Cascadia Prospectus

The replacement of Seattle's slowly sinking, aged and earthquake-prone Alaskan Way Viaduct has lately been at the center of an unresolved political and planning controversy now entering a much needed cool-down phase.

Yet the concern remains: what are the effects of large, elevated roadways over busy urban neighborhoods?

The Puget Sound Business Journal reports that in the booming Belltown neighborhood just north of downtown Seattle, the nearby elevated Viaduct helps encourage street drug sales and drug use which has demanded increased police presence and continues apace.

Under the shadow of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, Seattle police officers Katrina Stuckey and Andrew West seize a crack pipe and a rock of cocaine from a woman in Belltown who is about to light up. They've seen her many times before -- usually without shoes -- and she tells them she bought the coke with $10 she found on the street. West enters the incident into a BlackBerry loaded with the names, addresses, birthdays and long list of offenses of the crowd he's come to know at Western Avenue and Bell Street.

Here in "D3" -- the patrol district bordered by Denny Way, Bell Street and the waterfront in Seattle -- felony drug arrests jumped 74 percent to 328 in the five-year period that ended last year, according to Seattle police data requested by the Puget Sound Business Journal. Police recorded only 91 felony drug arrests a year in the district as recently as 2004....Belltown's trend is all the more startling because felony drug arrests throughout downtown Seattle plunged 72 percent to 1,059 during the same time period, police data show.

The gritty intersection of Western and Bell has become a center of downtown drug activity, police say....The intersection's features also make it suitable for drug activity. The viaduct acts as a dry hiding place where people can sell and use drugs. Drug dealers easily blend into the street crowd of people waiting for jobs outside the CASA Latina day workers' center.

Police crackdowns in other open air drug markets have helped shift some of that activity to under and near the Viaduct. But the two stacked three-lane roadways have long facilitated nearby loitering and crime, particularly drug sales and drug use, while simultaneously dampening impetus for upgrading the city's dispirited downtown waterfront.

Seattle has prior experience with how public environments can facilitate crime. Following troubles in Freeway Park, the city enagaged the Project For Public Spaces to develop a communty-based remediation plan, which has led to some positive changes and sparked calls for continued common-sense improvements to the park.

One lesson is that if neighborhoods and public spaces are to be well utilized, they must be made comfortable and attractive, not dark and forbidding. That seems exceedingly basic, but the point manages to get lost sometimes.

A number of neighborhood sources interviewed by the Business Journal for the story about crime in the Viaduct's shadow report increased police presence has helped. Yet:

...other business owners and residents remain dismayed by illicit activities. Phil's Custom Bindery, which sits directly across from the viaduct and CASA Latina, will move to South Seattle in April. Scott Goldader, son of the bindery's founder and a co-owner of the business, said the move was spurred by uncertainty over the viaduct's future and drug dealing in the neighborhood. Goldader has grown weary of constantly phoning the police because of drug-related activity. "I'm tired of seeing it ongoing every day," he said. "It makes you feel not right, and angry."

Obviously, chronic drug abuse is not explained by urban planning, but robust open-air drug markets and other crime can certainly be facilitated by urban design decisions. Cost, capacity and downtown waterfront optimization will drive future decisions on how to replace the Viaduct. In a city more heavily invested each day in residential density - especially in and around downtown - livability and public safety should be no small concerns as the Viaduct debate moves into its next phase over the summer.

Another elevated viaduct would have a very different and much worse effect on the urban fabric for Seattle's growing downtown population and its many visitors from the region and world; compared to some combination of a taxpayer-friendly deep-bored inland tunnel, and surface transit improvements.

TECHNORATI TAGS: CASCADIA CENTER, SEATTLE, TRANSPORTATION, ALASKAN WAY VIADUCT, CRIME, TUNNEL

In a summary of its updated "Commuting In America" study, the Transportation Research Board reports that what might be called "commuting with benefits" is growing, as more drivers make more stops for other purposes on the way to and from work. Commutes are getting more complex, and the trend could lead to still more cars on the road rather than fewer. Planners, many politicians, and environmental advocates would like to see more transit use, but especially where key suburban commuters are targeted, that will depend on speed, frequency and convenience of service.

How does "trip chaining" play out presently here in Central Puget Sound? Driving back from your job in Bellevue to your affordable home in Maple Valley, you stop for groceries at the Renton Wal-Mart, then in Maple Valley at the dry cleaners. On to pick up one child in after-school care, and another a mile away as her dance lesson ends; she's been ferried there in the family's second vehicle by her other, work-at-home parent, who then departed for a carefully-timed business meeting in a local coffee shop. Multiply across the region, and stir.

From the "Commuting In Amercia" fact sheet:

This 'trip chain' increases the efficiency of overall travel but has the effect of increasing the number of non-work related trips occurring in the peak period.

The effects of "trip chaining" are also discussed in the Dec. 31, 2006 final report of the (Central Puget Sound) Regional Transportation Commission study group to Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire and the state legislature, on pages 20-21:

...the majority of automobile trips are for...other than directly travelling from a residence to a place of work (during) peak hour because "trip chaining" commuters make stops in route to work or home; for example, to day care, school and shopping destinations. Increased travel is also a function of the increase in two-worker households, more dispersed trip patterns, and growth in areas that are accessible only by private auto.

Yet transit or carpooling can work for some commuters during peak hours on heavily-travelled corridors. The RTC report on p. 29 (Figure 3-15) notes that according to 2000 WSDOT data, during morning rush, 37 percent of person trips in peak direction on I-5 at Southcenter were HOV or transit; along with 23 percent on I-90 at Eastgate; and 30 percent on State Route 520 at 140th Ave. N.E. That's nothing to sneeze at, but commuters lacking neatly compact urban lifestyles will do what they must to get around.

Faster and more frequent transit in major corridors connecting suburbs to suburbs, combined with ample park and ride lots at both ends could help get some of these drivers out of their cars on some days. That transit solution could take the form of a Metropolitan Puget Sound Bus Rapid Transit System, along the lines of that proposed by Donald L. Padelford of Seattle. The vehicles might look something like that pictured above, right; and would run in dedicated lanes. We're a ways from any such decision, however, with a fall ballot measure looming to expand Sound Transit's light rail. Should that fail, it will be back to the drawing board, and surveys on transit preferences could help guide subsequent proposals to voters.

