Posts Tagged ‘CTACIII’

A Tale of Mid-Year Budget Cuts

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011 by

The saga begins in spring of 2011, a time when the budgets of businesses and organizations were being cut. In the Emerald City of Seattle, the story was no different…

Last May, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) toiled over a series of mid-year budget cuts throughout the department, including programs that have an impact on cyclists and pedestrians. Though it was a tough decision to make, these cuts were officially proposed and then sent to the seventh floor of City Hall, home of the Mayor’s Office, for review and approval in mid-June.

The proposed cuts sent from SDOT were hard to swallow. They would have wiped out almost all the money used to install on-street bike racks this year and shelved a neighborhood greenway parallel to Rainier Ave South – an area in desperate need of safer connections on quieter streets. Also concerning was a large cut to fixing the dangerous spots on bike lanes and trails – including the popular Burke-Gilman Trail – that are used by thousands of cyclists per day.

When the dust settled, all SDOT programs were to be cut by $3 million, with ten percent coming from the bicycle programs – less than what was proposed by SDOT. Some essential safety improvements were funded, money for planning (but not actually building) the neighborhood greenway in southeast Seattle was restored, and there will still be a few more bike racks installed this year. The funding cuts were not as bad as before, but the cyclists of Seattle still hoped for more (as did all users of the city’s aging and needy transportation system).

And then on July 11 the City of Seattle sold the “Rubble Yard” – a desolate land of debris storage – to the Washington State Department of Transportation for almost $20 million. The City rejoiced! Mayor McGinn and several City Councilmembers publicly stated that $3 million of this new revenue would be put towards street repair, a 33 percent increase in the 2011 maintenance budget. But that’s not all: the funding also prevented the elimination of 21 positions within SDOT, and some was slated to provide a “small increase” for bike improvements.

The proposed increase for bike improvements was small, but not insignificant. Estimated at $150,000, this increase could have restored funding for actually building the greenway in southeast Seattle, or re-fund (and then some) the cuts made to the bikeway safety improvement program or the bike rack installation program.

In the end, the Seattle City Council decided not to put bicycle funding into their proposal for what to do with the revenue from the Rubble Yard sale. On July 25, Council Bill 117207 was passed, which did indeed authorize SDOT to spend the money on road repairs and protect SDOT jobs. But it did not authorize any spending on bicycle improvements, safety or otherwise.

That’s the short version of the story. But let’s step back a minute.

Road improvements are crucial for the safety of everyone using our streets. And preserving jobs is important to the vitality of our region.

Are bicycle improvements sometimes overlooked for things that are deemed by many as more important? Yes. Should they be? This is debatable, but for many – including our elected officials – it is clear that this decision depends on the amount of funding available.

What this story tells us is that every dollar the city acquires that can legally be spent on transportation improvements will be. And it will be fought over. There’s a reason that the Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee’s (CTAC III) outreach literature stated, “It’s no secret that there are more transportation needs than funding [available].” Because it’s true.

With an aging, deteriorating transportation system, Seattle needs roadway repairs, new sidewalks, safe bicycle connections and all kinds of transit improvements now more than ever. Luckily, there’s a way we can fund many of our transportation needs not too far off in the horizon. Transit riders, pedestrians, cyclists and drivers would ALL benefit from the vehicle license fee recently proposed by CTAC III – if it makes it to the ballot this November.

For that to happen, we need to tell Seattle City Council that we want the option to vote on it, while making sure cyclists and pedestrians get a fair slice of the pie this time around. Let’s learn from this tale of mid-year budget cuts in Seattle and help provide our city with a transportation system that works for everyone.

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Tall skinny mocha, please. No whip.

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011 by

[September update: Proposition 1 is set at $60, which means it's even easier to bike off those miles. Join me in supporting Proposition 1 for a faster transit, safer streets, more sidewalks and improved bike infrastructure. --M.J.]

Continuing on my blog post from yesterday, today I thought I’d figure out how to absorb the proposed $80 Vehicle License Fee (VLF) into my budget.

When CTAC III asked people how they wanted to fund transportation projects, citizens didn’t like adding it to sales tax or property tax. Instead, they supported adding a VLF. Some people have argued that the VLF is a regressive tax. We’d like to see a different revenue structure in place (perhaps connected to a vehicle’s value), but the state only allows a flat fee.

Here's how much is allocated to bike and ped projects. Click to see the full chart.

Based on citizen feedback, the committee has recommended an $80 VLF. I could break it down into number of lattés, but that’s been done so many times before. Besides, I don’t like lattés, and I’m not going to give up coffee.

But I could give up some car trips.

For me, the VLF is about getting the bike infrastructure to encourage me to bike more often. I calculated how many miles I need to bike — rather than drive — in order to recoup the $80 VLF, a portion of which will invest in the very projects I want.

