economic impacts of sequestration and $300 million loss
due to the State's underestimating health care cost.
Ms. Robertson said that Representative Clibborn's transportation funding proposal did not
having a hearing, and the Senate did not have a transportation funding bill ready for roll-
out. She reported that the local transportation options bill did not make it out of house of
origin, but components of a local options bill could be included in either the Senate or
House transportation package.
Ms. Robertson also reported that SR 167 /SR 509 stakeholders were working closely with
Representative Clibborn on SR 167/509 funding, and said SR 167/509 funding was a high
priority for Representative Clibborn. She said it was up to the local project stakeholders to
keep up the aggressive support campaign for the SR 167/509 corridor project. Ms
Robertson said that if a local option funding package were to be passed by the legislature, it
will probably be tied to a vote of the people.
IV. Update on the City of Algona's West Valley Highway Project, Warren Perkins P.E., Gray
& Osborne, Inc.
Warren Perkins briefed the Board on Algona's West Valley Highway project, located
between the transfer station to just south of 1st Avenue South in Algona. He said that 95%
of the road project was funded by the Transportation Improvement Board and 5% funded
by the City of Algona.
The West Valley Highway project objectives included capacity improvements and roadway
repair and preservation. Utilities work will include water main and minor storm drainage
improvements. The project will be advertised in late May of this year, and will be
completed in October. Mr. Perkins said that a complication with this was that half of road
south of 1st Avenue South was owned by King County; he said that Algona was working
with King County to get ownership transferred from King County to Algona.
When asked about the reduced speed limit on this portion of West Valley Highway, Mayor
Hill said that the speed limit will probably go up north of 1st Avenue South, but will
probably remain the same on section south of 1st Avenue South because of safety concerns.
V. Rail Discussion Auburn New Stop Evaluation — Kerri Woehler, Rail Planning &
Strategic Assessment Manager, WSDOT
Ms. Woehler briefed the Board on WSDOT's Rail Plan. She said the plan fulfills federal
and state planning requirements and eligibility requirements for grant funds. Ms Woehler
said a number of workshops were held to identify key concerns and found that stakeholders
asked to 1) improve the efficiency and reliability of existing rail services; 2) improve
connections between rail and other modes; 3) strengthen rail as a competitive and
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environmentally - friendly transportation option; and 4) maintain infrastructure in a state of
good repair.
Ms. Woehler said that a funding challenge that is facing passenger rail (Amtrak Cascades)
service is that Amtrak's 20% contribution to operating cost will end in October of 2013.
Currently the State of Oregon contributes 31% and Washington contributes 49 %. Starting
in October 2013, Washington and Oregon must absorb those costs. The rail plan will
address operations and infrastructure needs, identify rail's role in economic developments
and identify system priorities and goals. The State will release a draft Washington State
Rail Plan for public review and comment in summer 2013 and publish a final Washington
State Rail Plan in December 2013. The rail plan will then be incorporated into State Freight
Plan and Washington Transportation Plan.
Ms. Woehler also briefed the Board on a new stop evaluation for Amtrak Cascades in
Auburn. She said that a number of communities have requested new station stops in their
communities. In the last legislative session there was a proviso in the budget to do a study
on the possibility of a new stop in Auburn. This study will also develop criteria on how to
consider new stations in general. She said a new policy will be developed on how to add or
change stops on the system.
Ms. Woehler said that they Auburn study was looking at two scenarios, 1) looking at
Auburn as a stop, increasing Amtrak Cascades stops from 18 to 19; and 2) The skip stop
idea. As new trains come on line they will stop at every other station along the line and will
not take away existing stops. The study will also consider operational feasibility, customer
demand, station suitability, modal interconnectivity benefits, and financial viability. The
Auburn station stop study will be completed at the end of June.
Other Attendees:
Glen Akramoff, Covington
Monica Whitman, SCA
Tom Gut, SeaTac
Brandon Carver, Des Moines
Rick Perez, Federal Way
Rob Gala, Seattle
Dennis Dowdy, Auburn
Auburn Councilmember Bill Peloza
Black Diamond Councilmember Tamie Deady
Kerri Woehler, WSDOT Rail
Ed Conyers, WSDOT
Maiya Andrews, Burien
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SOUTH COUNTY AREA TRANSPORTATION BOARD (SCATBd)
MEETING
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
9:00 — 11:00 a.m.
SeaTac City Hall
4800 South 188th Street
SeaTac
1,1t-VIS 'I t. E ._
1.
Open Meeting
• Introductions
Action
9:00 a.m.
2.
Briefing on Metro's Service Guidelines Report — Victor
Report and
9:05 a.m.
Obeso, King County Metro
Discussion
3.
Sound Transit Briefing — Update on South King County
Projects including the S 200 Street Light Rail Extension,
Cathal Ridge and Mark Johnson
Report and
discussion
9:35 a.m.
4.
Alvord T Bridge Closing Update — Paulette Norman,
Report and
10:05
King County Roads
Discussion
a.m.
5.
Reports, Communications and Citizen Requests to
Report and
10:35a.m.
Comment
Discussion
• Approve summary of March 19, 2013 SCATBd
Meeting*
• Participant Updates from RTC and Other
Regional Committees
• Chair or Vice Chair
o Meeting Time Doodle Poll Results
• Citizen Comment
*Attachment to Agenda
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