2009 POLICY AGENDA

2009 FUNDING AGENDA

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The Washington State Transit Association’s positions on policy issues that will be introduced or that may arise in the 2009 legislative session are listed below.  The purpose of this listing is to provide guidance to WSTA staff, lobbyists, and others on issues of importance to public transportation.  Additional issues are likely to arise during the session and no action may occur on some of the issues. 

Kitsap Transit HCT Language: When HCT Authority is used to finance a project in conjunction with other funding sources, including , but not limited to federal funds (Small Start/FTA), and/or tolling revenue, the Washington State Department of Transportation is authorized to develop a single, integrated planning process that responds to the requirements of all funding sources.

Meeting the Transportation Needs of the Citizens of Washington

The Washington State Transit Association Legislative Proposal

 The State of Washington’s transportation system is facing a challenge that seems to grow and become more difficult every day.  The rapid growth in energy and construction costs has significantly reduced transportation revenues while simultaneously increasing construction costs.  It is becoming increasingly clear that a gas tax based transportation system cannot meet our state’s future needs. 

These same challenges face our public transportation system while at the same time creating unprecedented demand and ridership for public transportation.  The demand for increased public transportation services is driven by a number of separate and powerful factors that together make “business as usual” an unacceptable alternative.  These key factors include:

 Global Climate Change:  Governor Christine Gregoire issued in February 2007 her Climate Change Challenge Executive Order and in May 2007 signed emissions and climate change goals into law. 

The Washington State Legislature stated in 2008, “…it is in the public interest to reduce the state’s dependence on foreign sources of carbon fuels that do not promote energy independence or the economic strength of the state.  The legislature finds that the state, including its counties, cities, and residents, must engage in activities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence upon foreign oil”.  Public transportation must be a major element of any effort to accomplish this goal.

In February 2008, the Climate Advisory Team (CAT) delivered to the Governor their report, Leading the Way on Climate Change: The Challenge of Our Time.  

The Governor’s Executive Order calls for:

• By 2020 reduce emissions to 1990 levels.
• By 2035, reduce 25 percent below 1990 levels.
• By 2050, reduce emissions to 50 percent below 1990 levels.

It is particularly important that we act today.  The percentage of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions in Washington from transportation sources is over 47% of the total emissions, by far the largest source.  Emissions associated with transportation are also projected to be the largest contributor to future emissions growth in Washington.  Under a “business as usual” scenario, transportation would add just over 12 million metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent gases to Washington’s emissions in 2020.  Total emissions in 2010 are projected at 103 million metric tons.  Meeting the Governor’s reduction goal in the transportation sector will require not only eliminating this growth but also an additional 11 million metric ton reduction.

The Cost of Energy:  The impact of the price of fuel on our economy, both that of our State and that of individual citizens, is traumatic.  Crude oil prices reached over $140 per barrel in August 2008, more than doubling in one year and hovered at over $100 per barrel for most of 2008.  The cost of gasoline per gallon in Washington reached a high of $4.25 per gallon.  Few see the return of “cheap” gas in the foreseeable future.  The impact of this increase in dollars flowing out our state and nation will have an extremely negative impact if steps are not taken to change “business as usual”. 

Congestion.  The issue of “Congestion” has dominated the transportation debate in Washington State for the past several years.  Addressing congestion will continue to be important but it is becoming increasingly difficult to see how increasing capacity of our roadways is consistent with the trends discussed above and the Governor’s Climate Change goals and policies.  There may be targeted capacity increase to address specific bottlenecks but projects that increase the roadway capacity in an entire corridor will be rare.  The increase in the cost of oil is driving significant increases in construction costs while at the same time reducing gasoline consumption and hence gas tax revenues.

Congestion must still be addressed but we will need to look more to changes in behavior, new travel modes and choices, and different land use decisions rather than simply building more roads.  This will require investments in areas the State has neglected and in policies and actions that reverse the trend to live far from work and make many trips by automobile every day.

Population Growth and the Aging of our Citizens.  The continuing growth of Washington’s population and the aging of the population will create new challenges for our communities and transit systems.  The growth in population will increase demands for additional system capacity while the aging of the population will result in a larger population of persons unable to drive or provide their own transportation.  These trends will create a need for additional public transportation service.

2009 -2011 Washington State Transit Association

Legislative Proposal

The Washington State Transit Association recognizes the economic realities facing the State of Washington and that the proposed plan is an aggressive one that significantly increases the state role in providing public transportation to the citizens of Washington.  However, these times require new approaches to meeting the transportation needs or our state and its citizens. 

The current state role in funding public transportation service in Washington is small.  Washington’s transit systems generated $1,640,098,837 in total revenue in 2006.  The State of Washington’s contribution was $21,887,935 or 1.33% of the total.  This is woefully inadequate to meet the needs of an aging and growing state population and the requirement that total vehicle miles traveled be significantly reduced.

The Washington State Transit Association proposes to double public transportation ridership by 2020.  This will require a significant increase in the level of public transportation service as well as an increase in the productivity of service.  Service levels will have to increase by at least 50% by 2020 to accomplish this goal.

Accomplishing this goal will require a strong partnership between local, state, and federal governments and increased funding by all.  The Washington State Transit Association proposes the following funding program for adoption in the 2009 Legislative session:

1. Provide operating funds to assist public transportation systems to meet increased demand for services and higher operating costs.

Washington public transportation systems are seeing unprecedented ridership and demand for service.  This comes at the same time that public transportation systems are facing increasing costs of fuels and materials and declining revenues due to a slowing economy.  Many systems are facing service reductions and fare increases as a result.