It takes about 12 gallons to fill my car’s gas tank. At the rate of $3.89/gallon, a tank of gas costs $46.68. My car gets 21 MPG, so that means I drive 252 miles per tank.

At that rate, one $80 VLF charged against my car would equal 1.71 tanks of gas, for which I could drive 431 miles.

Or, instead of driving and paying $80 in gas, I could bike those 431 miles and earmark the $80.

My round-trip family bike commute is 14.2 miles. That’s just 31 roundtrip bike commutes per year that I need to do to save $80.

Since I’m biking with kids, I feel most comfortable riding during longer daylight months, let’s say the 32 weeks from mid-March through mid-October. At a rate of 31 commute trips needed per year, this fits with my goal to family bike commute at least once a week. Now throw in some trips to the park, grocery store, library and playdates… and Bike Month and the Commute Challenge in May…

And since I’m not even calculating the actual cost of driving AND all the externalities [positives from biking: health, fitness, happiness; negatives from driving: pollution, congestion, wear and tear], it looks like I can easily bike off the $80 fee and still come out ahead, with some money left over for lattés.

Or maybe mochas. I happen to like mochas.

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Posted in Advocacy, Around town, Commuting, Complete streets, Elections | No Comments »

Help get the VLF on the Seattle ballot this November

Monday, August 1st, 2011 by

CTAC III recommended VLF allocation

Are you still on the fence about the proposed $80 Vehicle License Fee (VLF)? I was, too, so I decided to dig into the issues and numbers to learn more.

What’s this all about? Formed in early 2011, the Citizen’s Transportation Advisory Committee III advises the Mayor and City Council on transportation funding alternatives and priorities. CTAC was charged with reviewing the city’s transportation funding system and, most recently, with examining the potential for a ballot measure asking Seattle voters to fund additional transportation projects. The committee conducted surveys, held roundtables, hosted discussions and conducted interviews surrounding this issue. They found that a majority of people supported an $80 VLF to expand transit options, repair and maintain safer roads for all users, and fund new projects.

How will the money be spent? After seeing voter support for the fee, the committee got down to negotiating how Seattle City Council ought to allocate the money. Here’s how their recommendation breaks down:

In the context of $27 million, $1.85 million doesn’t seem like much for bikes, does it? I admit, I was surprised (and maybe a tad disappointed). To those who’ve hyped this into $80 for bike lanes: that’s simply not true. A mere $5.60 is going toward “Bicycle Safety and Access.” That’s $1.85 million a year, which isn’t going to pave Seattle into one big bike path. We’d like to see that figure be higher, but we’re willing to accept this as a reasonable amount – for now. That said, the Seattle City Council could adjust the figures in the above table, and we need your help to send a clear message that the sliver of bike/ped money should not be reduced, and in fact should be bumped up. Please, if you’re a Seattle voter, speak up for the bike/ped portion now.

Tucked within the other categories, there is some other good news for roadway users. In the Seattle Bicycle Report Card, your feedback led Seattle to receive a sorry D-rating for pavement quality. All of us – drivers and bicyclists alike – are sick of potholes and broken pavement. The 30% allocated to “System Preservation & Safety” will help SDOT address a backlog of maintenance needs and will contribute to repaving projects throughout the city. Faded lane markings will also see some attention. There will be an emphasis on implementing Seattle’s Complete Streets policy, so that the needs of all users are addressed when roadways are upgraded.

What happens if the $80 VLF isn’t approved by Seattle City Council? Well, the Bicycle Master Plan is a $240 million plan that is 70% underfunded. We can keep limping along, but can’t we do better? More people are using bikes to get around the city. The VLF would give a boost to bike projects and support the growing user demand. Sharrows are cheap and were a good start, but as one friend put it: “I’m sharrowed out.” It’s time to update the Bicycle Master Plan and get on with some truly inspiring projects. Would you like to see downtown and waterfront cyclectracks, neighborhood greenways, bike traffic signals and safer bridge crossings?

What happens if it is approved by Seattle City Council? Getting it on the ballot is just the first step. After that, you’ll have a chance to vote for it in November. So please help with step 1: getting it on the ballot. If you’re a Seattle voter, please sign the petition today.

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Posted in Around town, Commuting, Complete streets, Elections, Road & Trail News | 1 Comment »

Citizens to city council: Fund transportation!

Thursday, July 14th, 2011 by

If you had $34 million kicking around, what would you do?  Give it to those in need?  Create more sustainable communities?  Paint miles of bike lanes?

That’s precisely what a citizen transportation advisory committee (CTAC) had to decide last night  and, while it wasn’t an easy decision, that’s exactly the answer we came up with.

