Funding Application. Project Information. Contact Information. Project Description. 1 of 15. April 20th, :01 AM

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1 1 of 15 Funding Application Competition Application Type Status Accepted: Prepopulated with screening form? Regional FHWA Corridors Serving Centers accepted April 20th, :01 AM Yes Project Information 1. Project Title Transportation Demand Management to Support Centers and Regional Service Investments 2. Regional Transportation Plan ID 3. Sponsoring Agency King County Metro 4. Cosponsors 5. Does the sponsoring agency have Certification Acceptance status from WSDOT? Yes 6. If not, which agency will serve as your CA sponsor? Contact Information 1. Contact name Eric Irelan 2. Contact phone Contact Project Description 1. Project Scope This project will fund Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies that will stimulate transit ridership and actively promote mode shift from drive-alone trips to support a specific set of new regional transit facility and service investments rolling out on sixteen (16) high capacity transit (HCT ) and bus rapid transit (BRT) corridors between 2021 through These 16 corridors will provide connecting access to 17 King County Regional Growth Centers and three (3) Manufacturing/Industrial Centers. The project will apply proven TDM strategies within new and expanded travel markets/sheds created with the opening of service on the 16 corridors during the project s performance period. These corridors include 11 King County RapidRide lines; three (3) Sound Transit (ST) Link Light Rail extensions north, east and south from downtown Seattle; and two (2) ST Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines along the SR 522 and I-405 corridors. The TDM strategies will be employed in tandem with the roll out of these new services and

2 The TDM strategies will be employed in tandem with the roll out of these new services and 2 of 15 during a sustained initial period to maximize the effectiveness of the new transit investments. The project will also coordinate activities with related ST and Metro have planned to support these new transit services and facility investments including bus route service restructures and new first mile/last mile or innovative mobility projects. The project s goals are to 1) Improve access to employment, housing, education and services within the 20 regional centers; 2) Reduce drive-alone trips and traffic congestion within the corridors connecting these centers, 3) Increase mode shift and reduce demand for parking within the centers and; and 4) Improve freight and goods movement to/from and within the centers. The project will develop and employ new tools for employers, cities, institutions and TMAs (transportation management associations) to facilitate travel behavior change among residents, workers and students with diverse travel needs. Tools will be tailored to build upon an organization s level of engagement, whether starting from scratch or growing an existing program. The project will create new approaches to reach beyond traditional commute markets, assisting travel for shift workers, LEP (limited English proficiency) groups, ORCA LIFT eligible travelers, youth, seniors and people establishing new patterns due to a change of home or job. Project implementation will include education, outreach, promotions, incentives such as ORCA cards, workplace on-boarding modules, travel-training and new resident information, using multi-lingual and multimodal messaging. Project elements include: A) Provide employer and employee focused programs and services such as: Sales of employer commute benefit programs including transit subsidy, vanpool subsidy and guaranteed ride home; Improved full-service commute program support to existing and new employers to increase alternative mode use by employees. This includes customized marketing materials, trip planning and match services, sharing performance metrics, program assessments and adjustments; Outreach and incentives to encourage employers to start new or expand existing commute benefit programs; Provide ongoing customer support including full service commute program support; Efforts to reach shift workers (retail, hotel, restaurant), and multi-lingual support for non or limited English speakers; and Customized multi-modal trip planning for employees, both on-site and online. B) For those centers with significant event attendance and travel, such as within the Seattle CBD, University Community, Downtown Bellevue and Kent, provide event attendee focused programs and services such as: Provide incentivized fare media for events attendees and develop simple approaches for event attendees to access the fare media. Provide support to stadium and event staff to develop communications, protocols and information for attendees that encourage use of alternative modes of transportation. C) For travel markets with access to the 16 new transit corridors, provide residential focused programs and services such as: Community-based social marketing programs that focus on reducing drive alone travel in, to and from neighborhoods along the transit corridors. Develop and distribute translated/trans-created (culturally-relevant) materials and outreach tools and resources. Target new residents or people who have recently relocated or immigrated with customized communication and personalized travel planning. D) Create decision-making tools that lead to changes in travel behavior within the target travel markets such as: Create and publish local travel maps and interactive multi-modal online tools. Build and distribute customized travel training modules for individuals and service providers, Develop and circulate translated/trans-created (culturally relevant) materials and cost/benefit comparisons for different modes.