The Washington State Transit Association requests the State of Washington provide operating assistance in the 2009-2011 biennium in the amount of $80 million.  For the 2009-2011 biennium, we propose that $40 million be diverted on a one time basis from the Regional Mobility Grant program with the additional $40 million coming from the multi-modal account.  Significant funding for public transportation operations will require a change in how transportation is funded in Washington State.  This will take time but we must begin now or we will see reductions in public transportation services when they are most needed.  The State of Washington should divert the $40 million from the Regional Mobility Grant program to a direct allocation to transit systems for the 2009-2011 biennium and provide an additional $40 million for this purpose from the multi-modal account.

2. Provide capital funds to assist public transportation in expanding service and in purchasing low-emission, energy-efficient vehicles.

Washington State must become a partner in funding public transit operations and capital purchases if the public transportation needs of Washington and its citizens are to be met.    The Washington State Transit Association recommends the State of Washington begin funding the purchase of replacement and expansion buses and paratransit vehicles in the 2009-2011 biennium.  This has significant climate change benefits by replacing older vehicles with lower emission, higher efficiency vehicles and provides the capacity for transit systems to expand service and reduce overall vehicle-miles traveled.  Washington State should provide funds for the purchase of 300 buses and 150 paratransit vehicles per year (600 buses and 300 paratransit vehicles in the biennium).  The total cost (based on a cost of $575,000 per hybrid bus and $100,000 per paratransit vehicle) for the biennium is $375 million.  The State of Washington should provide 1/3 of this or $125 million in the 2009-2011 biennium.

3. Provide funds to increase the Vanpool Expansion Program and marketing of rideshare services. 

Demand for new vanpools exceeds the current supply and most transit systems have waiting lists for new vans.  Increasing the number of active vanpools is a fast and extremely effective way to address both climate change and congestion.  In the long-term, the State of Washington should become a partner in funding the replacement cost of vans and the operating cost.  The State of Washington should provide $13.8 million to add 500 vans and 4,160 riders in the 2009-2011 biennium.  The State should provide $1 million in the 2009-2011 biennium to expand the Rideshare Online Program statewide and to improve the existing program.

4. Increase funding for the Regional Mobility Program.

The Regional Mobility Program provides funds on a competitive basis to public transportation agencies and other jurisdictions to improve transportation across jurisdictions and to implement programs and projects that address reducing vehicle miles traveled in the most congested corridors.  The program was funded at $40 million in the 2007-2009 biennium.  The program is an important source of funds for park-and-ride facilities and for services that cross jurisdictional boundaries.  We recommend these funds be diverted to operating funds in the 2009-2011 biennium as a one-time action to address current funding and cost issues.  The State of Washington should divert the $40 million in Regional Mobility funds to a direct allocation to transit systems in the 2009-2011 biennium and provide $60 million for this program in the 2011-2013 biennium.

5. Increase Special Needs Transportation funding. 

The State of Washington provided $19.5 million in the 2007-2009 biennium to public transportation systems to provide paratransit/special needs transportation services.  This is approximately 7% of the approximately $300 million spent by systems in that same time period.  The cost of providing special needs service has increased dramatically with the increase in fuel and related costs and demand continues to grow with the aging of our population.  The State of Washington should provide $40 million in the 2009-2011 biennium to assist in meeting the increasing demand for special needs transportation. 

6. Increase Rural Mobility funding to public transportation agencies with low per capita sales tax collections.

The State of Washington provided $8,500,000 in the 2007-2009 biennium to transit systems that have low per capita sales tax collection.  These funds are essential to allow public transportation services to be maintained in primarily rural counties that lack significant generators of sales tax revenue.

The State of Washington should increase this element of Rural Mobility funding to $10 million in the 2009-2011 biennium.

7. Increase competitive Rural Mobility grant funding.

The State of Washington provided $8.5 million in the 2007-2009 biennium to rural areas to provide and improve public transportation services.  These funds were combined with federal funds to award $33 million in competitive grant funds.  This funding is essential to maintaining and improving mobility for residents of rural Washington.  The need has increased as the cost of proving the service and demand have increased with the increase in fuel costs.  The State of Washington should provide $20 million in the 2009-2011 biennium for this program.

8. Increase funding for Commute Trip Reduction programs.

Meeting the challenges of Climate Change and increasing demand for transportation services and facilities requires addressing land use and demand management as well as increasing public transportation services.  The Washington State Transit Association supports the Commute Trip Reduction Board’s proposal to significantly increase funding for the base program and for Growth and Transportation Efficiency Centers (GTECs).  The State of Washington should:

·         Provide $13.9 million for the base CTR program in the 2009-2011 biennium.

·         Provide $5 million for the GTEC program in the 2009-2011 to continue the initial program and to initiate additional programs.

·         Increase the Trip Reduction Performance Program funding to $2.5 million.

9. Increase Bicycle and Pedestrian Program funding.

The State of Washington should increase funds for the Safe Routes to Schools and the Bike and Pedestrian Safety grant programs. 

Washington State should fund an Accessible Routes and Stops grant program in the amount of $10 million in the 2009-2011 biennium to assist transit agencies and communities providing accessible paths to transit stops and improved accessibility of stops.

10. Identify revenue to increase funding for public transportation systems.

The State of Washington should Increase funding for public transportation from existing multi-modal account funding and implement new sources of revenue.

WSTA staff is happy to provide information and answer questions.

(360) 786-9734 ~  Fax (360) 786-9740
2629 12th Court SW  ~  Olympia, WA 98502-1118