Commuting isn't mainly a spoke-and-hub proposition anymore. The TRB's "Commuting In America" study reports that trips from suburb to suburb now account for almost half of all metro-area commuting in the U.S., and for almost two-thirds of job growth. There is also sharp growth in the number of commuters who leave their home county for work. It's some 34 million daily, 85 percent more than in 1980. Solo drivers account for 80 percent of commutes, and carpooling and transit for most of the rest, in the nine largest U.S. metro areas, of population five million or greater. Go-it-alone drivers comprise 90 percent of commutes elsewhere in the U.S.

Yet TRB says "there are signs of saturation in the use of the private vehicle," as gains from 1990 to 2000 were markedly less than from 1980 to 1990. In five U.S. metro areas, solo drivers actually declined as a percentage of commuters from 1990 to 2000. The changes were exceedingly modest, though; less than one percent in four of the regions. In metro Seattle, that decline was greater than anywhere else, 1.5 percent.

A key indicator for any metro region, according to the authors of "Commuting In America," is the joint share of carpooling and transit in daily commutes. Few areas are above the desired 20 percent benchmark, which must be calculated based on all work-related commutes within a region, not just during peak hours, in one direction, and at selected locations.

Central Puget Sound of course faces the need for new or expanded roadways to replace two dangerously earthquake-prone and outmoded facilities, the Alaskan Way Viaduct and State Route 520 floating bridge. Across the region, other, congested corridors demand expansion and investment, as well. With funds scarce and taxpayers wary of shouldering too great a burden, public-private parterships and tolls need to be closely considered to help foot the bill. Better prioritization and coordination would result if a regional superagency were empowered to plan and order projects, and develop funding strategies for transportation across Snohomish, King, Pierce - and perhaps Kitsap - counties.

Expanding transit market share effectively and economically necessitates a market-driven emphasis on faster travel times, service frequency in key corridors, and more seamless connections - which, combined, can draw the necessary volume to yield rational per-user costs for equipment, infrastructure, operations and maintenance.

We should take a mode-agnostic approach and evaluate differing technologies such as Bus Rapid Transit and light rail through carefully calibrated computer modeling to see which delivers the better return on investment. Additionally, now-free carpool (HOV) lanes could be converted into HOT (High Occupancy Toll) lanes where solo drivers gain access in return for a time-variable fee (costing more during rush hours) which is charged to their accounts via windshield transponder technology.

This will require focus and political leadership heretofore lacking. This much is clear. The tired and polarizing "roads versus transit" debate is a road to nowhere. We need smart, cost-effective investment in both roads and transit, which have the actual effect of reducing congestion and giving commuters real choices.

TECHNORATI TAGS: CASCADIA CENTER, SEATTLE, COMMUTING, TRIP CHAINS, TRANSIT

The estimated cost now is as high as $4.4 billion to replace the dangerously earthquake-prone Evergreen Point Floating Bridge on State Route 520, which crosses Lake Washington to connect the populous and job-rich Eastside with Seattle. But only $560 million is in hand; and the rest is decidedly iffy, as the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. (UPDATE: The state DOT's 520 page lists $1.25 billion in identified funding, including $700 million in tolls). The P-I editorializes we need to get the full funding package pulled together ASAP.

...we're told that the Evergreen Point Bridge will be rebuilt, pronto, even though we're $3.5 billion short on the project's budget. We currently have just under 20 percent of the bridge's $4.4 billion secured....This "build now, figure out how to settle the bill later" approach is reckless. We're not advocating the endless dithering for which our city and state have become unfortunately famous. What we're asking our legislators and transportation officials to do is to firm up the numbers for necessary, urgent projects such as the 520 bridge.

Getting the money requires knowing the real final cost, which in turn requires settling important components of the project. The ingredients most necessary are leadership and planning. There is no decision yet on what kind of transit will go on it, no final decision on the number of lanes. The current discussion centers on a six-lane replacement for the existing four-lane structure. Six lanes are an utter necessity, anything less offers insufficient capacity. An additional wild card - perhaps carrying substantial added costs beyond the current estimate - is environmental mitigation. This includes forcefully-voiced concerns from neighborhood residents on both ends of the bridge corridor. What is the endgame price tag for mitigation really going to be? The sooner we know, the better.

In the meantime, WSDOT has posted to YouTube a video simulation of the bridge falling apart in an earthquake. (Click on preceeding link or the embed below).

The P-I reports WSDOT's harrowing simulation is part of an attempt by the department to reach a broader swath of the public on the importance of rebuilding the bridge.

Message received. But with no solid plan yet on its configuration or funding, the likelihood of further delay and cost inflation grow. We need a single point of authority, namely an empowered Central Puget Sound regional transportation commission, to settle the configuration questions legally and in a timely manner, and put together a full public-private funding plan for the bridge. The fall 2007 regional roads and transit ballot measure would include just $1.1 billion toward the $3.5 billion now thought needed to complete the bridge replacement; this as part of the larger $16 billion package. If that proposal does win voter approval, there will still be a backlog of about $46 billion in Central Puget Sound road and transit project needs. A clearly stated comprehensive plan to prioritize those projects and pay for them in a series of public funding votes, and through private partnerships and tolls, will be essential. If the fall ballot measure fails, the need for such planning and leadership will be even more pressing.

Piecemeal, scattershot planning undercuts public trust. Without that trust, the necessary taxpayer support of expanded roads and transit cannot be expected to materialize.

TECHNORATI TAGS: EVERGREEN POINT FLOATING BRIDGE, STATE ROUTE 520, WSDOT VIDEO, FUNDING

Last updated August 25, 2008

The research, it just keeps coming. On this page, we'll compile links to key studies and reports on innovation in transportation.

MANAGING, PLANNING & FUNDING TRANSPORTATION

Cascadia Center Reports

"Lessons In Public-Private Partnerships & Climate Change: What British Columbia Taught California, And What Washington Can Still Learn," 10/07.

"A Tale Of Three Cities: How San Diego, Denver and Vancouver, B.C. Raised Major Regional Funds For Transportation," Doug Hurley, Cascadia Center For Regional Development, 9/06.

"Travel Value Pricing: Better Traffic Operations Management & New Revenue For The Puget Sound Region," John S. Niles, for Cascadia Center, 4/06.

"Transportation Working Group Recommendations," Transportation Working Group, Cascadia Center For Regional Development, 2/15/05.

Transportation Working Group background, members, and resource book.

