PSRC Needs New Leaders

(I submitted the following to Senator Cantwell)

Previous posts have opined how travel times on both I-5 and I-405 could be reduced.  That Sound Transit could increase the capacity along both corridors by routing an additional 100 express buses an hour from P&Rs along I-5 from Everett to Tacoma into Seattle, and along I-5 and I-405 to Bellevue and Overlake.  That those bus routes could be assured of 45 mph commutes if the WSDOT would implement HOT fees on an HOV lane with fees raised to limit traffic to 2000 vehicles per hour.

That the Seattle Times Traffic Lab, if not abetting, continues to abide Sound Transit and WSDOT failure to do either. That Sound Transit is instead proceeding with ST3, planning to spend $96 billion over the next 20 years on “the most ambitions transit system expansion in the country” that does nothing to increase capacity; using light rail primarily to replace current bus routes.  Even the Traffic Lab concedes ST3 won’t reduce congestion.  That WSDOT plans to implement 2 HOT lanes on I-405 will increase GP congestion and fail to achieve 45 mph during peak commute.

The other major player in dealing with the area’s transportation problems is the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC).  Its objective is to help communities secure federal funding for over $240 million for transportation projects each year and to develop and maintain the Regional Transportation Plan, “a blueprint for providing transportation choices”.  They are also presumably the reason the FTA has given Sound Transit $500 million in federal grants over the last two years with $278 million for Lynnwood extension.

In 2004, Sound Transit funded the PSRC transportation staff’s August 2004 Technical Workbook, “Central Puget Sound Region, High Capacity Corridor Assessment”.  The Sound Transit 2008 East Link DEIS cited it as “a basis for more detailed planning studies and environmental analysis”.   Its “Light Rail Transit Technology Characteristics” table limited light rail capacity to 8880 riders per hour per direction (rphpd).  That light rail stations in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT) limited trains to 4 cars, that safe operation required a minimum of 4 minutes between trains, and that each 74-seat car could accommodate 148 riders. 

East Link’s share will presumably be limited to half the DSTT capacity or 4440 rphpd.   Yet the Sound Transit, East Link 2008 DEIS claimed, “the center roadway would have a peak hour capacity of up to 18,000 to 24,000 people per hour.” (9000 to 12,000 rphpd)  Sound Transit simply ignored the results of the PSRC report they had funded as a DEIS reference.   This “discrepancy” may or may not be the reason the PSRC August 2004 Technical Workbook is no longer available on the Internet. 

In 2015, the PSRC also prepared a May 8^th “Stuck in Traffic: 2015 Report” for the Eastside Transportation Partnership. It detailed delays commuters encountered on HOV lanes on all the area’s major roadways.  That only 9.8% of commuters used transit, 10.3% used 2+HOV, and 73.6% drove alone.  While the report did a good job of reporting the problem, it neglected to propose solutions and, like their 2004 Technical Report, is no longer available on the Internet.

One would think those responsible for Sound Transit getting $278 million for Lynnwood extension or allocating $240 million in annual federal transportation grants throughout the area would recognize HOV lane congestion is the result of more commuters riding in 2-person carpools than in 70-80 passenger buses.  That the way to reduce HOV lane travel times is to increase velocity by reducing number of vehicles on the HOV lane, typically 45 mph requires limiting traffic to 2000 vehicles per hour (vph). The most effective way to do so is to implement HOT on an HOV lane with fees raised to what’s required to limit those willing to pay for the 45 mph commute. 

That the way to increase capacity is to increase the number of vehicles on the HOV lanes that are high capacity buses.  (Again, ST3 replaces current bus routes rather than increasing bus transit capacity)  Both current carpoolers and many of the 73.6% who currently drive alone would likely welcome the chance to ride public transit commutes at 45 mph.   Yet the PSRC Regional Transportation Plan, their “blueprint for providing transportation choices” neglects to even consider adding bus transit capacity. The premise for the entire PSRC 56-page plan can be summarized in the following excerpt:  

There should be an increased reliance on express lane tolls and user fees, such as a road usage charge, that are phased in as toll system technology and user acceptance evolves over time. Toll and fee rates should be set in a manner that strives to improve travel benefits for users of the express toll lane system and manages system demand during peak periods of the day. The use of toll revenues should also evolve over time towards increasingly broader uses.

That $27.6B in new revenue, needed by 2040, will come from the “Road usage charges”.  The proposal to use toll revenues for increasing broader uses raises all sorts of “questions”.  The PSRC simply ignores the reality that unless commuters have an alternative, tolls only raise their costs.  That the only way to provide an alternative is to dramatically increase transit capacity.  Instead, they continue to abide if not abet Sound Transit getting $500 million in FTA grants for light rail extensions that do nothing to increase transit capacity.

The bottom line is 15 years ago PSRC was funded by Sound Transit to conduct a "Central Puget Sound Region, High Capacity Corridor Assessment".  Since then they've devolved to where they've removed that study from the Internet and have abetted Sound Transit decision to ignore its limitations on light rail capacity.

The PSRC 2015 "Stuck in Traffic" report detailed how travel times on the area's HOV lanes have increased.  Yet they neglected to recognize the delays were due to more people riding in 2-person carpools than in high-capacity buses.  Instead they continue to abet Sound Transit ST3 plans to spend billions on light rail to replace the buses!.  That Sound Transit plans to continue its decade long refusal to increase bus transit capacity for the net 20 years: instead proposing commuters be forced to pay tolls.


Clearly, the PSRC needs new leaders.