Appointed by the mayor and council and charged with recommending ways to both fund and develop improvements to Seattle’s transportation system, we heard from citizens in surveys, polls, open houses and public testimony.  Taking that and excellent briefings from city staff into account, we recommended that a bucket of money from an $80 per vehicle license fee (VLF) should go to preserving what we have (roughly $11.1 million), another to investing in transit (about $14.1 million) and a third dedicated to bicycle and pedestrian improvements (around $8.3 million).

It was a two-step process, as the first $6.8 million recommendation was given to council and they’ve already decided on how to spend it—it’s the $27.2 million that was being discussed last night.

Are we happy with the recommendations?

Well, the easy answer is, sort of.  While it could be easily argued that further increasing the investments in bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure would be an efficient and smart way to reduce the strain on our roadways and create a healthier community, we can only be slightly disappointed. The bike and pedestrian recommendation was over 20%—and was integrated in other categories.  All modes are connected, so many of the well-needed transit investments support biking and walking; transit got about 50% of the funding.  And while “system preservation” is sometimes code for pavement, much of this funding may go to traffic safety and complete streets, supporting all modes.

Are we done yet?

Well, the easy answer is, not in the least bit.  While it’s fun to imagine that we just decided how millions of dollars will be spent each year, it’s up to the Seattle City Council, really.  While the majority of the council has expressed support for the idea of a local transportation ballot measure, the horse-trading between categories will now commence.  Make no mistake: these are all categories we need to invest in so we can have a safe, equitable, sustainable and livable transportation system (and city!).  But some categories are more promising for bikes.  And so we’ll be working with the council to ensure we have safe places for all of us to ride.  We could use your voice—so stay tuned.

What’s next?

Well, the easy answer is, a huge campaign!  The council, most likely, will vote on August 16 to put this on the November ballot.  Interestingly, the King County Council is also deciding on a $20 congestion reduction charge that would help stave off massive transit cuts—so we’re talking complementary campaigns, perhaps.

Between about now and November, we’ll need to tell the story of why this $34 million investment matters for bicyclists, for pedestrians, for transit and for our future.  Again, stay tuned—we’ll need your voice as we galvanize public support through the Streets for All Seattle campaign.  To gain is millions of dollars in dedicated funding not just for bicycle infrastructure, but for healthier, more livable, more sustainable places to live, work and play.  And that’s something that we could all be happy with.

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Posted in Advocacy, Complete streets, Transit | 1 Comment »

What are your transportation priorities?

Friday, April 22nd, 2011 by

The city of Seattle wants to know!

On behalf of the Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee III (CTAC III), you are invited to attend a roundtable discussion about improving transportation in Seattle.

CTAC III was established in January 2011 to advise the City Council and the Mayor on transportation priorities and funding alternatives. They are tasked with:

  • Developing a project list and spending plan for revenues generated by the new $20 vehicle license fee imposed by the Seattle Transportation Benefit District.
  • Reviewing the City’s transportation needs and funding options and evaluating the potential for a ballot measure asking Seattle voters to fund additional transportation investments.

As CTAC III develops recommendations, they want to hear from a wide range of stakeholders. CTAC III is hosting six roundtables to gather input on transportation values and priorities and to answer questions about the CTAC III process. The roundtables are open to the public and can be easily accessed by transit. Each one focuses on a specific area of interest.

Business/Freight

  • April 25
  • 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
  • Seattle Municipal Tower
  • 700 Fifth Avenue, 40th Floor
  • Conference Room 4050/60

Social Justice – South

  • April 27
  • 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
  • Douglass Truth Library
  • 2300 E. Yesler Way

Neighborhood Interests

  • April 28
  • 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
  • Seattle Municipal Tower
  • 700 Fifth Avenue, 40th Floor
  • Conference Room 4050/60

Social Justice – North

  • May 10
  • 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • Northgate Library
  • 10548 Fifth Ave. N.E.

Environmental

  • May 11
  • 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
  • Seattle Municipal Tower
  • 700 Fifth Avenue, 16th Floor
  • Conference Room 1600

Public Health/Disabilities

  • May 12
  • 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
  • City Hall
  • 600 Fourth Avenue
  • Bertha Knight Landes Room

Space is limited, so please RSVP by April 20 to llabissoniere@prrbiz.com or by calling (206) 462-462-6398 and indicate which roundtables(s) you plan to attend. Also, let us know if you need translation or interpretation services.

Can’t make any of these roundtables and still want to provide input. Please take the online survey so your opinion can be heard.

For questions about CTAC III or other opportunities to provide input, contact Dawn Schellenberg at Dawn.Schellenberg@Seattle.gov or (206) 684-5189. More information is available at: www.seattle.gov/transportation/ctac.htm.

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