Archived by the Puget Sound Public Interest Transportation Forum, www.bettertransport.info/pitf.

October 12, 2000
Councilperson Richard McIver
Chair, Transportation Policy Board
Puget Sound Regional Council
1011 Western Avenue, Suite 500
Seattle, WA 98101

Re: Least-Cost Planning and the MTP DEIS

Dear Mr. McIver:

I believe that it is appropriate for me to summarize my verbal comments to the Policy Board at its meeting yesterday. As I indicated, the concerns and recommendations of the informal group of transportation professionals that I was representing were previously stated in a letter transmitted to Mr. Norman Abbott by email (destination2030@psrc.org) on September 29, 2000.

Our recommended actions are:

  1. As required by state law (RCW 47.80.030), apply least-cost planning to individual transportation plan elements (facilities, services, and programs), including those that are credible and under discussion in the region but not currently adopted.
  2. Provide a new comment deadline for the DEIS that allows the public to review and compare the cost-effectiveness (net social benefit) of individual transportation elements.
  3. Submit the least/full cost analysis to a panel of nationally recognized transportation economists for their review and comment.

Our group, either collectively or individually, would be happy to share its understanding of least-cost planning and the state requirement with members of your Board, PSRC staff, and legal advisors.

Sincerely,

Dick Nelson
122 NW 50th Street
Seattle, WA 98107
206-781-0915