A COMMUNITY DISCUSSION ON TRANSPORTATIONBackground

Why Plan For Transportation?

Facts You Should Know

Expectations

Projects and Costs

Conclusions/ Next Steps

Background

Cities and counties are required by the Growth Management Act (GMA) to plan for growth in a twenty-year period, including transportation needs

The City updated the Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan in 2007, but a complete review of the element has not been completed since the mid-1990’s

The City updates the 6-Year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) annually

Background: Transportation Element

Lists the City’s transportation goals and policies

Determines existing conditions

Adopts Level of Service (LOS) Standards

Models the impact of growth on existing conditions

Identifies projects necessary to meet LOS in the future

Provides a funding strategy to pay for these projects

EXISTING TRAFFIC IMPACT FEES

Area-Wide Averaging/ Vehicle Miles Travelled

- FEES BASED ON THE RELATIVE USE OF THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

- FEES HAVE NOT CHANGED SINCE 1997

- SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE IN FEES DEPENDING ON LOCATION

EXISTINGTRAFFIC IMPACT FEES

EXAMPLES: CURRENT FEES:SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE

CHURCH & THORNTON$3796.82

SLATER & KOPE$342.62

FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW

EXISTING TRANSPORTATION PLAN WAS UPDATED IN 2007, BUT IS BASED ON A 1993 MODEL

TRAFFIC IMPACT FEES HAVE NOT CHANGED SINCE 1997

Growth is and will continue to occur

FERNDALE IS PROJECTED TO GROW BY 8,600 PEOPLE AND APPROXIMATELY 5,000 JOBS BY 2034.

Today, MOST ROADS FUNCTION VERY WELL (LOS A OR B) TODAY, MAIN STREET AND INTERCHANGES EXPERIENCE CONGESTION (LOS C or D)

INTERSECTIONEXISTING LOS

FROM FIGURE 5 OF DRAFT ELEMENT

FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW

MAINTENANCE COSTS ARE SIGNIFICANT AND WILL EXPAND

NOT ALL REVENUES CAN BE USED FOR TRANSPORTATION

- MAINTENANCE VS CAPITAL COSTS

PROJECTS WILL BE COMPLETED AS GROWTH OCCURS

LOS BASED ON INTERSECTIONS FOR MOST STREETS

MAJOR STREETS WILL UTILIZE “TRAVEL TIME” LOS (Corridor LOS)

FROM FIGURE 3 OF DRAFT ELEMENT

CORRIDOR EXISTING LOS

EXPECTATIONS

HOW SHOULD FERNDALE’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FUNCTION IN 2034?

- EFFICIENT EAST-WEST CONNECTIONS

- INCREASE EFFICIENCY OF EXISTING ROADS FIRST, BUILD NEW ROADS SECOND

- COMMERCIAL GROWTH AT INTERCHANGES WILL REQUIRE IMPROVEMENTS

- RESIDENTIAL GROWTH EAST OF THE FREEWAY, NORTH OF THORNTON, “INFILL” IN DOWNTOWN AREA

- PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER AGENCIES ARE LIKELY FOR MANY PROJECTS

- “PLANNED ACTION” MASTER PLANNING IN DIFFERENT AREAS MAY RESULT IN AMENDMENTS TO THE PLAN

EXPECTATIONS: FUTURE GROWTH

FROM FIGURE 8 OF DRAFT ELEMENT

EXPECTATIONS: FUTURE GROWTH

FROM FIGURE 9 OF DRAFT ELEMENT

EXPECTATIONS: FUTURE GROWTH

FROM FIGURE 10 OF DRAFT ELEMENT

PROJECTS LOS TO 2034 IF ONLY COMMITTED IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE

Committed Projects: Church Road to Heather Widening Main Street to Church Widening

FUTURE PROJECTS AND COSTS

PROJECTS SEPARATED INTO FIVE MAJOR CATEGORIES:

INTERSECTION/OPERATIONS IMPROVEMENTS

WIDENING/ RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

NEW ROADWAYS

OTHER AGENCY IMPROVEMENTS

MAINTENANCE

COSTS ARE BASED ON CURRENT PROJECTIONS FOR NEED AND SIMILAR COMPLETED PROJECTS.