3 3 of 15 Metro will deliver the project elements by building on established regional TDM programs and leveraging successful partner relationships with employers, cities, other transit agencies, and transportation management associations (TMAs). The project would complement previous Metro TDM work focused within the Regional Centers, which included partnering with local cities to create transportation resources and tools for their communities, and conducting targeted outreach and incentive programs to encourage residents to reduce drive alone travel. The project will also complement current TDM efforts as it will focus only on corridors that are receiving new transit investments as listed in the Project Location section below. The cost of these programs and services include staff time, contract costs for consultants, contracts with participating cities TMAs, and community based organizations, incentive costs for Vanpool, transit fare (ORCA), development of online tools, printing brochures and materials. Implementation of this project will support attaining local land use forecasted development levels and mode split targets within the designated Regional Centers in King County by providing the following important outcomes and benefits: - Reduce 17,693 daily drive-alone trips. - Eliminate 277,118 daily vehicle miles traveled (VMT) (based on 22 mi/trip for vanpool; 14.5 mi/trip other see Air Quality/TDM section). - Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants. - Increase use of transit, ridesharing, shared mobility services such as carshare and bikeshare, non-motorized travel and telecommuting. For example, this program will form 230 new vanpool groups. - Lowering transportation costs per household through business subsidy of transit/orca programs and moving people from driving alone to less expensive modes of travel. - Better health through incentives to use active transportation choices. 2. Project Justification, Need, or Purpose Our region is growing. According to a PSRC Puget Sound Trends report, King County s 2017 population was 2,052,800. The County added 48,600 persons from 2016 to 2017, a 2.3% annual increase. That s equivalent to 133 new residents each day. This rate of growth, the largest in the four-county region, increases the strain on our existing transportation system and amplifies the need for additional transit service and investments. King County is projected to add 285,000 new residents and 477,000 workers from 2017 to 2040 or 42% of the region s population growth and 57% of employment growth - the highest proportion by county in the region (Vision 2040, updated by King County Office of Performance, Strategy and Budget). Most of these new jobs and residents are expected to locate in PSRC designated Regional Centers, an important goal of the region s growth strategy. This growth will be accompanied by a 40% increase in travel demand (PSRC TDM Action Plan ). According to WSDOT s 2017 Capacity Report, total VMT on the five monitored freeway corridors in the central Puget Sound Region increased by 2.8% between 2014 and 2016, however total congestion increased 22.3% indicating that these critical corridors including I-5, I-405, SR520, I-90, and SR167 are operating at or beyond full vehicular capacity consistently during the daytime travel period (5 a.m. to 8 p.m.). At these congestion levels, person throughput on these critical corridors decreases significantly. Traffic congestion on these corridors also spills over to local corridors in King County, impacting entire travel sheds. The congestion negatively affects transit and freight transportation, reduces access to jobs, services, and housing, and adversely affects livability and economic development across the Puget Sound region. Continued rapid population and employment growth will add to existing congestion and delay along critical travel corridors connecting Regional Centers. Planned events such as sporting events or concerts can exacerbate congestion and also contribute to significant delays on an already overwhelmed travel corridors. Significant new road capacity is neither financially feasible nor desired because of high costs and negative environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions. In response, the region is investing many millions of federal, state and local dollars in transit service improvements over the next several years. These include RapidRide BRT under the METRO CONNECTS plan, the completion of Sound Transit s ST2 and early ST3 BRT and light rail project extensions, and bus service restructures by all agencies to support these investments. These service and facility investments are an important part of maximizing the efficiency of our existing transportation infrastructure, curbing congestion, and enabling the continued growth and vitality of our region s centers. These transit investments will provide an opportunity for travelers to rethink the way they travel in the region.

4 TDM has a proven history of reducing drive alone trips at a much reduced cost compared to construction of new facilities or new transit service. TDM strategies implemented through King County Metro s residential outreach programs, such as In Motion, cost about $9.00 on average per person reached, with participation ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 participants per program depending on the program design. Programs typically shift 28 annual car trips per participant to non-drive-alone modes. TDM strategies are often most efficient when they are paired in tandem with new alternative transportation facility and service investments. This project s purpose is to deliver TDM strategies that target specific travel markets/sheds within 16 planned HCT and BRT corridors serving 20 PSRC designated Regional Centers in King County with information and incentives at the moments of change, when the new regional transit services open. The project will extend TDM strategies into the new travel markets created through these investments, working with local governments, other transit agencies, designated transportation management areas (TMAs), and employers to help compound and maximize their ridership potential. The project will employ innovative TDM strategies to help ensure that all populations within these markets have access to the enhanced mobility and access