"An Institutional Conundrum - A Simplified Overview Of Metropolitan Institutional Reform Applied To Transportation In The Puget Sound Region," Deb Eddy, Cascadia Center For Regional Development, 2004.

"How Do We Get There From Here? A Transportation Future For The Puget Sound Region," Bruce Agnew & Bruce Chapman, Cascadia Center For Regional Development, 2003. View the video, as aired on Seattle Channel, 5/20/05.

Other Reports

"Just Pricing: The Distributional Effects Of Congestion Pricing and Sales Taxes," Brian Taylor, UCLA Institute Of Transportation Studies; Lisa Schweitzer, School Of Policy, Planning And Development, University Of Southern California, 5/08

"Transportation For Tomorrow," National Surface Transportation Policy & Revenue Study Commission, 1/08.

"Running On Empty - 2007 Annual Report," Washington Transportation Commission, 12/07.

"Building New Roads Through Public-Private Partnerships: Frequently Asked Questions," Leonard C. Gilroy, Robert W. Poole, Jr., Peter Samuel, Geoffrey Segal, Reason Foundation, 11/07.

"Review Of Congressional Earmarks Within Department Of Transportation Programs," Office Of The Inspector General, U.S. DOT, 9/7/07.

"Case Studies Of Transportation Public-Private Partnerships In The United States," Aecom Consult Team, for U.S. DOT, Federal Highway Administration, 7/7/07.

"Case Studies Of Transportation Public-Private Partnerships Around The World," Aecom Consult Team, for U.S. DOT, Federal Highway Administration, 7/7/07.

Draft Vision 2040 Puget Sound Regional Council, 7/07.

"Lake Washington Urban Partnership," Washington State Department of Transportation, 4/30/07.

"Report On SR 520 Bridge Replacement And HOV Project Funding Alternatives," Seattle-Northwest Securities Corporation, Montague DeRose & Associates, LLC, 3/28/07.

"Destination 2030 - Taking An Alternative Route," Washington State Transportation Center/Booz Allen Hamilton (For King County Executive), 3/05/07.

"Overview Of National Strategy To Reduce Congestion On America's Transportation Network," USDOT, 3/07.

"Public-Private Partnerships For Toll Highways," Robert W. Poole, Reason Foundation, Testimony To U.S. House Committee On Transportation & Infrastructure, Subcommittee On Highways & Transit, 2/13/07.

"Report On The Transportation Innnovative Partnerships Program," Washington Transportation Commission, 1/07.

"Regional Transportation Commission Final Report," Regional Transportation Commission (of Puget Sound), 12/31/06.

"Washington Transportation Plan 2007-2026," Washington Transportation Commission, 11/06.

"Reducing Congestion In Atlanta: A Bold New Approach To Mobility," Robert W. Poole, Reason Foundation, 11/06.

"Public-Private Partnerships & The Development Of Transport Infrastructure: Trends On Both Sides Of The Atlantic," Benjamin G. Perez, PB Consult Inc., James W. March, Federal Highway Administration; 9/06.

"Transportation Finance At The Ballot Box: Voters Support Increased Investment & Choice," Center For Transportation Excellence, 8/06.

"Building Roads To Reduce Congestion In America's Cities: How Much & At What Cost?," David Hartgren, M. Gregory Fields & Robert W. Poole, Reason Foundation, 8/06; (WA state congestion analysis, from study).

"Why Mobility Matters," Ted Balaker, Reason Foundation, 8/06.

"Current Toll Road Activity In The U.S.: A Survey & Analysis," Benjamin Pereze, Steve Lockwood, for U.S. DOT, Federal Highway Administration, 8/06.

"Remarks Of Pat Jacobsen - CEO, Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority - To House & Senate Transportation Committees of Washington State Legislature, 1/19/06.

"Traffic Congestion & Reliability: Trends & Advanced Strategies For Congestion Mitigation," Cambridge Systematics & Texas Transportation Institute (for Federal Highway Administration), 9/1/05.

"2005 Urban Mobility Report," Texas Transportation Institute, 2005.

"Unclogging America's Highways - Effective Relief For Highway Bottlenecks," American Highway Users Alliance, 2/04

HUBS, CORRIDORS & GATEWAYS

" Canada: A Macroeconomic Study of the United States' Most Important Trade Partner,"U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, Updated 9/15/06

Canadian Embassy State Trade Fact Sheet 2006, Canadian Embassy, 2006.

Canada/U.S. Regional Economies, Canadian-American Border Trade Alliance.

"Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative: The Basics," U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Resolution Of The West Coast Corridor Coalition, 11/03.

"From B.C. To B.C. - And Beyond - the Story Of The West Coast Corridor Coalition."

"Spatial Concepts & Cross Border Governance Strategies," Susan E. Clarke, University of Colorado, (presented to EURA Conference On Urban & Spatial Policies), 4/02.

"The Character of Non-Governmental Transborder Organizations In The Cascadia Region of North America," Lawrence Douglas Taylor Hansen, Revista Mexicana De Estudios Canadienses, 2/02.

SURFACE & MARINE TRANSPORTATION

Cascadia Center Reports

"Testimony In Support Of King County Passenger-Only Ferry District," Matt Rosenberg, 11/13/07.

"Alaskan Way Replacement: Alternative Approaches," Ove Arup & Partners, for Cascadia Center, 11/06.

"A New Vision For Developing Transit For Livable Cities." Enrique Penalosa, former
mayor of Bogota, Columbia speaks at a Cascadia Center co-sponsored event on implementation of Bogota's TransMileno Bus Rapid Transit system. Seattle Channel video, 9/27/06.

"Statement of Tom Till to Washington Transportation Commission On Amtrak & Related Issues, Including Availability of Federal Funding," 1/18/06.

Other Reports

"King County Passenger-Only Ferries Project Briefing Paper," IBI Group, for King County Executive, 11/7/07.

Puget Sound Regional Council Passenger-Only Ferry Study, 2007 (ongoing).

Chapter 7, "I-405 Plan: Transit and HOV", in "I-405 Congestion Relief & Bus Rapid Transit Projects - Final Recommendations Report," WSDOT. (See "I-405 BRT Service").

BNSF Corridor Preservation Study, Puget Sound Regional Council, 2/27/07.

Statewide Rail Capacity and System Needs Study, Washington State Transportation Commission, 12/06.

Columbia River Crossing Project Alternatives Page.

Willamette River Ferry Feasibility Study, City Of Portland Department of Transportation, 2006.

