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Transportation >
A Tradition
of Performance > Recent Accomplishments |
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A tradition of performance
The department is unique in that it is the second largest public transportation agency in the state and provides a diverse array of transit, road, aviation, and marine services, along with fleet management. Because of the breadth of the multiple transportation modes supported, KCDOT is an important partner in regional transportation planning to manage growth and improve mobility. All work is carried out under countywide guidelines to protect the environment and provide service regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, economic level, immigration status, sexual orientation, or disability. This report documents accomplishments and milestones in 2007 for KCDOT and its four divisions – King County International Airport (KCIA), Fleet Administration Division, King County Road Services Division (RSD), and King County Metro Transit. It also looks to the future to identify how the department is dealing with demand for more services – including the addition of the newly created Marine Division – in light of rapidly changing financial and regulatory conditions. A transportation snapshot Five years ago, KCDOT was facing a situation where transportation needs and demand for service were beginning to increase at a time when revenues were stagnant or decreasing. By the end of 2004, the department was experiencing diminishing transportation funding stemming from voter approved tax reductions, declining county revenue sources, and rising inflationary costs. The situation prompted efforts to generate regional transportation funding for large projects and redouble efforts to scale back department costs through operating efficiencies, concentration on core services, and innovative finance mechanisms. In recent years, the financial picture has worsened, as fuel prices have steadily climbed. Rising fuel prices and a still healthy local employment market have, in turn, driven more people to the Metro Transit system, increasing demand for bus trips and routes. Ridership has also increased due to a series of service improvements in recent years. To address increasing public demand for transit service, in 2006 the department set out to develop a plan to restructure and expand services. The department used the partnership approach to increase transit options with the opening of a large park-and-ride garage near Interstate 90. It then restructured bus service in South King County and the Eastside to improve efficiency and stretch resources farther. The plan also included creation of a new ten-year initiative called Transit Now, designed to expand the Metro Transit system by up to 20 percent in response to the growing demand for service all across the county. When a one-tenth of one percent sales tax measure was placed before voters to fund the initiative, the result was a resounding “yes.” While the Transit Now initiative has opened the door for much needed Metro service expansion, KCDOT’s Road Services Division has faced continued funding struggles. The passage of statewide initiatives and elimination of the Vehicle License Fee resulted in a major financial blow to the division. The loss of revenue forced the cancellation of many road-widening projects, and the division’s primary focus now centers on safety and roadway preservation. Successive severe winter storms have also stretched the division’s budget and staff to the limits, and much of the regular maintenance work has periodically been deferred due to budget and staffing limitations. Through the aggressive pursuit of limited federal funding, the division has been successful in delivering some key capital improvements, including construction of two new bridges to replace spans that were each more than 80 years old. But, a solution to the division’s most pressing bridge need remains elusive. Replacement funds for the deteriorating South Park Bridge have yet to be secured, and the division continues to explore ways to rebuild this vital transportation link. The lessons learned during these financially lean times are that the department must remain successful in achieving transportation solutions by:
Focusing on core services that best meet the needs of King County residents; Using innovation and partnerships to fund and plan large projects and service expansion; Asking voters for direct support for programs that are cost-efficient and serve the greatest number of people; and Evaluating and prioritizing existing programs and services to implement efficiencies that trim costs and provide solid stewardship of precious tax dollars. The core business for KCDOT is the efficient movement of people and goods throughout the Puget Sound region using innovation and vision. The department’s unique array of travel modes has a broad impact on the region’s transportation network. Through its membership in numerous public-private partnerships and multi-agency efforts, KCDOT also advocates for creative transportation approaches that emphasize the linkages between transit, health and the environment. That’s why the department, under the leadership of its director, has become an important advocate for transportation solutions that emphasize moving people instead of just vehicles. For example, Metro’s innovative Service Partnership Program is an element of Transit Now that brings together local jurisdictions, major employers, and other organizations to finance more bus service through direct cost sharing. Over the next several years, these partnerships are expected to leverage Metro’s ability to put even more bus service on the street. Partnerships will also be used to increase commuter van ridership and purchase additional vans. The Road Services Division uses technology to maximize existing road capacity at the lowest cost. Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) projects coordinate traffic signal timing across multiple jurisdictions to speed up travel times, minimize traffic bottlenecks, and reduce carbon emissions. The most recent state report indicates King County’s signal synchronization program has put the county 27 percent above the national average for signal timing. At King County International Airport, the strategy calls for capital facility improvements to keep it functioning as a major aviation center and maintain its viability as an economic engine for the region. The current reinvestment plan includes more than 20 capital projects at an estimated cost of more than $26 million. This includes a full rehabilitation of its two taxiways over the next three years. Both projects will be funded from federal grants and airport reserves. These projects follow the recent award-winning rehabilitation of the airport’s main 10,000-foot runway. In 2007, the newly created King County Ferry District authorized a taxing measure to support the creation of passenger ferry service in King County. KCDOT was tasked with planning, designing, and operating passenger-only service on existing routes connecting West Seattle and Vashon Island with the Seattle central waterfront. Additionally, it is envisioned that the system will expand, adding five new routes over six years. Water-based transit will provide commuters with more options and relieve congestion, while generating and supporting King County tourism activities in communities around the Puget Sound. Internally, the Fleet Administration Division has maximized productivity in several ways. Fleet’s certification of its in-house warranty program by major