the investments provide. By facilitating reductions in vehicle trips and vehicle miles travelled (VMT) the project will support the region, WSDOT, and local jurisdictions in meeting their adopted transportation, development and environmental goals related to transportation mode split, employment and residential growth, congestion mitigation, and greenhouse gas emissions reductions as the region continues to grow. Project Location 1. Project Location Sixteen (16) new HCT and BRT corridors starting service within the project s timeframe connecting 20 PSRC designated Regional Centers within King County 2. Please identify the county(ies) in which the project is located. King 3. Crossroad/landmark nearest the beginning of the project 4. Crossroad/landmark nearest the end of the project 5. Map and project graphics Revised_Corridors_Map.pdf Plan Consistency 1. Is the project specifically identified in a local comprehensive plan? Yes 2. If yes, please indicate the (1) plan name, (2) relevant section(s), and (3) page number where it can be found. Metro CONNECTS, Long-Range Plan 2017: This project is consistent with METRO CONNECTS, the King County Metro Long-Range plan, Managing Demand which includes tactics such as community-based social marketing, shared mobility and pass programs (pg ). King County Comprehensive Plan (2016 Update): This project is consistent with the King County Comprehensive Plan policies to maximize efficiency and effectiveness of County services, infrastructure and facilities (T-103), provide a system of transportation services and travel options to all members of the community (T-104), implement transportation demand management (TDM) to increase the share of trips made by modes other than driving alone (T- 245), use TDM strategies to mitigate impacts of major projects (T-247), and partner with local jurisdictions, the PSRC and others to encourage alternatives to commuting by singleoccupant vehicles (T-253). These policies are found on pages 8-9 through King County Strategic Plan for Public Transportation, (2013 Update): The project is consistent with the Strategic Plan s strategies to provide to the general public an extensive range of transportation alternatives to regular fixed-route transit (2.1.4); provide alternatives to driving alone that connect people to jobs, education and other destinations essential to King County s economic vitality (3.1.1); partner with employers to make public transportation products and services more affordable and convenient for employees (3.1.2); support bicycle and pedestrian access to jobs, services, and the transit system (3.3.2); serve centers and other areas of concentrated activity, consistent with Transportation 2040 (3.4.1); increase the proportion of travel in King County that is provided by public transportation products and 4 of 15

5 proportion of travel in King County that is provided by public transportation products and services to help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in the region (4.1.1). These strategies are found on pages 19 to of 15 King County Strategic Climate Action Plan 2015: This project is consistent with the Strategic Climate Action Plan goal to reduce the need for driving and provide and facilitate the use of sustainable transportation choices such as public transit, alternative technology vehicles, ridesharing, walking, and bicycling (Goal 1: County Services pg. 37). PSRC Vision 2040: The project is consistent with Vision 2040's transportation goal of supporting the regional growth strategy by focusing on connecting centers with a highly efficient multimodal transportation network, and growth policies focused on centers MPP-T-9, MPP-T-11, MPP-T-12, MPP-T-14, MPP-T-15, MPP-T-16, MPP-T-22. The project is also consistent with Vision 2040 s transportation goal of offering greater options, mobility, and access in support of the regional growth strategy, including TDM policies MPP-T-23, MPP-T- 24, MPP-T-26, MPP-T-32, as well as Regional Action Commute Trip Reduction (T-Action-11). PSRC Transportation 2040 draft Regional TDM Action Plan, : The project is consistent with Regional TDM Strategies 1-4 found on pages City of Auburn Comprehensive Plan 2015: This project is consistent with the Plan s objective to utilize transportation demand management strategies to lessen demand for increased street system capacity, help maintain the LOS standard, and enhance quality of life for those who use and benefit from the transportation system (TDM-01 to TDM-07 pg. 5-8). City of Bellevue Comprehensive Plan (2016 Update): This project is consistent with the Plan s policies to direct transportation investments and service to support the Urban Centers growth strategy of the Countywide Planning Policies (TR-3), and transportation demand management policies TR-9, TR-11, TR-13, TR-15, TR-16, TR-18 and TR-19 found on pages 182 to 184. City of Kent Comprehensive Plan (2015): This project is consistent with goal TR-8 regarding transportation demand management, and TDM policies to develop and encourage alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles through regional coordination TR-8.1, transit investments TR-8.2, modal options TR-8.3, increase HOV use TR-8.8, and promote strategies to shift travel demand TR-8.9. City of Kirkland Comprehensive Plan (2015): This project is consistent with multimodal transportation goals to improve alternative transportationt-1, support the transit system T-3 and T-4, support land use decisions in the urban center T-6, and policies to improve transit access T-3.3, T-6.6, T-6.7 and support TDM policies T-3.4, T-4.4, T-5.4. City of Federal Way Comprehensive Plan (2015): This project is consistent with City Center Core goals and policies contained in Section 7.7; Transportation demand management and system efficiency goals TP5.1 to TP5.8; TDM activities as related to Vision 2040 (pg. III-40); Regional Growth Center goals (pg. III-50); CTR goals and recommendations (pg. III-62). TDM activities as related to Vision 2040 (pg. III-40); Regional Growth Center goals (pg. III-50); CTR goals and recommendations (pg. III-62). City of Redmond Comprehensive Plan (2015): This project is consistent with the Plan s transportation objectives regarding local and regional transit growth TR-8, TR-9, TR-10; multimodal streets to connect key destinations and transportation