Summary
Transportation Choices has staff full time in Olympia during legislative session. In 2010 we are supporting policies and funding that help foster the economic recovery, reduce congestion and combat climate change. Check out our one-pager (PDF) for specifics.


Transit Funding to Keep Washington Moving (HB 2855)
Large and small transit agencies across the state are facing drastic budget shortfalls due to their dependence on sales taxes.  If new, sustainable revenue is not identified in the next two years, agencies serving Anacortes, Walla Walla and everywhere between will be forced to make drastic cuts to their service, cuts that will hinder our region’s economic recovery, clog our roads, prevent us from reducing greenhouse gas emissions and leave transit riders abandoned on the side of the road. HB 2855 will help prevent drastic cuts by providing transit agencies with a temporary local funding option to raise revenue.

UPDATE: HB 2855 passed out of the House Transportation Committee but unfortunately did not get a floor vote. The prime sponsor, Rep. Marko Liias, made a heroic effort to bring it up for a vote but there was little appetite for taking on a local option for transit this session. Transportation Choices Coalition and our partners sent over 500 e-mails to legislators in one day asking them to save transit. Thank you for all of your hard work and stay tuned as we continue to push the legislature to give transit more options besides cutting service 15-50% across the state.

Join our "Save My Bus Service" campaign and let Governor Gregoire and your legislators know that cutting bus service is an unacceptable option.

Complete Streets for Healthy Communities
Complete Streets are crucial components for creating healthy, walkable, and bike-friendly communities in Washington State. HB 2911 will:

• Codify Complete Streets into state law and establish it as a broad policy for transportation planning
  
  
• Create a framework for a grant program for complete streets projects in Washington’s cities to incentivize and reward complete streets projects statewide.

HB 2911 passed out of the House Transportation Committee but did not make it to a floor vote before cut-off. We are working with the prime sponsors and others to get portions of the bill inserted into the transportation budget. We will also work with coalition partners and WSDOT to come back with a bolder proposal next year during the long session.and is awaiting consideration for a full House of Representatives vote.

Ensure that Sound Transit’s Projects are Essential Public Facilities under the Growth Management Act (GMA) HB 2573 and SB 6279
In 2008 the voters of the Central Puget Sound overwhelmingly passed Sound Transit 2, a plan to build out a 21st Century regional network of light rail, commuter rail and express buses.  Transportation Choices Coalition supports Sound Transit’s efforts to further clarify the status of these projects under GMA in order to streamline their permitting process and deliver them more rapidly to Central Puget Sound voters.

SB 6279 passed out of Senate unanimously and awaits a hearing in the House Local Government Committee.

Alaskan Way Viaduct, 520 Bridge Replacement and I-90 Two Way HOV
The legislature is moving forward on replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct and SR 520 floating bridge.  Transit options to move people is crucial for any solution in both of these corridors, before during and after construction.

Take Action! Join our Save My Bus Service campaign and urge the Governor and legislators to prevent bus service cuts.