New state office focuses on urban mobility & access
The Washington State Department of Transportation has set up an Office of Urban Mobility and Access based in the central Puget Sound region to tackle coordination of a long list of major transportation projects coming online in the next six years. Assistant Secretary Patty Rubstello will lead the office. Three divisions - Regional Transit Coordination (co-located at Sound Transit), Management of Mobility, and Tolling - are focused on keeping the region moving.

CELEBRATING BOTHELL'S NEW MULTIWAY BOULEVARD 

Congrats to Bothell as they put the finishing touches on the unique multiway boulevard in downtown. It's one of a number of projects that are part of a massive downtown revitalization effort started a little over a decade ago. The boulevard design uses medians to separate through traffic on Bothell Way from local access traffic lanes. People will be able to easily cross between the historic downtown on the east side of Bothell Way and the newly developing west side. A ribbon cutting celebration for the project is planned for August 24.

PIERCE TRANSIT UNDERTAKING HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT STUDY

Pierce Transit is conducting a high capacity transit study of a 14-mile corridor along Pacific Avenue and State Route 7 from downtown Tacoma to Spanaway. It's a step toward identifying enhancements to increase transit ridership and support growth in transit-oriented communities along the corridor. Pierce Transit data shows that about 55,000 people live within a half-mile of the corridor and that number will grow by 25% by 2040.
COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER

Many of our boards and committees take a well-deserved break in August. But we'll be hitting the ground running in September. On September 6, the Economic Development Board will take final steps toward finalizing Amazing Place, the region's new economic strategy. The Growth Management Policy Board and Transportation Policy Board also both meet early in the month to take up important topics, including the Centers Framework Update, the Transportation 2040 plan update, and more.

Hope you enjoy the rest of August and I look forward to connecting next month. You can reach me at jbrown@psrc.org .


Executive Director
Puget Sound Regional Council