TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION IN THE SEATTLE AREA: IMPLEMENTING MAJOR INVESTMENTS AT A REGIONAL SCALE

This paper provides an overview of the nearly decade long process to develop and implement a Regional Transit System Plan for the three-county metropolitan area centered in Seattle. This effort, known as the Regional Transit Project, culminated in November, 1996, with voter approval of tax measures to fund the first phase of the plan, which includes light rail, commuter rail, bus and High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) elements estimated to cost nearly $4 billion ($1995). The program, approved by the voters, is the first ten-year increment of a larger long range transportation plan for the region that was developed in coordination with a two-tier growth and management planning process. The latter was designed to produce both a regional development vision and detailed local comprehensive plans, along with implementing development regulations. These parallel planning efforts, which were facilitated and governed by Washington State laws, have provided a unique opportunity to produce a coordinated program of land use and transportation actions. The long-range regional transit improvements have been designed to achieve specific growth management and economic development objectives, while the land use policies and regulations have been designed to support investment in transportation infrastructure in the region over the next 30 years. The new Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority is now embarked on the major challenge of implementing one of the largest transportation programs in the country.