Waterborne Transit Policy Study, King County Department of Transportation, August, 2005.

Rich Passage Passenger-Only Ferry Study, Phase I, WSDOT, Federal Transit Administration, 4/05.

"Report Card For America's Infrastructure," American Society Of Civil Engineers, 2005.

TECHNOLOGY & ENERGY

Cascadia Center Reports

Speaker Presentations At Cascadia/Microsoft/Idaho National Laboratory "Beyond Oil: Transforming Transportation" conference, 9/4/08 and 9/5/08, Redmond, Wash. (Topics included electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, renewable energy, traffic management systems and technology, transit. Many of these files are very large and may take several minutes to open/download depending on your internet connection).

9/4/08 Presentations:

Sharon Banks
Scott Belcher
Charlie Botsford
John Clark
June Devoll
Rob Elam
Dick Ford
Jim Francfort
Andy Frank
Arti Gupta
Jerry Hautamaki
Craig Helmann
John Horsley
Cornie Huizenga
Ron Johnston-Rodriguez
Preet Khalsa
Dave Kristick
Felix Kramer
Justin McNew
Paul Minett
Brian Mistele
Tim Murphy
Jack Opiola
Syd Pawlowski
Dick Paylor
Ron Posthuma
Matt Sheldon
Jim Stanton
Ed Stern
Julian Taylor
Michael Weick

9/5/08 Presentations:

Kevin Banister
Rob Bernard
Don Foley
Paul Genoa
KC Golden
Paula Hammond
David Kaplan
Rich Laukhart
Jim Piro
Bill Rogers
Jim Walker
Brian Wynn

"Greening The Highway From Baja To B.C. - A Discussion Brief," Matt Rosenberg, 9/19/07.

"Replacing Oil With Electricity And Biofuels In Transportation: The Convergence Of Technology And Public Policy," Steve Marshall, 8/7/07.

Speaker Presentations at Cascadia-Microsoft "Jump Start To A Secure Clean Energy Future" Conference on Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles and Alternative Fuels, 5/7/07

Roger Duncan, Austin Energy/Plug-In Partners (4.78 MB)
Mark Duvall, Electric Power Research Institute (1.13 MB)
Andrew A. Frank, University of California/Davis (1.33 MB)
K.C. Golden, Climate Solutions (1.81 MB)
David Horner, U.S. Dept. of Transportation (700 KB)
Michael Kintner-Meyer, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (1.91 MB)
Felix Kramer, CalCars.org (708 KB)
John M. Miller, Maxwell Technologies (496 KB)
Philip Mote, University of Washington (3.88 MB)
Tim Murphy, Idaho National Laboratory (674 KB)
Vic Parrish, Energy Northwest (494 KB)
Bill Reinert, Toyota USA (2.00 MB)
Bill Rogers, Idaho National Laboratory (1.05 MB)
Greg Rock, Green Car Company (82.9 KB)
Neil Schuster, Intelligent Transportation Society Of America (2.14 MB)
Rogelio Sullivan, U.S. Dept. of Energy (1.08 MB)
John Wellinghoff, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (4.23 MB)
Nick Zielinski, General Motors/Chevy Volt (1.79 MB)

Other Reports

"Basic Research Needs: Catalysis For Energy," (report from U.S. Dept. Of Energy Basic Energy Sciences Workshop), 8/07.

"Environmental Assessment of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles," Electric Power Research Institute, Natural Resources Defense Council, 7/07.

" Joint Science Academies Statement on Growth and Responsibility; Sustainability, Energy Efficiency and Climate Protection, for G8 Summit, 5/07.

"Fourth Assessment Report of Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change," United Nations, 4/07/07.

Annual Energy Outlook 2007 - With Projections To 2030," U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, 2/07.

Impacts Assessment of Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles On Electric Utilities and Regional U.S. Power Grids; Michael Kintner-Meyer, Kevin Schneider, Robert Pratt; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 12/06.

"Alternative Fuels Study: A Report To Congress On Policy Options For Increasing The Use Of Alternative Fuels In Transit Vehicles," Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Dept. of Transportation, 12/06.

"Intelligent Transportation Systems Regional Architecture", Puget Sound Regional Council, IBI Group, 8/21/06.

"Future Visions," Washington Transportation Plan Update Process, WSDOT/Washington Transportation Commission, 6/17/05. (See pp. 27-34, "Intelligent Transportation Systems").

GridWise Program Overview, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Technological Basis For GridWise, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Primer On Vehicle-Infrastructure Integration, Intelligent Transportation Society Of America.

TECHNORATI TAGS: TRANSPORTATION, RESEARCH, TRANSPORTATION GOVERNANCE, TRAFFIC CONGESTION, TRANSIT, BUS RAPID TRANSIT, PASSENGER-ONLY FERRIES, TOLLS, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, SEATTLE, PUGET SOUND, CASCADIA, WEST COAST CORRIDOR, FRIEGHT, INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, ALTERNATIVE ENERGY, ALTERNATIVE FUELS, PLUG-IN HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Chris McGann reports today Washington State Treasurer Michael Murphy urges tolls on both the State Route 520 bridge and Interstate 90, to help fill a funding gap of at least $2.7 billion in the planned six-lane replacement for the former. The state has been considering 520 tolling to help pay for the bridge replacement, but not I-90 tolling; that would require federal approval. Currently, the state transportation commission oversees what very limited tolling is currently planned for implementation in Washington, and under proposed legislation, tolls would have to be approved by the state legislature. However, best practices might well suggest that regional transportation project funding decisions including tolling would be made by a regional transportation commission, if the legislature decides to allow its creation.

Murphy's call for SR 520 and I-90 tolling is supported in a new study done for the state by Seattle Northwest Securities Corporation and Montague DeRose and Associates. The study notes:

Without additional (state) funds, some tolling of both bridges will likely be necessary prior to completion of the project. Under the current assumptions, if only SR 520 were tolled, financing would fall 31 percent to 33 percent short of funds needed for the project.

From today's P-I story (first link, above):

Murphy said in an interview that he won't sell bonds for the project without the additional tolling because the state can't afford it under current finance plans. He says the tolls should be put in place before the new state Route 520 bridge is completed....."I will not authorize the debt to be issued for a project that can't pay for itself," Murphy said. "In order for the thing to work, both bridges -- period -- need to be tolled, not parts of bridges, not certain lanes."

