TO: Members of the City Council
FROM: Mayor Angela Birney
DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR CONTACT(S):
|
Planning and Community Development |
Carol Helland |
425-556-2107 |
DEPARTMENT STAFF:
|
Planning and Community Development |
Seraphie Allen |
Deputy Director |
|
Planning and Community Development |
Vangie Garcia |
Transportation Planning and Engineering Manager |
|
Planning and Community Development |
Kim Keeling |
Program Administrator |
TITLE:
title
Approval of the 2023-2025 Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Transportation Demand Management (TDM) and Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Implementation Agreement
OVERVIEW STATEMENT:
recommendation
The City of Redmond is required to implement the Commute Trip Reduction Law (RCW 70.94.521-551). The requirements and parameters to reduce traffic congestion, fuel use, and air pollution through commute trip reduction programs, including TDM programs for growth and transportation efficiency centers are established by RCW 70A.15.4000 through RCW 70A.15.4110.
This agreement with WSDOT would provide the City of Redmond with $304,400 between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2025, to execute the CTR law and TDM services in Redmond. The workplan approved by WSDOT is included in the agreement This grant funding is an increase of $110,055 or 64% over prior bienniums. This is the first increase in funding in over 20 years and has been appropriated by the Washington State Legislature for the Project. A portion of these funds were included in the City’s 2023-2024 budget. The remaining portion of the funds will be included in the 2025-2026 budget proposals.
The recurring agreement contains a workplan that must be approved by WSDOT. The workplan includes recruiting new employer worksites, reviewing employer programs, providing site-specific suggestions for improved CTR performance, administering surveys, reviewing program exemption requests, providing employer training, providing incentives, performing promotion and marketing, and other commuter services. The workplan for this agreement has already been approved by WSDOT.
The CTR law currently affects 44 major work sites and 26 employers located within the City. (A work site is a building or cluster with 100 or more employees in a single company. A major employer may have more than one work site.) The citywide Drive Alone Rate (DAR) for these Redmond employers for the 2021-2022 cycle was 42.7%, a decrease from the 2019-2020 DAR of 62.6%. This shows that more employees are choosing alternatives to driving alone even while our employment-population has grown over this same time period. Looking at the 2021/2022 surveys, employers were allowing employees to choose other non-drive-alone modes due to the increase in the non-drive-alone rate compared to the 2019/2020 surveys. This increase is due to the 36% increase in telework share. (All other modes decreased). Telework (hybrid) is a non-drive-alone mode that has been available as a choice in all survey cycles and has always had a higher mode share over all modes except alone, bus, and carpool until the 2021/2022 cycle where it increased over bus and carpool.
This City has approved this agreement for several years and works in partnership with WSDOT to implement a successful CTR program. The request is for this agreement to be placed on the consent agenda for the November 21, 2023, Business Meeting.
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☐ Additional Background Information/Description of Proposal Attached
REQUESTED ACTION:
☐ Receive Information ☐ Provide Direction ☒ Approve
REQUEST RATIONALE:
• Relevant Plans/Policies:
Comprehensive Plan
TR-5: Meet the travel needs of all modes on the transportation network
TR-18 Use TDM techniques to achieve efficient use of transportation infrastructure, increase the person-carrying capacity, accommodate, and facilitate future growth, and achieve Redmond’s land use objectives by:
• Requiring large employers to implement a Commute Trip Reduction Program for employees, as mandated by the State Commute Trip Reduction Act
• Implementing TDM strategies that emphasize incentives rather than disincentives and avoiding the imposition of disincentives to single-occupant vehicle travel when the City determines that there is an absence of reasonable transportation alternatives
Environmental Sustainability Action Plan (ESAP)
• T1: Increase the equitable use of non-SOV modes of transportation, such as biking, walking, and public transit
• T1.8: Increase new mobility options
• T1.11: Comprehensive transportation outreach and education
• Required:
RCW 70.94.521-551 Commute Trip Reduction Law
RCW 70A.15 Washington Clean Air Act
• Council Request:
N/A
• Other Key Facts:
Redmond is receiving the third highest amount of CTR funding in King County based on the number of CTR-affected work sites.
OUTCOMES:
Continued implementation of the CTR law produces a reduction in commute drive-alone rates and supports the City’s vision to meet the travel needs of all modes. Reduction in traffic congestion, fuel use, and air pollution also meets the goals of the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan.
COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH AND INVOLVEMENT:
• Timeline (previous or planned):
N/A
• Outreach Methods and Results:
N/A
• Feedback Summary:
N/A
BUDGET IMPACT:
Total Cost:
$304,400
Approved in current biennial budget: ☒ Yes ☐ No ☐ N/A
Budget Offer Number:
0000034 - Mobility of People and Goods
Budget Priority:
Vibrant and Connected
Other budget impacts or additional costs: ☐ Yes ☒ No ☐ N/A
If yes, explain:
N/A
Funding source(s):
Grant
Budget/Funding Constraints:
N/A
☐ Additional budget details attached
COUNCIL REVIEW:
Previous Contact(s)
|
Date |
Meeting |
Requested Action |
|
11/14/2023 |
Committee of the Whole - Finance, Administration, and Communications |
Provide Direction |
Proposed Upcoming Contact(s)
|
Date |
Meeting |
Requested Action |
|
|
None proposed at this time |
N/A |
Time Constraints:
These funds were approved as part of the City’s 2023-2024 budget. For the portion of funds that extend through June 2025, we will include that amount in our 2025-2026 budget proposals. Timely adoption of this interlocal agreement is necessary to receive funds to enable the City to proceed.
ANTICIPATED RESULT IF NOT APPROVED:
Loss of grant funding, CTR and TDM programs will not be administered, not in compliance with CTR law. No other funds have been budgeted by the City to support compliance with the state law.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: WSDOT 2023-2025 CTR TDM Implementation Agreement
Attachment B: 2023-2025 CTR Workplan