auto manufacturers has reduced out-of-service time and cut county fleet maintenance costs. And, adding a second shift of maintenance workers reduced the amount of time county vehicles are out of service. Delivering safe and secure services Safety of the traveling public is the No. 1 priority in the delivery of KCDOT services. This starts with preservation and maintenance of roads and bridges in unincorporated King County. It goes beyond the surface of the roadway to also include the condition of bridge supports, underground drainage systems, guardrails, and signage. For Metro Transit, safety rests in the hands of well-trained drivers, mechanics, supervisors, and support personnel. Work is ongoing at KCIA to update the runways and other facilities for optimal operational safety. The Fleet Division provides safe transportation for all county operations – from sheriff patrols to snow removal. Going hand-in-hand with everyday public safety are KCDOT’s proactive efforts to prepare for disasters. The department’s overarching emergency preparedness objective is the continuity of operations to deliver transportation services to King County residents and regional partners – this also includes the safety and security of KCDOT employees who are providing the services. Throughout the region, our bridges, highways, local streets, and other facilities are vital to the region’s core transportation system. Failure of these structures would be catastrophic in terms of human and infrastructure costs. Security issues are also addressed at all levels in all divisions. This includes a wide range of programs and projects, such as complying with federal Homeland Security standards, installing security cameras on buses, and providing a safe workplace for KCDOT employees. Seeking stable funding Like many agencies across the nation, KCDOT has been affected by higher costs for fuel and petroleum-based products, raw materials used in construction projects, and labor. Also increasing costs is the fierce competition for construction contractors and engineering expertise, growing maintenance and preservation backlogs, and new environmental regulations and expectations. As KCDOT does its work, it strives to prioritize transportation needs of the county by developing innovative programs that deliver the most benefit to users and taxpayers. The expectations for all KCDOT divisions are to identify efficiencies and cost savings, leverage partnerships and existing resources, and maximize funding opportunities. KCIA has made strides in gradually bringing fees and rates more in line with regional and national market rates for airports of its size. The increased revenue has been invested in infrastructure, pavement and facility improvements. For Metro Transit, the cost of diesel fuel more than tripled between 2001 and 2007. Fare increases in 2008 will help address rising fuel and employee costs, and allow Metro to address some overcrowding and schedule delay issues. The Roads Services Division is dealing with a combination of decreased federal funding and local tax revenues, plus increasing costs for operating and maintaining its base program. The division was able to offset the impact of nearly $4 million in unanticipated and unbudgeted storm costs from 2007 with one-time revenue from the sale of surplus property. However, ongoing revenue reductions will result in the deferral of preservation projects beginning in 2009 and continue through the current six-year plan and beyond. Fleet has developed strategies to mitigate cost-of-business increases and will continue to seek opportunities to reduce or avoid costs. Strategies include: lowering lifecycle costs of the county’s fleet by purchasing hybrid vehicles; creating public agency coalitions to lower the purchase price of new vehicles; new approaches to contracting to save money; and reusing and recycling surplus property. Providing ‘green’ transportation In promoting and supporting the use of transit, vanpooling, carpooling and bicycling, KCDOT is responsible for removing thousands of cars from King County roads everyday. KCDOT prides itself on going the extra mile to deliver transportation services in a way that protects and enhances the environment. For example:
The Fleet Division maintains more than 140 hybrid vehicles, and will continue to purchase hybrid electrics to replace older models as they are retired, if fiscally prudent. Additionally, Fleet has assumed a leadership role in the region and nation, forming consortiums with other public agencies to test hybrid plug-in vehicles and develop a market for medium and heavy-duty hybrid utility trucks. The Road Services Division’s Consolidated Reduction of Waste (CROW) and Street Waste Alternative Program (SWAP) programs process nearly 10,000 tons a year of debris removed from county roads and drains. After processing and testing, about 97 percent of the debris is transformed to clean fill material for use in county road projects. When doing road and bridge projects, the division is also using new techniques and materials – such as porous concrete – that better protect the environment. The Airport Division has begun an ambitious noise insulation program for homes near Boeing Field. KCDOT is at the forefront of King County’s effort to slash its greenhouse-gas emissions to 80 percent below recent levels by 2050. The county’s climate plan has many goals involving transportation activities that reduce single occupancy vehicle trips, use fuels and technologies that reduce emissions, and promote green transportation elements in community design. In order to provide the best possible transportation services to the public, KCDOT works to attract, develop, and retain a qualified, diverse, and highly skilled workforce. The department’s Human Resources staff has worked with divisions to survey employees as a way of assessing and responding to workplace needs. Staff has also used new techniques to recruit skilled employees for hard-to-fill positions. In 2007, staff began exploring the use of technology and alternate work schedules as a way to increase productivity and meet business goals. The Director’s Office is implementing a comprehensive strategic communications plan developed in 2007. The plan includes a heightened focus on employee communication, with the goal of further developing leadership, ownership, and excellence for the existing KCDOT workforce. Communication activities play a key role in ensuring excellent customer service, public outreach and education. Several projects support improved customer service. The Director’s Office is leading a department-wide effort to build on work initiated in 2007 to significantly improve KCDOT’s Internet sites for the public. The Road Services Division launched a new Internet mapping service that gives the public and other stakeholders easier access to project information. Metro is conducting extensive public outreach as it plans new service and restructures existing routes to incorporate passenger needs and educate the public about the changes. To evaluate the effectiveness of these measures – and to track progress toward key department goals – the Director’s Office Budget and Finance section has worked with the divisions to develop a set of performance measures. These measures are also part of the KingStat program, the King County Executive’s performance management initiative. They are tools to help KCDOT not only manage the services provided to customers, but also to address emerging policy, financial and operational requirements for improved services in a dynamic environment. |
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