....Murphy said it's time for lawmakers to face reality. "Now push is coming to shove, and decisions have to be made," he said. "I don't think anybody likes that idea of having to toll regionally as opposed to specifically. But the reality check is this: You can afford it, or you can't afford it. If you can afford it, how are you paying for it? Well, if we got a bunch of free money from the feds or we had a local tax that was put in place, but the revenue from the 9.5 (cent-per-gallon gas-tax increase) has already been allocated to other stuff. The only way to finance (the $4.4 billion project) is with revenue streams that are sufficient to pay back the people who buy our bonds. And as the treasurer of the state, I have to certify to the people who buy our bonds that I have looked at the numbers and the numbers work. If they come up with a plan that is 33 percent short, I will not issue the bonds."

In a Seattle Times story today on the same topic, Murphy underscores the logistical as well as financial case for tolling both bridges, rather than just 520.

Murphy reasoned that introducing a toll only on 520 would create problems by diverting about 30 percent to 50 percent of traffic onto the other floating bridge. "Then we get a parking-lot scenario on 90, and a financial problem on 520," he said.

The preliminary 520 finance report to the state also recommends that it "consider establishing an independent tolling authority in the future to set and raise tolls and operate various tolled transportation projects throughout the state, similar to that which is done in other parts of the country." Generally speaking, that's a forward-looking recommendation. Our state must come to grips with the need for more tolling, more public-private partnerships and public contracting reforms to stretch the dollars that will pay for vital transportation infrastructure improvements. However, if such a state tolling body were created, its toll-setting powers might well need to be tailored so as not to pre-empt those of any regional transportation commissions, such as the one envisioned for Central Puget Sound.

TECHNORATI TAGS: TOLLING, SEATTLE, PUGET SOUND, STATE ROUTE 520 BRIDGE, MICHAEL MURPHY

Ms. Noreen has worked for over seven years in nonprofit management, creating and directing programs that train and connect young professionals with community leadership opportunities. To that end, she co-created The Bridge, a program that trains over 150 young professionals in nonprofit and public board service every year. In partnership with Seattle Works, she spearheaded an effort to collect the opinions of Seattle's 20- and 30- somethings, culminating in a series of conversations and interactive events involving over 300 people in the area. Most recently, she ran for public office as an independent.

Prior to her work at Seattle Works, she directed programs at the YMCA to engage the next generation in Seattle's civic life. She has also managed the Rainier Chamber of Commerce, contracted for the Neighborhood Business Council and a multi-agency empowerment project in White Center, and coordinated Leadership Tomorrow, a nonprofit housed in the Seattle Chamber of Commerce.

Her other professional experiences include managing the volunteers and front-office for Gore 2000 and the Democratic Coordinated campaigns, and recommending process improvements to the Public Building Service in Seattle and Washington, DC as a consultant with Arthur Andersen. (She swears, she had nothing to do with it!)

Linnea was born and raised in Seattle, and currently lives between her home on Capitol Hill and Hong Kong, China, where she is the Project Manager for Taphandles, Inc.

In "Go Green? Go West," Los Angeles Times opinion columnist Ronald Brownstein writes that the Western U.S. is poised to lead on alternative energy. The "sagebrush rebellion" resource extraction push of decades past has given way to "a renewable revolution" bearing both real promise and all the expected consumer cost caveats, Brownstein posits.

Across the West, governors from both parties are advancing the nation's most ambitious policies to promote clean energy, encourage conservation and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases...leaders in the West are...drawing support from ideologically diverse local coalitions that include new residents concerned about preserving an attractive environment and agricultural and tourism interests fearful that global warming may undermine their industries. Even major utilities across the West have enlisted.

...The West's new energy axis rests on a deepening partnership between...Democratic governors and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a centrist Republican....last fall....Schwarzenegger signed a law barring state utilities from entering long-term contracts to import electricity from power plants that emit more carbon dioxide than the cleanest natural gas facilities -- a standard that excludes conventional coal-fired plants. That decision already is sending ripples through the region as governors from energy-exporting states use it to build support for cleaner alternatives to conventional coal.

...Six of the 11 states...have approved "renewable portfolio standards" that require utilities to generate a fixed percentage of electricity from renewable power sources such as wind, solar and geothermal; Oregon is on track to join them this year......In February, Schwarzenegger and the Democratic governors of Arizona, New Mexico, Washington and Oregon agreed to devise a regional plan for mandatory reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, most likely through a cap-and-trade system....The participating states have agreed to devise a market-based regulation system by fall 2008, and sources involved in the design say they hope to entice into the plan not only other Western states but the Canadian province of British Columbia.

Washington voters last November approved I-937, requiring large utilities to get 15 percent of their electricity from new renewable sources such as solar and wind by 2020, and undertake cost-effective energy conservation. The measure excluded hydropower as a renewable, and had its critics, who argued government mandates aren't how to develop cleaner and more secure energy sources.

The Oregonian reports today that Washington ranks fifth nationwide and Oregon eighth in installed megawatts of wind power, according to 2006 year-end rankings by the American Wind Energy Association. The article also highlights several new wind power projects in Oregon, and gives a sense of some of the big business interests involved in the wind power industry, along with mid-sized and utility players.

Several large projects are under construction, including Portland-based PPM Energy's 221-megawatt Klondike III and Portland General Electric's 125-megawatt Biglow Canyon, both in Sherman County. Also, Horizon Wind Energy, which Portuguese power provider Energias de Portugal recently agreed to buy from Goldman Sachs for $2.15 billion, has a 101-megawatt project in the works in Union County. The state's newest player is Massachusetts-based UPC Wind, which has 35 wind projects under development in North America. UPC Wind on Wednesday applied with the state to build an $80 million, 60-megawatt wind farm about five miles west of The Dalles in Wasco County. The Cascade Wind Project would involve 40 turbines stretching six miles along an exposed ridgeline.

In Washington state the Energy Facilities Siting Council recently okayed Horizon's Kittitas Valley Wind Power Project; final approval by the governor is still required. The editorial board of the Tacoma New Tribune lauds the council's decision.

The current contribution of wind power to the nation's energy mix is relatively scant and its economics are far from proven. One consideration: The wind lobby says long-term extension of the renewable energy production tax credit is essential for the industry. In a column titled "Saving The Earth Sensibly," the Chicago Tribune's incisive opinionator Steve Chapman favors a carbon tax rather than special dispensations for renewables.

