Drafter
Clerk 09/01/2010
Title
A MOTION related to creating jobs and meeting mobility needs through action by the United States Congress on a multiyear surface transportation reauthorization act.
Body
WHEREAS, though Motion 13202, the King County council has established priorities to promote local employment opportunities and economic recovery and to increase mobility options throughout King County, and
WHEREAS, investment in public mobility infrastructure such as roads, bridges, transit systems, intermodal, and non-motorized facilities delivers construction and construction-related jobs, and
WHEREAS, investment in public transportation supports the livability of the Puget Sound area through meeting the mobility needs of people and businesses, and
WHEREAS, the Puget Sound Regional Council distributes tens of millions of regional and local transportation dollars as allocated by federal surface transportation programs, and
WHEREAS, the federal surface transportation programs, beginning in 1991 with adoption of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act ("ISTEA"), followed by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century ("TEA 21") and then the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act - A Legacy for Users ("SAFETEA-LU"), have been a dramatic policy success by increasing federal highway and public transportation funding, encouraging multimodalism and rewarding local innovation and partnership through the Surface Transportation Program and other flexible programs, and
WHEREAS, Sound Transit's Central Link Light Rail system, King County's RapidRide bus service, expansion of the Puget Sound region High Occupancy Vehicle road network, and funding for the South Park Bridge Program are examples of regional transportation successes made possible in part by ISTEA, TEA 21 and SAFETEA-LU, and
WHEREAS, SAFETEA-LU expired on September 30, 2009, and
WHEREAS, short-term extensions of SAFETEA-LU have enabled state and local surface ...

Click here for full text