The WSDOT Needs New Secretary

The Sound Transit Board has included the Washington State Secretary of Transportation to provide guidance to a board of elected officials chosen to represent their constituents transit concerns but with “limited” experience regarding public transit issues.   Yet, Roger Millar, the current WSDOT secretary, and his processor, Lynn Peterson, have abetted a Board whose actions reflect a failure to understand what constitutes effective public transit.  That public transit requires providing commuters with access to the transit capacity to and from their desired destinations.

 Yet during their tenures as WSDOT Secretary, Sound Transit Board failed to add parking for access to transit or to recognize the limited capacity of 4-car light rail trains.  They ignored the light rail spine’s need for “motorized access” and made delusional ridership claims to garner ST3 “voter approved” extensions in 2016.  The result’s been billions spent on light rail extensions that when completed won’t have the access or capacity needed to reduce congestion on multilane freeways during peak congestion, will reduce access for current riders, and will cost too much to operate during off-peak commute.  

 

Their WSDOT leadership for I-405 has been even more “problematic”.  They spent to $484 million implementing HOT between Lynnwood and Bellevue.  The "standard" premise for HOT being fees can be set to reduce HOV traffic from those in carpools to the 2000 vehicles per hour (VPH)) needed to assure 45 mph.   Between Bothell and Bellevue, the WSDOT attempted to get more revenue by implementing HOT on 2 HOV lanes but limited fees to $10.00.    

 

Using the second lane for HOT increased congestion on remaining GP lanes to where during peak commute more than 2000 drivers an hour were willing to pay the the fees on the two HOV lanes.  The result was  many of those paying the fees didn’t achieve the 45 mph travel times and the loss of the GP lane further increased congestion on remaining lanes

 

A Dec 25, 2017, Seattle Times article indicated WSDOT had similar plans for reducing I-405 travel times between Renton and Bellevue: 

  

In 2019, work crews on Interstate 405 will start building a new lane in each direction between Renton and Bellevue, as part of a series of changes that aim to improve traffic flow on what officials call Washington’s worst corridor for congestion.  

Then, five years later, the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will open the new lanes, and an existing one each way, to traffic as express toll lanes, extending the interstate’s current tolling system between Lynnwood and Bellevue that opened in 2015. 

WSDOT will spend $1.22 billion on the upcoming project, funded by the statewide gas-tax increase approved by the Legislature in 2015. 

 

Thus, as of Dec 2017, the WSDOT had the funds for adding a 4^th I-405 lane between Bellevue and Renton.  Again, the WSDOT persisted with plans for 2 HOT lanes with an April 12, 2019, WSDOT and FHWA notice announcing a “Finding of No Significant Impact” (FONSI) for the I-405, Tukwila to I-90 Vicinity Express Toll Lanes Project.  The WSDOT apparently not recognizing implementing HOT on 2 of 4 lanes would exacerbate Bothell-to-Bellevue problem. 

 

The bottom line is WSDOT Secretary Millar has abetted years of Sound Transit Board incompetence, 2 HOT lanes on I-405 that increase I-405 revenue, but don’t reduce travel times. He's failed to proceed with plans to “improve traffic flow on what officials call Washington’s worst corridor for congestion."  

Both Sound Transit and WSDOT need new leaders. The WSDOT's decision to no longer provide a 2 page listing of  current travel times for all the major routes in the area or an update on the Oct-Dec 2016 Park and Ride Inventory  just add to the reason.