An obscure committee in a relatively obscure organization is planning the future of our transportation. Its potentially a future of 1.5 million more people but few new roads, a future where all major roads are tolled or a vehicle miles tax is imposed. Welcome to Transportation 2040, the Puget Sound Regional Council’s (PSRC) vision of our transportation future. The PCRC’s Transportation Policy Board has been overseeing the plan for months with little public awareness.

Last week, in an informal poll of the five Plan alternatives, half of the Board members supported Alternative no. 5, the most radical option. It proposes little road building in the next 30 years but supports tolling of our entire road network from arterials to freeways. I believe this Alternative is unrealistic due to the many approved and future developments which will add tens of thousands of homes in suburban King, Pierce and Snohomish counties. These folks will need roads to get to distant job centers, schools and shopping centers.

It seems our elected officials will not effectively manage growth through planning and instead may attempt to control it through transportation policy. I believe this is wrong. It is not fair to these new and growing communities. They should not be ignored.

Everybody deserves effective transportation options, not just those living in major urban centers. It’s time for us to comprehensively, collectively and concurrently plan growth AND transportation for everyone in our region.

Public comment on the Transportation 2040 DEIS Alternatives is accepted until July 13th at http://psrc.org/.

Sincerely,

Noel Gerken

Maple Valley city councilman