TYPE, SCOPE, AND TIMING OF IMPROVEMENTS TO BE DETERMINED THROUGH PLANS DEVELOPED AS PART OF 6-YEAR TIP

FUTURE PROJECTS AND COSTS

FROM FIGURE 13 OF DRAFT ELEMENT

INTERSECTION/ OPERATIONS

WIDENING/ RECONSTRUCTION

NEW ROADWAY

OTHER AGENCY PROJECT

FUTURE PROJECTS AND COSTS

INTERSECTION AND OPERATIONS PROJECTS

- Represents 50% of the projects- Represents 16% of the project costs

WIDENING AND RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

- Represents 40% of the projects- Represents 32% of the project costs

NEW ROADWAY PROJECTS

- Represents 8% of the projects- Represents 42% of the project costs

NON-PROJECT SPECIFIC SIDEWALK AND PAVEMENT REHABILITATION

- Represents 10% of project costs

FUTURE PROJECTS AND COSTS

THORNTON OVERPASS

Estimated Cost: $32 million (33% of project costs)

FUTURE PROJECTSAND COSTS

2034 LOS WITH RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS

FROM FIGURE 14 OF DRAFT ELEMENT

FUTURE PROJECTREVENUE SOURCES

- Traffic Impact Fees

- SEPA/ Developer Contribution

- Grants

- City

- PARTNERSHIPS

- TAXES

Total Maintenance Revenues$22 MILLION

Total Maintenance Costs$38 MILLION

SHORTFALL: $16 MILLION

MAINTENANCE COST ESTIMATES2010-2034

CAPITAL PROJECT COST ESTIMATES 2010-2034

Total Capital Revenues$53 MILLION

Total Capital Costs$74 MILLION

SHORTFALL: $21 MILLION

PROJECT COST ESTIMATES

HOW DO WE CLOSE THE GAP?

- ELIMINATE “LOW PRIORITY” PROJECTS

- AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE GRANTS

- INCREASE DEVELOPMENT SHARE OF COSTS (IMPACT FEES)

- CONSIDER VOTER-APPROVED FINANCING (BONDS, LEVY’S)

- UTILIZE FUTURE SALES TAX SURPLUS (for capital projects)

NEW TRAFFIC IMPACT FEES

AVERAGE COST PER TRIP

- ONE COST PER TRIP CITYWIDE

- POSSIBILITY OF CREATING DISTRICTS WITH SEPARATE FEES

- AVERAGE PM PEAK HOUR TRIP COST COULD BE AT OR AROUND $3,000

CONCLUSIONS - THERE ARE NO EASY SOLUTIONS

- TRANSPORTATION COSTS WILL IMPACT NEW GROWTH AND EXISTING POPULATION

- MANY PROJECTS DO NOT BECOME NECESSARY UNTIL GROWTH OCCURS

- PROJECTS MUST BE IDENTIFIED EARLY TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR GRANT FUNDING, IMPACT FEES, PLANNING, AND PARTNERSHIPS

- 2034 TRANSPORTATION NETWORK WILL FUNCTION AT A HIGH LEVEL

- MAINTAINING EXISTING SYSTEM SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED ABOVE NEW PROJECTS

NEXT STEPS

- TRAFFIC IMPACT FEES WILL BE DEVELOPED

- TRAFFIC IMPACT FEES WILL BE BASED ON A CITYWIDE “COST PER TRIP”

- “COST PER TRIP” MAY BE HIGHER THAN SURROUNDING CITIES

- CONCURRENCY PROGRAM WILL BE UPDATED

- MAIN STREET/ AXTON ROAD PLANNED ACTION REVIEW IS NOW UNDERWAY – COMPLETION IN 2011