Reducing the output of carbon dioxide and other substances that trap the Earth's heat is not cheap. But there are expensive solutions, and there are astronomical ones. Any new policy should aim at getting the greatest reductions for the least money....The free market is the best system ever created for providing what we want at the lowest possible cost....we...need to make energy prices reflect the potential harm done by greenhouse gases...with a carbon tax that assesses fuels according to how much they pollute. Coal, having the highest carbon content, would be taxed the most, followed by oil and natural gas. The higher prices for the most damaging fuels would encourage people and companies to use them less and more of other types of energy, including nuclear, solar, wind and biofuels.

....Government programs to reduce greenhouse gases are a recipe for waste and abuse. Federal "investment" in alternative fuels? That idea got a full tryout during the energy crisis of the 1970s, with meager results. Tax breaks for ethanol? Largely self-defeating, because they encourage farmers to burn fossil fuels to expand production of corn.

Corn-based ethanol does not pencil out, as The Economist argues in an editorial reprinted in the Seattle Post-Intelliegencer. Better alternatives are ethanol from Brazilian sugar cane, and cellulosic ethanol dervided from wood, grasses, shrubs and agricultural detritus.

These sorts of distinctions are important as the push for cleaner energy intensifies. A new reckoning of nuclear power seems likely in time, too. While part of the mix in the U.S. and Europe, it still faces great mistrust from the public. The APEC Energy Overview 2006 notes (p. 157) that in 2004, 41 percent of our nation's energy came from crude oil and petroleum products; 23 percent from coal; 22 percent from natural gas; and 14 percent from nuclear, hydro, geothermal and other fuels.

The APEC report (p. 163) also reminds that the U.S. Energy Policy Act Of 2005 outlines a long-term strategy for a diversified energy supply, modernization of the nation's energy infrastructure, increased energy efficiency and conservation and better vehicle fuel efficiency. Our Cascadia Center For Regional Development and special guests will highlight conservation and fuel efficiency in the "May 7 Jump Start To A Secure, Clean Energy Future" symposium on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, at the Microsoft Conference Center in Redmond, WA.

One objective in the '05 energy legislation, as the APEC document notes, is "creating an adequate Liquified Natural Gas infrastructure: streamlining the regulatory review process is underway to expedite the siting on new LNG import terminals." In California, the first of five expected proposals for liquified natural gas terminals is provoking a controversy that will put Gov. Schwarzenegger front and center next month. Recent articles from the San Francisco Chronicle and The Los Angeles Times detail the saga of the proposed Cabrillo Port liquified natural gas plant off the Ventura County coast between Malibu and Port Hueneme.

The State Lands Commision has voted not to accept an environmental impact study on the project, and that the State Coastal Commission - which votes on the project today - is reportedly also opposed. However, Gov. Schwarzenegger, who has until May 21 to decide, could still approve the project, with or without some amendments to the plan.

TECHNORATI TAGS: ALTERNATIVE ENERGY, WESTERN UNITED STATES, GREENHOUSE GASES, CARBON TAX, WASHINGTON STATE, WIND POWER, ETHANOL, CALIFORNIA, LIQUIFIED NATURAL GAS, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER

Miro Cernetig of the Vancouver Sun takes a in-depth look at the economic and environmental firmament of North America's upper lefthand corner, in an article titled, "Cascadia - More Than A Dream."

Where you will find Cascadia...is in the mindset of the millions of people who live on the continent's western edge...Cascadia's guiding principle today isn't nationhood but what might be best called regionhood -- the sense that Alaska, the Yukon, B.C., Alberta and the states of Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho -- often share similar regional goals and ambitions....these range from environmental issues, a heightened sense that their collective futures are tied to the Asia-Pacific and a desire for more autonomy from federal governments that are thousands of kilometres to the east, in Ottawa and Washington, D.C., and often out of touch with the big questions to the west.

In fact, when taken as a whole, Cascadia has evolved into a powerful economic entity with clout its members alone can never hope to wield. If you add up the states' and provinces' individual GDPs and populations, Cascadia is a significant geographic area and market: It comprises a market of more than 20 million people and what would be the world's eighth-richest nation, with a GDP of about $848 billion US, according to the Pacific Northwest Economic Region, the entity that was formed in 1991 by the legislators of Cascadia's provinces and states. Those same leaders will be in Anchorage, Alaska, from July 22 to 26, to continue their work to foster regional cooperation and the idea of an economic bloc.

Cernetig notes B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell sees joint efforts to control global warming as a unifying principle in Cascadia, and that Campbell believes California is more and more part of the region, in part due to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's leadership role in forging alliances to address climate change. One example is an emerging Western states policy allowing clean and polluting industries to trade capped carbon emission allotments.

Other threads tie together Cascadia, writes Cernetig. These include agreement to shape a unified strategy making West Coast ports more seamless for Asia-Pacific shippers; an ongoing push to boost U.S.-Canada passenger rail; emphasis on developing shared strategies to advance alternative vehicle fuel technologies; and the evolving possibility of a joint Seattle-Vancouver bid for hosting the Olympics or World Cup. A "two-nation vacation" is glimpsed above right, looking down upon B.C.'s Harrison Lake, Harrison Hot Springs, the Fraser River and south to Washington's Mount Baker.

"I think at long last the idea of Cascadia is beginning to get some real traction," said Bruce Agnew, who heads the Cascadia Center For Regional Development, a Seattle-based think-tank that counts the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as one of its benefactors. "It was the people in Ottawa, who said it was just a western separatist thing, part of that old Ecotopia thing. But Cascadia is an idea that has staying power. In terms of trade, regional transportation, tourism, climate change and alternative energy, there are common interests in this region that make Cascadia a real thing."

For more insight on Cascadia, a good source is "The Character of Non-Governmental Transborder Organizations In The Cascadia Region of North America."

TECHNORATI TAGS: CASCADIA, PACIFIC NORTHWEST ECONOMIC REGION, TRADE, TOURISM, ENVIRONMENT

In a Puget Sound Business Journal op-ed, Cascadia Center's Co-Directors Bruce Agnew and Tom Till make the case for regional transportation governance and tolling. They write:

People in Puget Sound want politicians to solve the traffic congestion problem. They have supported two statewide gas-tax packages since 2003. While other regions fund transportation with a mix of public and private funding, our state has been reluctant to embrace such partnerships and tolling. Elected leaders are gun shy about too much talk of new tolls, except for those on the 520 bridge. Politicians risk being accused of bait and switch, however, if they promise to complete all the projects without the help of tolls.

