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Home My WebLink About03-26-2014 (3)WASHINGTON I. CALL TO ORDER CITY OF AUBURN TRANSPORTATION, TRANSIT AND TRAILS COMMITTEE March 26, 2014 MINUTES Chairman Roger Thordarson called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. in Conference Room #2, located on the second floor of Auburn City Hall, One East Main Street, Auburn, Washington. Committee members present were: Jim Fletcher, John Daniels Jr., Lonnie Tealer, Michael Pratum, Richard LaBoyne and Terri Calnan. Also present during the meeting were: Mayor Nancy Backus, Community Development & Public Works Director Kevin Snyder, Assistant Director of Engineering /City Engineer Ingrid Gaub, Transportation Planner Joe Welsh, Traffic Engineer James Webb, Construction Clerk Cindy West, City Council Member Wayne Osborne, King County Metro Transit Division Manager Victor Obeso, King County Transportation District Interim Director John Resha. II. CONSENT AGENDA A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES It was moved by Chairman Thordarson, seconded by Member Fletcher that the Committee approve the Transportation, Transit and Trails Committee minutes for February 26, 2014. Motion carried. III. DISCUSSION AND INFORMATION A. KING COUNTY /METRO DISCUSSION (King County & Metro Staff) King County Metro Manager of Service Development Victor Obeso introduced himself and started discussion with Committee regarding potential service reductions. The issue began with the recession in 2008. Ridership has increased on major corridors since 2010. Rapid Ride: increased 35% • New BRT Service Design Alaskan Way Viaduct: increased by 42% Y Major Corridor Construction Impacts SR 520 services: increased by 40% • Newly Tolled Corridor Metro Transit receives about half of its operating funds from sales taxes, and due to the economic downturn, sales tax revenues fell significantly in recent years. There have been measures taken by King County Metro to become more efficient and to save resources. Two years ago, the state legislature provided King County Metro a temporary funding measure. The temporary funding measure was the Congestion Reduction Charge which is a $20 license fee, however, it expires June 2014. The 2013/2014 budget has a gap of $75 million as a result. Transportation, Transit, and Trails Committee February 26, 2014 MINUTES The following actions were taken to reduce Metro's deficit (2009- 2013): • Ongoing productivity & efficiency actions • Staff reductions • Labor contract savings ✓ Program efficiencies • One -time actions (cash savings) ✓ Capital program cuts ✓ Fleet replacement reserves ✓ Operating reserves Revenue - related actions ✓ Fare increases ✓ Property tax levy ✓ End of Ride Free Area ✓ Temporary congestion reduction charge Cumulative total: $798 million Ongoing annual savings: $148 million Financial picture in 2014: • Temporary "congestion reduction charge" expires and savings run out in June 2014 • Without additional, on -going revenue, annual budge gap is $75 million • Need to cut up to 600,000 annual hours (17% of the system) to live within available financial resources King County Metro operates 3.5 million service hours per year. Approximately 17% of the 600,000 is what's at risk of reductions currently. The system as a whole has 214 routes. The proposed reduction would eliminate 35% of routes (74 routes), changing or reducing 50% of routes (107 routes), and 15% of the routes would remain unchanged. Even the unchanged routes would still see impacts as they would see shifts in ridership as crowded routes would become even more crowded. Service Guidelines — reduction priorities: Reduction Route priority performance Ej M. 0 `15th 50th )5th 100th 2 D plrCenlll! _M1 b iSJi SOL- I M1I5tM1 100th plrtlntll! O0 15th 50th 75[h 300th Cercln le OJ 25th 501h )Ah itQ[h pertenOle Basis for reduction nu icates J Peak servke 55.E other service Targeli G service tevol 1 Page 2 Transportation Transit and Trails Committee February 26, 2014 MINUTES Proposed network in Auburn: • Preserves all -day service on routes with highest ridership • Reduced local service within Auburn and to /from Enumclaw • Peak service reduced w /focus on Sounder to provide direct connections to /from Seattle ReducedlRevised Deleted 164 t180i,181']52 ,910 166 '915 917 819: .. RED Indicates route will no longer serve Auburn Chairman Thordarson asked if route 181 and 164 are still proposed to be discontinued after 9pm. King County Metro Manager of Service Development Victor Obeso stated those routes are still proposed for late night reductions. Chairman Thordarson voiced his concern as Green River Community College classes release up until 10pm. King County Metro Manager of Service Development Victor Obeso stated he will contact the college and work with them regarding this issue. Timeline for reductions: • November — February: Public outreach to share the proposed service cuts • March: Preparing recommended service cut package for King County Executive and Council consideration • April — May: King County Council consideration of service cut ordinance • If adopted, service cuts would begin September 2014 with additional changes in February, June, and September 2015 There was a brief group discussion regarding the free ride ticket program when you renew your car tabs per a question asked by Chairman Thordarson. Interim Director of King County Transportation District John Resha introduced himself to the Committee stating he is the sole employee of the King County Transportation Benefit District. In February, the King County Council formed the King County Transportation District (KCTD), a separate government with countywide transportation taxing authority. King County and cities in King County have identified that funding is needed to maintain current levels of bus service, maintain roads in their current condition, and implement transportation improvements: • King County Metro cuts (as mentioned above) • King County Road Services is supported by property taxes, the gas tax and grant funding, which have dropped by one -third since 2009. King County's transportation plan identifies that to maintain the 1,350 miles of county roads in their current condition; $200 million is needed annually. Currently Road Services receives $90 million each year. Page 3 Transportation Transit and Trails Committee February 26, 2014 MINUTES Cities in King County maintain 5,500 miles of streets plus bridges, sidewalks, drainage systems, traffic signals and trails. The cities have identified in their transportation plans, a funding need of $4 billion for mobility projects over the next six years. On February 24, the KCTD Board unanimously sent voters Proposition 1, a proposal to raise revenue that would provide funding for Metro Transit bus service and County and city transportation projects, including road safety and maintenance improvements. If adopted, KCTD Proposition 1 would increase the King County sales tax by 0.1 % and establish a $60 vehicle fee (both for 10 years), exclusively to fund transportation improvements; and establish a low- income rebate program that rebates $20 of the vehicle fee paid for vehicle owners whose household income is less than 45% of the County's median household income. All funds can only be spent on transportation projects, programs and services identified in each City's, the County's and the Puget Sound Regional Council's approved Transportation plans. • 60% would be distributed to King County to be allocated by the KCTD Board toward preserving Metro service to levels comparable to 2014 levels. Once such allocation is made, any remaining revenue from the 60% share would be equally distributed for Metro and for unincorporated area road purposes. 40% would be distributed based on population to the 39 cities in King County for their transportation improvements and to King County for unincorporated area road purposes. If proposition 1 passes, then revenues generated by its passage will be allocated by the KCTD toward paying for the Metro low income fare program; and for the first two years the low income fare would be set at $1.25. If proposition 1 does not pass, the low income fare will be set at $1.50 and the cost of the program will be paid out of other Metro revenue sources. KCTD Proposition 1 includes a program that would offer rebates of $20 of the vehicle fee paid by people who have low incomes. People whose incomes are at or below 45% of King County's median household income, adjusted for household size, would be eligible. Currently the county's median household income is approximately $69,000; 45% of this amount is approximately $31,500. IV. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Transportation, Transit, and Trails Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 10:07 a.m. Approved this 2� day of Wy-�h 12014. Ate- "1AI4012- Roger 1rhordarson Chairman Page 4 YARN ih�S► r- Molly Ho' ington Public Works Department Secretary