choices for all users TR-5; TDM strategies to support future growth TR-18; and regional transportation coordination TR- 22, TR-23 found on pages 9-3 through 9-8. City of Renton Comprehensive Plan (2015): This project is consistent with the Plan s goal to reduce the number of trips made via single occupant vehicle (Goal T-D), and to implement transportation demand management policies in the regional growth center T-10, T-11, T-13, and T-14. City of Seattle Comprehensive Plan (2015): This project is consistent with the Plans goals and policies to support growth in urban and manufacturing centers through transportation policies TG1 (T1.1, T1.3, T1.5), multimodal street use TG2, provide and encourage multiple transportation options TG3 (T3.11, T3.12, T3.13), promote healthy communities TG4 (T4.2, T4.3, T4.4), strengthen mobility and access TG5 (T5.9), and coordinate with other agencies TG7 (T7.2, T7.6). City of Tukwila Comprehensive Plan (2015): This project is consistent with the Plan s transportation goals and policies to address the need for a range of mobility options 13.1(13.1.2, , , , , ) to provide efficient transit options to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips in Tukwila 13.4 (13.4.5, ), to support TDM activities 13.5 (13.5.1, , , , ), and non-motorized transportation If no, please describe how the project is consistent with the applicable local comprehensive plan, including specific local policies and provisions the project supports. In addition, please describe how the project is consistent with a transit agency plan or state plan, if applicable. Federal Functional Classification

6 1. Functional class name 00 Not applicable (transit, enhancements, Etc.) 6 of 15 Support for Centers 1. Describe the relationship of the project to the center(s) it is intended to support. For example, is it located within a designated regional, countywide or local center, or is it located along a corridor connecting to one of these areas? Corridors receiving transit service investments: 11 RapidRide corridors connecting: o Seattle Downtown / Mt Baker / Rainier Valley o Seattle Downtown / Eastlake / Seattle South Lake Union / Seattle University Community o Overlake / Newcastle / Renton o Ballard-Interbay MIC / Wallingford / Seattle University Community o Renton / Kent / Auburn o Seattle Northgate / Ballard-Interbay MIC / Seattle South Lake Union / Seattle Downtown o Totem Lake / Bellevue / Eastgate o Highline CC / Kent / Green River CC o University Community / Central Area / Mt Baker o Bothell / Lake City / University Community o Twin Lakes / Federal Way / Green River CC 2 Sound Transit BRT corridors connecting: o Via I-405 connecting 7 Regional Centers - Lynnwood, Bothell Canyon Park, Totem Lake, Bellevue, Renton, Tukwila, Burien o Via 145th/SR 522 connecting to Link Light Rail with access to 10 Regional Centers - Bellevue, Federal Way, Redmond Overlake, Redmond Downtown, SeaTac, Seattle Downtown, Seattle First Hill/Capitol Hill, Seattle Northgate, Seattle University Community, and Duwamish MIC 3 Link Light Rail Extension new station areas: o North Link Extension from the University of Washington Station north to the new University District, Roosevelt, and Northgate stations connecting Seattle Northgate, Seattle University Community, Seattle First Hill/Capitol Hill, Seattle Downtown and designated centers along Link corridors south and east. o East Link Extension from Stadium Station east to the new Judkins Park, Mercer Island, South Bellevue, East Main, Bellevue Downtown, Wilburton, Spring District/120th, Bel-Red/130th, Redmond Technology Center, SE Redmond and Downtown Redmond stations connecting Redmond Downtown, Redmond Overlake, Bellevue, Duwamish MIC, and designated centers along Link corridors north and south. o Federal Way Link Extension from Angle Lake Station south to the new Highline College, South 272nd Street and Federal Way Transit Center connecting Federal Way, SeaTac and designated centers along Link corridors north and east. Criteria: Benefit to Regional Growth or Manufacturing/Industrial Center 1. Describe how this project will benefit or support the housing and employment development in a regional growth center(s) and/or employment growth in a manufacturing/industrial center(s). Does it support multiple centers? Please provide a citation of the relevant policies and/or specific project references in a subarea plan or in the comprehensive plan. This project will support housing and job development and retention in 20 designated King County Regional Centers by working to achieve four project goals: 1) Improve access to employment, housing, education and services within the 20 regional centers; 2) Reduce drive-alone trips and traffic congestion along corridors connecting the centers; 3) Increase mode shift ad reduce demand for parking within the centers and; and 4) Improve freight and goods movement to/from on corridors connecting the centers. 1) Improve access to employment, housing, education and services within the 20 regional centers Within the travel shed of these sixteen HCT and BRT corridors are approximately 850,000 residents (March 2017 King County Assessor s Office) in more than, and approximately 831,000 jobs (Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) US Census Bureau 2015). This represent a large travel market that will have access to significant the new regional transit options opening during the project s performance period. Employment, services and housing are concentrated within the 20 regional centers served by the 16 HCT and BRT corridors, and many of the trips on the 16 new transit corridors are