A new report to the state calls for tolls on SR 520 and I-90, sooner rather than later, and a statewide system of toll facilities. Are tolls such a tough case to make to voters? Even if you live in Marysville and never go to Seattle, you can understand why we all need to spend more on roads and transit. You see it in growing residential traffic and more trucks on the freeway carrying goods to stores. And it seems fair that the person who drives on a new 520 bridge or State Route 99 (or even the express lanes on Interstate 5 and Interstate 90) should pay a toll because they use it.

A fair mixture of taxes and tolls also affords people a choice between time and money. If parents want to get to the Tacoma Dome for their kid's basketball championship, they'll pay a premium $10 charge to arrive for tip-off. It's called "congestion insurance," and it works.

Imposition of such premium peak-hour tolls is an important objective, one which can earn support from both fiscal conservatives opposed to further transportation tax increases, and environmentalists supporting transit and telecommuting incentives. The first hurdles would be gaining state and federal support for tolling I-90, and then - to ensure regional and/or statewide coordination - establishing a toll-setting body. But already, prompted in part by the SR 520 project-financing concerns of State Treasurer Michael Murphy, the idea of distributed tolling to help pay for road and transit improvements in Puget Sound is gaining momentum. Joining the Seattle Times and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the Tacoma News Tribune today editorializes in support of tolling SR 520 and I-90 to close a funding gap in the necessary six-lane replacement planned for the dangerously storm- and earthquake-prone SR 520 floating bridge.

TECHNORATI TAGS: PUGET SOUND, CONGESTION PRICING, TOLLING, SR 520, I-90

Via the Web site of Vancouver, B.C. Mayor Sam Sullivan comes a full text version of a recent and thoughtful column that's otherwise now parked behind a subscriber-only firewall. It's by the Vancouver Sun's Don Cayo, on the importance of leaving room for business as the city's residential density continues to intensify. Writes Cayo:

It makes complete sense to develop policies that allow and encourage people to live closer to where they work. The EcoDensity discussion is focused on an important half of the equation -- where people will live. But what about the other half? If we succeed in gracefully accommodating a lot more residents within the boundaries of the city, as I think we can, where on earth will they work? I'm not doubting Vancouver's bright economic prospects with this alarmist question. My worry is space. Is there enough? And will businesses be able to afford to use it?

Cayo cites city documents showing that job growth in the region as a whole between '96 and '01 outpaced that in the city eightfold; and that half of the city's new jobs over the same time were tied to work "with no fixed place," versus just one-sixth of new jobs in the region. He observes:

In other words, an overwhelming number of the the new jobs located in permanent premises are in the suburbs.

New, '06 city and regional jobs data which could confirm or mitigate these sharp disparities have been slow in coming, according to Cayo. It will be interesting to see whether the city vs. regional job growth trends he notes from '96 to '01 are substantially mitigated when the new figures are released.

With those those differences in mind, Cayo also highlights the sharply higher tax burden on businesses in Vancouver versus nearby suburbs.

...Frank Kelly (is) a Midas dealer who operates auto repair facilities in several Lower Mainland municipalities. He describes two of his locations that are similar in size and configuration. The one in Surrey pays $10,500 in property tax each year, and the one in Vancouver pays $54,800. Such out-of-control costs are creating relentless pressure to convert business property into condos. So it's not surprising that many business are leaving, and few can afford to come in.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer business columnist Bill Virgin offers his read on Cayo's column, and opines the same concerns apply in Seattle.

Density advocate Dave Biggs (pictured, above right) of Envision Suntainability Tools, does growth modeling for Vancouver region, B.C. and other clients with his firm's MetroQuest software. One main aim is to combat sprawl.

Such software is a valuable planning tool. But any attempts to plan regional growth, and design a smart and forward looking urban-suburban transportation system, must factor in that as urban residential density grows, so must opportunities for urban employment. True, some proportion of city-dwellers, having locked onto a good housing deal and enjoying urban amenities, will continue to commute to the suburbs for work. Further, the "knowledge economy" is indisputably here to stay, and suburban job growth is robust.

So in the major cities of Cascadia, special efforts must be made to retain and recruit employers in manufacturing, maritime, import/export and infrastructure service industries; as well as in the white-collar sector. This means the costs of doing business in cities need to be competitively gauged; with tax burden, regulatory structure and the permitting process front and center. And tax burden needs to be understood by all - including density proponents - as a function not only of infrastructure needs, but also of the size and scope of local and regional government.

TECHNORATI TAGS: VANCOUVER, DENSITY, EMPLOYMENT, ECONOMY, TAXES, GROWTH, SEATTLE

The Idaho Statesman reports:

The most conservative state in the union is a part of a remarkable cultural shift toward environmental values. Consider:

• Al Gore attracts 10,000 people to his slide show on global warming at Taco Bell Arena in January.

• Bill Moyers highlights Boise's evangelical Vineyard Fellowship for its environmental message and acts in the PBS special "Is God Green?" last fall.

• Former Gov. Jim Risch gets a standing ovation from a largely Republican crowd when he announces in Twin Falls last year that Idaho plans to opt out of a mercury pollution trading program, keeping coal-fired power plants out of the state.

Growing concerns about climate change are pegged as one big reason for Idaho's higher environmental profile. But conservation has hardly been a foreign concept to conservatives; as the etymology suggests. Adding to pressure for change that's coming from the global warming dialog, is a new and more inclusive profile for the environmental movement. The Statesman:

...environmentalism became tied closely with the counterculture, hippies, organic foods, and demonstrations, said Doug StanWiens, a history teacher at Timberline High School. The new environmental culture he sees growing in popularity with his students is very different...."It's not about scarcity or sacrifice," StanWiens said. "The kids haven't seen that. It's about choices."

...Idaho Conservation League Executive Director Rick Johnson...(says)..."When you're picking the people you invite into your home for dinner you would not pick an environmentalist....They're stereotyped as whining, shrill, they won't eat the food, they stuff themselves with the vegetables and tell you to turn down the thermostat." Companies and political opponents worked hard to develop that stereotype, Johnson said. But there was some truth to it.

The new environmental culture is not just generated by environmentalists. It's organic...The environment nationwide and locally has improved because of the environmental laws passed more than 35 years ago, said Betty Munis, executive director of the Idaho Forest Products Commission, which sponsors an environmental education curriculum used in Idaho schools. People express their environmental values now by buying local and using sustainable materials. "I think the average person has been taking environmentalism out of the hands of advocates and incorporating it into their lives," Munis said.

