Date: Thu, 02 Nov 2000 15:52:07 -0800
From: "Jonathan Layzer" <Jonathan.Layzer@ci.seattle.wa.us>
To: <owner-ucucsb@scn.org>
Subject: University Area Transportation Study

I would like to introduce myself as the project manager for the City of Seattle's University Area Transportation Study, and to invite you to participate in the study. The purposes of the study are to:

Build on existing planning to provide a comprehensive, multimodal transportation plan for the area; and

Serve as a blueprint for financing and programming transportation improvements in the University area over the next decade.

Earlier this year, Mayor Schell proposed a ten-point "Maintenance and Mobility" Initiative. On element of the initiative is conducting an areawide transportation study for the University area. The University area was selected as a pilot area because of the convergence of major development and transportation planning and implementation efforts in the area, and in response to specific requests by community groups in the University and Montlake areas. The University Area Transportation Study could serve as a model for how the City advances strong transportation policies from the Comprehensive Plan and Transportation Strategic Plan while coordinating and filling gaps between current and future transportation planning activities.

For the purposes of the study, the University area is bounded by I-5, NE 65th Street, 35th Avenue NE, and the Ship Canal (including the Montlake/SR-520 interchange). Traffic impacts to and from surrounding areas will be considered as part of the study, but operational, capital, service, and programmatic improvements to be considered will be focused within the study area. An important element of the project will be coordinating with existing and future planning efforts (such as the TransLake Washington Study and EIS, and the Seattle Transit Study for Intermediate Capacity Transit) that extend beyond the study area.

In late October, I released a Request for Proposals for consultant services to support the project, and I hope to have a consultant under contract by early December. Funding for consultant services for a first phase of the project is included in this year's City budget. Additional funding to complete the project is pending Council action on the Mayor's proposed budget for 2001. A general outline and timeline for the project is attached for your information, and the complete consultant RFP can be found on the City's web site at: <http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/planning/uats/uats.htm>

Public involvement is an important element of this project. Because of the breadth and depth of existing community involvement in transportation planning in the area, I decided to contact your community organization and others directly to ask for input in dveloping a detailed public involvement plan. A list of the groups that I'm contacting with this ltter is attached for your information. I'm anticipating that a few groups will want to be actively engaged in the project, and I would plan to attend and facilitate group discussions with these groups as the project unfolds. I plan to produce project newsletters and hold open houses at key milestones in the project for other groups and community members who are interested in the project. Your feedback on how your group and members of your community can be engaged in the project most effectively is essential. Please call me at your earliest convenience at 684-8084 to discuss public involvement in this study, or send me an Email message at: jonathan.layzer@ci.seattle.wa.us.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to talking with you more about this important study.

Sincerely,

Jon Layzer
Project Manager

City of Seattle
Strategic Planning Office

Denna Cline, Director
Paul Schell, Mayor

Strategic Planning Office
600 Fourth Ave., Room 300,
Seattle, Washington 98104
(206) 684-8080 Fax: (206) 233-0085

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University Area Transportation Study Community Groups Contacted in November 3, 2000 Mailing

Eastlake Community Council
Greater University District Chamber of Commerce
Laurelhurst Community Club
Montlake Community Club
Portage Bay Roanoke Park Community Council
Ravenna Bryant Community Association
Ravenna Springs Community Group
Roosevelt Neighbors Alliance
Roosevelt Neighbors Association
University Community Urban Center (UCUC) Sounding Board
University District Community Council
University Park Community Club
Wallingford Community Council
The AVE Group
Boyer/Fuhrman Neighborhood Association
Northeast District Council

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UNIVERSITY AREA TRANSPORTATION STUDY
GENERAL OUTLINE AND TIMELINE

Phase I - Assessment of Existing and Future Needs, Development of Planning Framework, and Identification of "Early Action" Improvements (December 2000 - January 2001)

Assemble and evaluate existing planning resources

Outline scope of additional data collection needed (to be conducted in Spring 2001, if necessary)

Update the City's travel demand model, as needed, to support subarea analysis

Compile data on current and planned development, and refine 2010 and 2020 land use forecasts to reflect observed activity

Conduct analysis of current, 2010, and 2020 transportation system performance

Develop criteria and methodology for technical evaluation of alternative improvement strategies

Develop a framework for analyzing, evaluating, and prioritizing potential improvements by mode. Include improvements recommended by previous and current studies in the framework. (e.g., vehicular, nonmotorized, and transit capital improvements analyzed in key corridors, at system bottlenecks/gaps, and areawide; demand management improvements analyzed in terms of site-specific, district-specific, and areawide improvements)

Identify potential improvements (above and beyond previously identified improvements) within each element of the framework for evaluation.

Prepare a preliminary project report/brochure summarizing:

The summary should include graphical summaries of potential improvements by mode.

Identify potential "early action" improvements within each modal element based on previous and current studies.

Phase IIA - Technical Evaluation and Plan Development (January - April 2001)

Collect additional traffic, transit, and nonomotorized data as necessary to support analysis of future system performance with alternative improvement strategies

Conduct technical evaluation of improvement strategies and develop recommended package of strategies

Develop recommended time horizon for implementation of strategies based on technical evaluation and assessment of relationships among improvements (2001-2004, 2005-2007, and 2008-2010)

Phase IIB - Financial Plan (March - June 2001)

Identify existing funding commitments to projects

Identify potential future funding sources, estimate amounts likely to be available for plan implementation, and identify projects that would be eligible for each funding source

Assess feasibility of creating a mitigation fund for areawide transportation improvements and, if feasible, develop work plan for implementation

Identify likely lead agency or organization for each project

Develop programming array of projects, funding sources, and lead agencies or organizations

Phase IIC - Final Plan (May - July 2001)

Develop a draft University Area Transportation Plan documenting the plan development process and results

Develop a final University Area Transportation Plan and Executive Summary