7 the 16 HCT and BRT corridors, and many of the trips on the 16 new transit corridors are 7 of 15 between these regional centers or are accessing the centers. Working with our TDM partners, the project will develop and deploy both employer/employee and residential focused programs targeted to reach this travel market to shift people who drive alone and other auto dependent travelers to these new transit options within the corridors and to HOV travel and nonmotorized transportation to the centers. The TDM strategies will be employed in tandem with the roll out of the new transit services and for a sustained initial period of the new services to maximize the effectiveness of these investments to serve as many people as possible for a variety of trip purposes. Shifting SOV trips to higher occupancy vehicles and non-motorized modes supports the compact land use objectives and complements supporting transportation strategies recommended in local and regional transportation and land use plans. More people traveling in fewer vehicles on congested corridors mitigates the transportation impacts of new development and allows people to travel farther, facilitate higher concentrations of development with the centers, and extends the travel shed of each center, increasing access to opportunities for all travelers. This increasing the economic viability and livability of the Centers. 2) Reduce drive-alone trips and traffic congestion along the corridors connecting the Centers TDM encourages convenient alternatives to driving. It reduces travel demand by changing behaviors, particularly during congested peak commuting periods. This project will apply a broad range of TDM strategies specifically focused on the travelers within the travel sheds of the 16 HCT and BRT corridors in order to shift travel SOV travel to more efficient travel modes. The project will be implemented to coincide with the opening of significant regional transit services within each of the transit corridors and for an extended period afterwards in order to help maximize the project s effectiveness in reducing drive alone trips and traffic congestion. Maximizing person throughput on travel corridors connecting designated regional centers provides for continued viability of the region s growth strategy. The project will increase use of transit, ridesharing, shared mobility services such as carshare and bikeshare, non-motorized travel and telecommuting. For example, this program will form 230 new vanpool groups. It is projected to eliminate 17,693 daily drive-alone trips resulting in a reduction of 277,118 daily vehicle miles traveled (VMT) within corridors connecting the 20 regional centers. 3) Increase mode shift and reduce demand for parking within the centers This TDM project supports housing and employment growth targets and mode split goals established for each designated Regional Growth Center. The current commute single occupant vehicle (SOV) mode share in King County s Regional Growth Centers averages 54% and will need to be substantially reduced in order to help reach land use development targets. Some cities, including Seattle and Bellevue have set aggressive mode split targets for their Regional Growth Centers in order to accommodate significant planned growth. For example, Seattle has set a target to reduce the drive-alone commute rate in the South Lake Union Regional Growth Center from 43% to 30%, and Bellevue s target is to reduce the SOV rate in their downtown from 71% to 35% by The project will increase drive alone mode shift to transit, HOV and nonmotorized modes by promoting a wide variety of TDM services including transit and rideshare matching promotions and incentive programs, and parking management to help reduce parking demand within the 20 regional centers. Reduced parking demand along with other TDM based parking management strategies employed through this project would support sustainable mobility in these centers while creating a more vibrant, walkable communities. Planned events within the targeted regional centers such as sporting events and concerts creates significant traffic congestion and parking demand. This project will reach attendees of these events to decrease the proportion traveling to the events in low occupancy cars, reducing event related congestion and crushing parking demands. 4) Improve freight and goods movement to/from and within the centers. Several of the corridors connecting the 20 regional centers carry significant truck freight tonnage, classified as T1 and T2 routes on the State s Freight and Goods Transportation System (FGTS). These routes include I-5, I-90, I-405, SR520, SR522, and SR518. Numerous segments of local arterials within the connecting corridors are also classified as carrying significant freight volumes. The economic vitality of many types of commercial development in these centers depends, in a large part, on the ability to ship and receive freight in a cost effective way. Project benefits will extend to the truck freight system and its users as congested connecting corridors are utilized more efficiently for passenger travel as regional growth patterns continue. Relevant King County plan policy references: METRO CONNECTS (2017): This project is recommended in METRO CONNECTS, King County Metro s long-range plan, in particular Managing Demand (pg ). King County Comprehensive Plan (2016 Update): This project is consistent with the King

8 King County Comprehensive Plan (2016 Update): This project is consistent with the King County Comprehensive Plan policies to emphasize transit and road services and facilities that support multiple modes and facilitate connections between them in urban areas (T- 201), to encourage transit-supportive land uses, development, facilities and policies that lead to communities that transit can serve efficiently and effectively (T-203), and to focusing transit services on centers and other areas of concentrated activity. 8 of 15 King County Strategic Plan for Public Transportation, (2013 Update): The project is consistent with the Strategic Plan s strategies to seek provide alternatives to driving alone that connect people to jobs, education and other destinations essential to King County s economic vitality (3.1.1) support bicycle and pedestrian access to jobs, services, and the transit system (3.3.2); serve centers and other areas of concentrated activity, consistent with Transportation Describe how the project provides or benefits a range of travel modes to users traveling to/from centers, or if it provides a missing mode. This project actively promotes the use of multiple modes other than driving alone including bus and rail transit, vanpool and carpool, bike and walk, and telework. The project also promotes services that address barriers to using non-drive alone travel such as supporting the guaranteed ride home program, and solutions for first mile/last mile connections. These modes collectively provide options and increased flexibility for travel between and within the 20 regional centers and can fill