Incorporating environmentalism into daily personal transportation decisions can pose challenges and present opportunities. In major metropolitan areas, people will use public transit if it's fast and convenient and fits into their busy lives. The trick for transit planners and decision-makers is not only financing, but systems engineering to reduce wait times and travel times. People vote with their wristwatches, and cannot be hectored out of that. The smart focus is not on attacking "car culture" - something regrettably still frequent in Seattle and some other locales - but rather, developing more market-responsive transit choices plus a portfolio of sensible strategies to boost renewable fuels and fuel efficiency.

Former CIA chief and National Commission On Energy Policy Commissioner R. James Woolsey, in testimony to a U.S. Senate committee last week, noted that the U.S. depends on oil for 97 percent of its transportation needs; and that 40 percent of carbon dioxide emissions (which hasten global warming) come from oil, particularly via transportation uses. Woolsey also stated that the U.S. now borrows more than $300 billion per year to import oil, weakening the dollar and helping to raise interest rates; while two-thirds of proven oil reserves and much of the industry's infrastructure lie in the politically volatile Persian Gulf.

In his testimony, Woolsey recommends government foster continued private-sector development of a range of "transformative" vehicle technologies through a $3 billion, five- to ten-year tax incentive for manufacturers and consumers. The aim would be "to encourage the domestic production and purchase of of plug-in hybrid, hybrid-electric and advanced diesel vehicles that achieve superior fuel economy." Woolsey details how high density, high power battery fueled plug-in hybrid electric vehicles can actually supply additional power to the electric grid after charging up in off-peak hours - with cost credits to consumers, and cheaper and cleaner electricity generation for utilities. Production model PHEVs are now an estimated two to three years away from appearing in showrooms, Woolsey estimates.

He also urges Congress to set a four percent annual Corporate Annual Fuel Economy (CAFE) target; and stresses that lighter-weight carbon fiber composites used in aerospace and race cars can be applied to commercial passenger vehicles; reducing weight, while increasing fuel efficiency and safety. Liquid fuels will still be essential, especially for use in longer-range trips, but alternatives to oil can and should be developed from among an array of options, including cellulosic as opposed to corn-based ethanol; cellulosic methanol; and renewable diesel from crops, and industrial, municipal and animal wastes.

Woolsey adds that Congress should ensure that "every car sold in the U.S....enable fuel flexibility, a feature which adds less than $100 to the manufacturing cost...and provides a platform upon which fuels can compete."

A diverse coalition of interests supports weaning our nation off foreign oil. Woolsey affectionately identifies the players as "the tree huggers, the do-gooders, the sod busters, the Mom and Pop car owners, the cheap hawks, the venture capitalists, the utility shareholders, the evangelicals, and Willie Nelson."

Willie Nelson has other plans that day, but with our co-sponsors we'll be hosting a pretty diverse group ourselves, at our May 7 "Jump Start to A Secure, Clean Energy Future" conference in Redmond, WA. More information, including online registration and the agenda, here.

TECHNORATI TAGS: IDAHO, ENVIRONMENTALISM, OIL, RENEWABLE FUELS, SEATTLE, PLUG-IN HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Yesterday was the first day for office sales of electronic toll stickers for use later this year by drivers on the new eastbound, Route 16 Tacoma Narrows Bridge. State transportation officials by mid-day had sold or mailed out to customers 2,654 of the stickers, to be read by overhead transponders which automatically deduct toll costs from drivers' pre-paid accounts. (UPDATE: registrations had grown to 6,131 by mid-day today, but with some short-term DOT server glitches, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports). This DOT animation contrasts the more free-flowing "Good To Go" electronic toll lanes, and the slower toll booth lanes for single-purchase customers. The animation also demonstrates how overhead cameras will capture the license plate numbers of scofflaws, who will be issued fines of $40 plus thrice the unpaid toll, per violation. Passage west on the old Tacoma Narrows Bridge toward Gig Harbor and beyond will remain free of charge.

Next year, DOT is expecting to begin a "HOT Lane" pilot project on a nine-mile stretch of SR 167 between Renton and Tacoma, a crucial north-south alternative for many drivers to congested I-5. The project will convert carpool/HOV lanes to not only free for multiple-occupant vehicles, but also available to solo drivers for a pre-paid electronic toll like that to be used on the eastbound Narrows Bridge. There's an added twist: Toll amounts will vary according to how much usage the HOT lanes are getting when drivers pass under the transponder.

Tolls have of course been applied before on bridges here, but only the old-fashioned way, which if used as a blanket approach to tolling today would add greatly to congestion already making motorists gnash their teeth.

"It's the wave of the future, as far as tolling in this state," said Janet Matkin, spokeswoman for the Washington State Department of Transportation. Doug MacDonald, the state transportation secretary, has predicted that in a couple of decades, electronic tolling will be pervasive on Puget Sound-area highways. Recent gas-tax increases and proposed regional taxes fail to cover the price of highway megaprojects, so politicians are considering tolls, even at the risk of a public backlash.

...Even though Opening Day for the Narrows Bridge is a few months off, dozens of people lined up Wednesday in Gig Harbor to open their accounts, at a $30 minimum. Some paid $100. "We like to be ahead of things," said Patrick O'Dell of Port Orchard. It's fair to make users pay, he said: "We can't seem to come up with enough money to fix our roads. They've been doing it back East for years." The sales office resembles a small bank branch, with young women in teal polo shirts behind teller windows, a promotional video playing on a wall-mounted screen, and sign-up forms in the lobby. But most transactions will happen online...The goal is to have 50 percent to 60 percent of drivers equipped with a chip when the bridge opens.

If you drive regularly across the Tacoma Narrows you're going to want one of these. The DOT "Good To Go" page, including an online purchase interface, is here.

DOT and Sec. MacDonald deserve hearty congratulations for moving forward on the "Good To Go" Tacoma project and the SR 167 HOT lanes effort. With continued leadership from DOT, legislators and business, tolling can become widespread on Puget Sound highways within one decade, as opposed to several.

TECHNORATI TAGS: TOLLING, ELECTRONIC TOLLS, TRANSPONDERS, TACOMA NARROWS BRIDGE, WASHINGTON STATE

(Last updated Sept. 27, 2007)

Links below are to audio and video from news and other sources on Cascadia Center events and initiatives and related public policy.

(To come.......)