The Executive Board approved recommendations to the Legislature in their 2005 session:

1. Advocate for additional state funding for state and local transportation projects in the 2005 Legislative session.
2. Additional state funding should emphasize transportation corridors connecting urban growth and industrial/manufacturing centers.
3. Advocate that the 2005 Legislature develop new revenues to be distributed to cities and counties to invest in local transportation infrastructure, including transit. State funding should address city and county needs in addition to the state system.
4. Advocate for the creation of special category of state funding for major safety and preservation projects, including the Alaskan Way Viaduct, the State Route 520 Floating Bridge, and others.
5. Sustain the ability of the region via RCW 36.20 (SB6140 codified) to develop a transportation funding proposal and present it to voters for approval and work with the Legislature to consider changes, such as the granting of state bonding authority, additional financing tools, and ballot title revisions to expand the limit on title length.

Additional recommendations will be considered next month.

For more information, contact Rick Olson at (206) 587-5060 or rolson@psrc.org.

The Executive Board adopted a new resolution to encourage the State to address long range air transportation capacity needs as they update the Washington Transportation Plan.

The resolution reaffirms PSRC's position that the State should take the lead role in addressing long term air transportation capacity. The resolution reiterated that Destination 2030 does not include an additional runway beyond the third runway at Sea-Tac and encouraged the State to begin planning for long range capacity needs. The Executive Board also heard a report on the 8th Annual Air Transportation Progress Workshop on October 20, 2004, where 23 public comments and four written comments were received. Public comments strongly encouraged the commencement of the next round of planning for the region's long term air transportation capacity needs.

For more information, contact Stephen Kiehl at (206) 464-6175 or skiehl@psrc.org.

The Executive Board authorized a contract amendment for ongoing accounting and financial consulting services.

The contract is with Francis & Company, PLLC for internal audit services as well as accounting and financial management services. This amendment adds $15,000 to an existing contract of $7,500.

For more information, contact Diana Lauderbach at (206) 464-5416 or dlauderbach@psrc.org.

The Executive Board approved a routine amendment to the regional Transportation Improvement Program.

The routine amendment is comprised of six projects, four of which are sponsored by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) as well as one each in the cities of Bellevue, Kent and Shoreline.

For more information, contact Larry Burris at (206) 464-5301 or lburris@psrc.org.

The Executive Board approved the change in project status for two Destination 2030 projects.

WSDOT has received approval of its project: I-5 Core HOV Lanes from SR 526 to SR 2 and the Port of Seattle has received conditional approval of its project: East Marginal Way Grade Separation.

For more information, contact Jeff Frkonja at (206) 464-6180 or jfrkonja@psrc.org.