travel gaps where fixed route transit is not suitable. The project activities will reach travelers through employer programs and residential outreach tailored to the area and user market. These TDM strategies will support ridership potential in new transit markets developed through regional transit investments in light rail and BRT. Several of the corridors connecting the 20 regional centers carry significant truck freight tonnage, classified as T1 and T2 routes on the State s Freight and Goods Transportation System (FGTS). Project benefits will extend to these system users as congested connecting corridors are utilized more efficiently for passenger travel as regional growth patterns continue. The TDM programs implemented through this project will provide information and incentives for all alternatives to driving alone, including transit, bike, walk, shared modes and telework. Project timing will seize the opportunities offered by new transit service and facilities to shift trips from driving alone to new options. Projects that benefit a range of travel modes include: - The In Motion program, a community-based TDM program, provides information about all travel modes in the targeted communities. Residents are provided with a neighborhood travel map which highlights transit routes, on-street bike facilities, trails, and displays walk/bike travel circles to show travel time. Residents can request informational materials about all modes of travel, and materials are provided in languages suited to the market. - The ORCA Passport program, a commute-benefit program that employers can purchase from the region s transit agencies, provides subsidy for transit, vanpool and a guaranteed ride home program for all employees that use alternative modes to get to work. This project will provide incentives, education, outreach and promotions for other investments that support the regional transit investments such as first/last mile solutions, shared mobility pilots and additional bike/walk investments near new transit facilities. The project is expected to reduce 17,693 daily vehicle trips. Recent research finds that those who use a mix of non-drive-alone modes drive less for all trip purposes and have reduced their car ownership (see APTA s Shared Mobility and the Transformation of Public Transit report, March 2016). 3. Describe how the project will benefit a variety of user groups, including commuters, residents, and/or commercial users. The project will benefit a wide number and diverse set of user groups across King County by providing affordable access between jobs, housing and services and increasing the overall efficiency of the Regional Transportation System. The travel sheds of the 16 new HCT and BRT corridors represent approximately 850,000 residents and approximately 831,000 jobs, including over 132,000 low-wage jobs (Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) US Census Bureau 2015). Target markets will encompass employers representing 16,000 employees, 3,200 potential vanpoolers and 7,500 people in difficult to reach markets (youth/student, low income, LEP). The target commuters represent a broad range of employment types and income levels, including shift workers, hospitality workers, healthcare industry employees, manufacturing employees, office and tech workers. The project also will reach students, seniors, and limited-english speakers through tailored outreach. The project s major activities will reach both traditional and new markets to shift travel behavior. The project will improve access to employment, education, training opportunities and needed services by expanding travel information and incentives to new transit markets, including programs implemented through employment sites, stadium or large event travel

9 including programs implemented through employment sites, stadium or large event travel and at schools. 9 of 15 New TDM strategies will be used to encourage smaller employers to start or expand commute programs, such as transit pre-tax subsidies or ORCA business accounts, which will extend commute benefits to workers who have not had employer-provided commute assistance. Often these are lower-wage workers who could be eligible for the reduced-fare ORCA LIFT program. Commuters, employees and residents will receive information across a range of modes to suit different trip needs and locations. Project strategies will reach these travelers in several key markets in the following ways: Reach 134,000 residents in the travel sheds along the 16 HCT and BRT corridors. Example: King County s community-based In Motion program provides information and rewards for changing travel from driving alone to all types of non-drive-alone modes for both personal and commute travel. In Motion has been particularly effective at reaching residents with participation rates of 10% of the target market on average. Participants take a pledge to drive less and survey results demonstrate reduced driving both immediately after the project and in the long term, based on surveys conducted 18 months after the end of the project. Increase transit benefits available to 16,000 employees through their employers. Example: ORCA Business Passport (an annual contract for employers) includes unlimited transit, vanpool, and a guaranteed ride home program for all pass holders at the employer. Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) employers that purchase ORCA Business Passport are more successful at meeting their drive-alone targets. Of the 60 employers recognized as CTR Champions by the City of Seattle, 90% participated in Metro s ORCA Passport program. This project will add new elements to the ORCA Business Passport program including expanded tools for communicating the benefits of the program to employees and training for employer representatives on how to provide support to employees to change travel behavior. Transit pass programs are effective in building new patterns for non-drive-alone travel and in establishing commute benefits as a norm among employers to attract and retain employees. Connect with 7,500 people in audiences more difficult to reach. Example: Outreach would target and educate youth/students, low income, infrequent transit riders and LEP groups about discounted fares and available travel options using communication and channels appropriate to each audience (e.g. culturally relevant). Partnerships with employers and community-based organizations have been particularly effective at reaching these audiences because we are reaching them through preestablished, trusted communication channels. Reach 3,200 potential vanpool riders. Example: Use incentives and multiple communication formats to entice drivers to try vanpool in order to grow ridership and van formation. Work through employers on outreach efforts such as on-site events, origin-end maps, information delivery suited to the market, and technology tools to enhance vanpooling. 