The Executive Board has indicated its intent to proceed with a study of acquisition of the 41-mile Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) rail corridor that parallels I-405 and connects Renton to Snohomish.

The decision was based on the recommendations of an ad hoc committee, chaired by Tukwila Councilmember Pam Carter, which PSRC formed to ensure that all communities along the corridor are represented and to look at the broad range of public interests and needs as the corridor traverses very diverse landscapes, from highly developed urban residential, commercial and industrial properties to very rural farmlands and wildlife refuge areas. The ad hoc committee found that there was a definite and clear interest in the corridor and recommended that the study be funded with $660,000 in federal funds available via the PSRC. The funding decision will be considered next month.

For more information, contact King Cushman at (206) 464-6174, kcushman@psrc.org.

The Executive Board reviewed the VISION 2020 Update Scoping Report.

The report lays out the work program that the PSRC will take to update VISION 2020. It describes alternatives and issues that will be analyzed in the environmental review and summarizes the over 1,200 comments that were received during the scoping period. The report also includes information about assumptions on which the analysis will be based as well as further opportunities for public involvement. Input from the meeting will be used to finalize the report. Final approval of the report will be sought at the July 22 Executive Board meting.

For more information, contact Ben Bakkenta at (206) 464-5372 or bbakkenta@psrc.org.

The Executive Board certified 2003 amendments to both the City of Covington's and City of Kirkland's comprehensive plans.

The City of Covington's amendments include the standardization of street functional classifications, revised concurrency provisions, and a few other minor modifications. The City of Kirkland's amendments reflect the new North Rose Hill Neighborhood Plan, which supports innovative housing types, a mixed-use business district, a reconnected street network and support for trails.

For more information, contact Yorik Stevens-Wadja (206) 389-2158 or ystevens@psrc.org.

The Executive Board authorized the change in project status for 11 Destination 2030 projects.

The action enables early right of way purchase for seven segments of I-405 and two segments of SR 520. The board has granted approved status for the extension of the Burke Gilman Trail from the Locks to 60th as well as a section of the Foothills Trail from McMillan to Meeker.

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

The Executive Board adopted an amendment to the supplemental biennial budget and work program (FY 2004-2005).

The amendment increases the budget by $565,587, reflecting the addition of $725,587 to four projects and the removal of $160,00 in speculative funding from a fifth project. The Regional Air Cargo Strategy study will use $15,587 of these funds, $35,000 will be used to conduct focus group analysis of the Puget Sound Transportation Panel database to evaluate the impacts of retirement on the travel behavior of panel survey participants, $100,000 will support the Regional Project Evaluation Committee, FTA Caucuses, and the Transportation Enhancements Committee, and $575,000 will go to support the creation of the Regional Economic Strategy.

For more information, contact Mark Gulbranson at (206) 464-7524 or mgulbranson@psrc.org.

In other business, the Executive Board:

• Authorized the contract for phase 3 of the development and implementation of the new land use model, Urbansim.
• Authorized the amendment of the contract for enhancements to the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) database.
• Authorized the amendment of the contract for human resource assistance.
• Authorized a contract to develop a regional demographic and economic forecasting model, with capacity to support or produce transportation revenue forecasts.
• Adopted a routine amendment to the Transportation Improvement Program, updating information for a King County project and a Washington State Department of Transportation project.