2006 Successes in Olympia

Commute Trip Reduction - Win! This successful program, which removes about 20,000 cars from our roads each day using employee and employer incentives like subsidized bus passes and organized vanpooling, received some innovative changes to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Final bonus – we were instrumental in gaining significant funding for these improvements – $3.9 million for new vans and $750,000 for local government assistance.

Biofuels - Win! A broad coalition of agricultural, environmental and labor voices came together in support of a Renewable Fuel Standard, which passed with bi-partisan support. The State of Washington will now sell 2% of our diesel as biodiesel and 2% of our gas as ethanol. This also creates jobs for Eastern Washington farmers and reduces air pollution.

Regional Transportation Solutions - Win! After all was said and done, our hard work paid off with some great pieces out of the regional transportation reform bill, ESHB 2871. Despite some short-term losses, we feel like this bill presents tangible wins and allows us to dramatically reshape the direction of investments and choices. There are a number of long-term gains, some of which we’ve all been fighting for over the past several years:

• Requirement that the RTID now plan for and fund transit in cooperation with – and prior to construction of – all its major construction projects. This is a huge improvement to the RTID, which wasn’t required to spend a cent on transit as the session began.
• Decreased sales tax authority for the Regional Transportation Investment District. This forces the RTID to stick with a reasonable budget and fund a healthy mix of roads and transit within that.
• Now any regional package must assure full funding for replacing the SR-520 bridge and other improvements on 520 between I-5 and I-405. This is an important matter of public safety.
• If the RTID package doesn’t pass at the polls in 2007, King, Snohomish and Pierce now have the option to create their own single-county RTIDs or transportation benefit districts (TBDs). This would allow communities to better tailor transportation plans for their unique needs, like more transportation choices.
• A new regional governance commission to assess the current structure of the RTID and provide options for increased coordination and possible consolidated governance models. Transportation planning in our region suffers from a lack of coordination between agencies and jurisdictions, and planning for roads and transit together. Improving this could ultimately help us achieve regional transportation planning that strongly and consistently moves us towards Transportation Choices’ vision of compact, livable centers connected by real transportation choices.

2005 Successes

We did it! I-912 Goes Down...
Transportation Choices worked with a broad coalition of environmental, business and labor groups, to lead the grassroots effort to defeat Initiative 912. Our grassroots organizing and get-out-the-vote efforts played an important role in the defeat of I-912 at the polls on November 8th, 2005.

If passed, I-912 would have eliminated funding for crucial safety projects and innovative congestion solutions. It also would have put important new funding for transit, ferries, bike lanes and sidewalks in jeopardy - funding we worked very hard to garner during the 2005 legislative session earlier this year...

2005 Legislative Session a Winner! The Legislature approved a budget and new funding for increased transit during rush hours, ferries, bike lanes, sidewalks and commute trip reduction incentives. The Legislature also enacted a number of bills that will give Washington residents more and better choices.

Some of our big wins include:

• Transit: Thanks to our advocacy, the Legislature approved over $800 million in flexible funding for multimodal projects (buses, trains, bike lanes, sidewalks, and transit service), and established a new office within DOT to improve public transportation planning and coordination.
• Hot Lanes – Two Big Wins: After years of laying the groundwork, TCC secured language in the new transportation budget that new lanes added to I-405 must be either HOT or HOV Lanes. HOT Lanes allow buses, carpools and vanpools in for free while charging solo drivers a toll.
• In addition, the Legislature approved a HOT Lanes pilot project on SR 167 with two hard-fought TCC amendments: that the HOT Lane must maintain 45 mph reliability and that a significant portion of the toll money be spent on more transit and trip reduction in the corridor.
• Active Transportation: We secured $58 million for Safe Routes to School and Transit, and bike and pedestrian grants. We also helped pass legislation that requires city and county growth management plans to include bike and pedestrian elements.

Ongoing successes

Our Opinion Sought. Our representation is sought on numerous state and regional transportation policy and advisory committees. For example, we have actively participated in official commissions, like the state's Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation, and panels that oversee the state's biggest transportation projects like altering Washington's Interstate 405, Interstate 90 and State Route 520.

Regular Speaking Engagements. We are regularly requested to speak to a wide variety of business and citizen groups on subjects related to transportation choices and sprawl.

A Recognized Leader. We have built ourselves into the most influential public interest transportation advocacy group in Washington. We are a recognized leader in transportation reform efforts in Washington.