HomeMy WebLinkAbout1908RESOLUTION NO. / 'fGJ%
A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the
City of Kent, Washington, in strong support of and
urging the State Legislature and the Governor to
enact and sign into law a 2015 Transportation
Revenue-and-Reform Package.
RECITALS
A. A healthy transportation system is a critical foundation of our
state and local economies and our quality of life, as well as our global
position as a leader in distribution, manufacturing, and aerospace, and as
the nation's most trade-dependent state;
B. Washington State's transportation system is suffering from
disrepair, with a backlog of maintenance and preservation needs, and data
showing that the hours of congestion and delay on critical freeway
corridors are getting significantly worse. According to the 2014 Congestion
Report issued by the Washington State Department of Transportation, the
same South King County trip on Interstate 5 to Seattle that averaged 41
minutes in 2011 averaged 49 minutes in 2013; the 10-mile trip along State
Route 167 which ideally takes 12 minutes instead took nearly a half-hour
to "reliably" complete on time; and the congested corridor segments along
Interstate 405 extended up to 12.5 miles;
1 2015 Transportation
Revenue and Reform Package
Resolution
C. Failing roads and bridges, congested highway corridors, and
bottlenecked interchanges undermine the mobility of vehicles, buses, and
freight haulers to move people and goods;
D. In early 2012, the Connecting Washington Task Force
released a report identifying $50 billion in unfunded transportation needs
and recommending an investment in $21 billion in funding during the next
10 years for maintenance, preservation, and strategic investments;
E. Through the passage of ESSB 5987 and ESSB 5988, the
Washington State Senate has approved a 16-year, $14 billion package that
makes a very good down-payment on transportation package investments.
The Senate-approved package also includes eight different reform bills to
help ensure the state designs, permits, and builds transportation projects
in the most efficient way possible;
F. The package provides critical funding for key highway corridor
projects throughout the state and specifically for Kent and South King
County, particularly the completion of the I-S/State Route 509 corridor
between Kent and the Port of Seattle seaport; the rebuilding of the SR
167/I-405 interchange, and the inclusion of funding to complete the grade
separation of 228th Street and the Union Pacific Railroad line;
G.
of $375
The transportation package also provides a direct distribution
million over 16 years for Kent and other cities and counties
throughout the state to maintain local roadways and transportation
systems;
H. The package also includes local transportation financing
options that will allow Sound Transit to take an "ST3" ballot measure to the
2 2015 Transportation
Revenue and Reform Package
Resolution
public in 2016, and that will better allow cities and counties to address
their backlog of mobility and maintenance needs;
I. The transportation package also invests in grant programs
vital to cities and counties, including the Transportation Improvement
Board (TIB), Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board (FMSIB),
"Complete Streets," Safe Routes to Schools, and Bicycle-Pedestrian Safety.
NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENT,
WASHINGTON, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
RESOLUTION
1. The Kent City Council takes an official position in strong
support of a comprehensive and balanced transportation investment
package, including direct funding, grant funding, and financing options for
local government.
2. The Kent City Council urges that the Legislature protect
funding for the 509, 167/405 and 228th/Union Pacific Railroad grade
separation projects and ensure that construction timelines for 509 and
167/405 are expedited to the maximum extent possible.
3. The Kent City Council urges the Legislature and the Governor
to enact and sign into law a 2015 transportation revenue-and-reform
package.
4. This resolution shall take effect and be in force immediately
upon passage.
3 2015 Transportation
Revenue and Reform Package
Resolution
PASSED at a regular open public meeting by the City Council of the
7 .,... /J / City of Kent, Washington, this -day of /1,qr; , 2015.
I
_,06 day of CONCURRED in by the Mayor of the City of Kent this _L_I' __
~~r1/ , 2015. /)
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2015 Transportation
Revenue and Reform Package
Resolution