4. Describe how the project will benefit minority and low-income populations as identified in the President s Order for Environmental Justice, seniors, people with disabilities, those located in highly impacted communities, and/or areas experiencing high levels of unemployment or chronic underemployment; please be specific and provide data where applicable. This project s sixteen new HCT and BRT corridors provide service to regional centers with significant concentrations of low income and households living below the poverty level and/or minority populations: Seattle Northgate, University Community, South Lake Union, Uptown Queen Anne, Downtown Seattle, First Hill/Capitol Hill, Kent, Federal Way, Auburn, Burien, SeaTac, Tukwila, Renton, Downtown Bellevue, Overlake, Redmond (King County Metro Transit 2017 System Evaluation Report, based on ACS data) Analysis using PSRC s 2016 Project Selection Interactive Resource Map demonstrates that the project will also benefit people in designated Highly Impacted Communities with poor air quality and environmental equity concerns within King County. These communities are found mainly in south King County and on the eastside in Bellevue and Renton. The project will also benefit residents and employers in Low or Very Low Opportunity Areas, mainly in areas of Renton and other communities across South County. These areas were identified through PSRC s Growing Transit Communities project. That project s Opportunity Index Analysis identifies five key elements of neighborhood opportunity: Education, Economic Health, Housing and Neighborhood Quality, Mobility and Transportation, and Health and Environment. This project will benefit minority and low-income communities in the following ways: - Help households reduce their transportation costs by shifting trips to less expensive modes

10 - Help households reduce their transportation costs by shifting trips to less expensive modes10 of 15 and/or reducing the need for a car, thereby increasing their discretionary income for other needs. - Save businesses time and money by moving goods and services when traffic flows more efficiently. - Partner with employers and local community-based organizations to use trusted channels and methods of communication to reach these communities. - Provide education about discounted fares and available travel options. - Distribute transit fare media, including reduced-fare cards for youth, seniors, people with disabilities, and riders whose incomes qualify for ORCA Lift. - Provide culturally-relevant messaging, materials and outreach strategies to effectively reach populations that may not understand their travel options, particularly LEP. Metro s TDM programs include translated materials and have piloted trans-creation (culturally-relevant translation) materials to provide information most effective for the community. 5. Describe how the project will support the establishment of new jobs/businesses or the retention of existing jobs/businesses including those in the industry clusters identified in the adopted regional economic strategy. This project supports business and industry growth and job retention by maximizing transit other efficient transportation modal access to employment and service sites, reducing employee transportation and site parking and vehicle access costs. These are locations where employment opportunities are concentrated across every industry cluster designated in the Regional Economic Strategy. Fewer trips on connecting centers corridors and adjacent arterials and roadways providing business access will help mitigate congestion and delays of employees, freight movement, and customers. Reduced delay helps extend the travel shed of each regional center and increases business access to a wider area with additional business opportunities and potential employees. The project provides a mechanism and encouragement for more employers to purchase transit passes for their employees. Commute benefits programs have become an effective tool for attracting and retaining employees in this region. King County has established transit pass contracts and commute programs with employers in all industry clusters within the Regional Economic Strategy. In 2017, about 250 businesses or schools opened new ORCA business accounts, an 11% net gain over Of these new accounts, nearly 100 were for ORCA Passport, a comprehensive annual pass product with unlimited transit access. Collectively, well over 250,000 employees and students have access to ORCA Passport. This project will assist us in extending such programs to more employers, particularly smaller employers Criteria: System Continuity/Long-Term Benefit and Sustainability 1. Describe how this project supports a long-term strategy to maximize the efficiency of the corridor, including TDM and activities and ITS improvements that use advanced technologies or innovative approaches to improve traffic flow. Describe the problem and how this project will remedy it. Despite investments in HOV capacity and regional and local transit service, 65% of work trips in King County are made by driving alone. More than three quarters of all daily trips are for non-work purposes, and daily trips for all purposes have increased from less than 3.5 per person per day in 2006 to 3.75 trips per day (PSRC Household Travel Survey, 2014.) In order for the region to meet forecasted growth and mode split targets, we must maximize the use of all non-drive alone options available for all trip purposes. The TDM strategies that will be employed in this project have been shown to both add and retain non-drive alone trips, moving people to more efficient travel within congested corridors. These strategies will decrease drive-alone travel and increase use of bus and rail transit; vanpool and carpool; bike and walk; telework; and address barriers to using non-drive alone modes, such as firstmile/last mile connections and variable work schedules. Moving people from drive-alone to more efficient modes of transportation decreases the number of vehicles on the road and improves the efficiency and operational capacity of the connecting corridors. Examples of successful corridor-based programs include: - The Just One Trip King County Metro partnered with the cities of Bellevue, Kirkland, and Redmond, and with Community Transit s Curb the Congestion program to implement residential and employee-focused incentive programs to reward participants for reducing their drive-alone travel and tracking their progress. - The Alaskan Way Viaduct TDM construction mitigation project used a variety of strategies to

11 - The Alaskan Way Viaduct TDM construction mitigation project used a variety of strategies to11 of 15 reduce trips, including transit promotion, incentives, employer outreach and commute program development (subsidized transit pass programs) and residential outreach (In Motion community-based social marketing efforts). These and other programs establish travel patterns and mode shifts that help better manage congested corridors over time. Metro s community-based and employer programs bear out this longevity. In Motion program participants retained 60% of their reduction in drive alone travel according to Metro s 18 month post program survey. The ORCA business program in King County now includes 1,875 employers (as of Feb. 2018) and continues to grow. These accounts represent 72.5 million transit boardings per year. Business accounts increased by 11% from 2016 to 2017, and more than 90% of contracts are renewed annually. Those that did not renew typically continue to offer subsidized transit passes via another method. This project would also complement existing and planned corridor TSM and transit speed and reliability improvements constructed by nearly every transportation department and agency in King County. 2. Describe how this project provides a logical segment that links to a regional growth or manufacturing/industrial center. The 20 regional centers benefitting from this project are increasingly impacted by congestion. According to WSDOT s 2017 Capacity Report, corridors in the central Puget Sound Region experienced a 22.3% increase in congestion between 2014 and King County is forecasted to accommodate an additional 285,000 new residents and 477,000 workers between 2017 and 2040, primarily in these regional centers. New regional transit service will begin in the 16 HCT and BRT corridors between 2021 and Each new service enhances a logical segment that strengthens links to and between these centers. The TDM programs implemented through this project represent a further logical step by capitalizing on this new network of connected, frequent transit services corridors, boosting their individual and collective effectiveness, helping transit services achieve their maximum ridership potential to mitigate corridor congestion and support regional and local land use, transportation, and environmental goals. 3. Describe how the project fills in a missing link or removes barriers to/from a center. Traffic congestion and delay are significant barriers to passenger and freight travel and continued land use development and densification in Regional Centers. By shifting trips to higher-occupancy vehicles and nonmotorized modes the project will remove vehicle trips on connecting corridors and reduce vehicle trip generation rates system wide, helping to reduce congestion and travel delay barriers that negatively affect center access and continued development. The project will also remove barriers to using transit, vanpooling, carpooling, biking, walking and teleworking. Often, people are reluctant to try different modes of transportation out of habit and/or a lack of information. This project will help bridge that barrier in a significant way through targeted education and promotion strategies. In addition, as new people move into our region, or change home or work locations, their travel options change. If they have an established pattern of driving, they often are unaware of the options available. This project addresses that information barrier by providing continued outreach and encouragement for individuals to learn about and try the travel options available to them. 4. Describe how this project will relieve pressure or remove a bottleneck on the regional transportation system and how this will positively impact overall system performance. The project will remove 17,693 daily trips from the regional transportation system, many segments with significant traffic congestion and bottlenecks, particularly on I-5, I-405, SR520, I-90, SR167 as well as congestion on local arterials. Moving people from driving alone to more efficient travel modes will help decrease traffic congestion on the corridors and at their bottlenecks, improving system efficiency and performance. 5. Describe how this project addresses safety and security. This project actively promotes and incentivizes non-sov travel modes including public transit. According to the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, transit is overall a relatively safe (low crash risk) and secure (low crime risk) transportation mode. Transit travel has about one-tenth the traffic casualty (death or injury) rate as auto travel, and residents of transit-oriented communities have about one fifth the per capita crash casualty rate as in automobile-oriented communities. Statistics also show that regional per capita traffic fatalities decline as transit ridership increases (Safer Than You Think! Revising the Transit Safety Narrative - Victoria Transport Policy Institute August 2015). 6. Describe how the project provides opportunities for active transportation that can lead to public health benefits. The project will include information and incentives to encourage mode shifts to biking and walking for local trips and as first/last mile connections to transit. New transit services launching during the project timeframe will include additional bike parking and safer bike and walk access to transit. Bike share services are expanding in local cities, offering affordable,