TagWSDOT(123)

In February 2021, the Port of Seattle Commission was asked to authorize the purchase of a 14.3-acre strip of former SR-509 highway right-of-way from WSDOT for approximately $3.15 million. The land, located in Des Moines, WA adjacent to the Port's Des Moines Creek West property, was intended to support development near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The acquisition aimed to consolidate Port-controlled land in an industrial corridor close to the airport's flight path.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) presented the Puget Sound Gateway Program to the Highline Forum in November 2020, outlining plans to complete SR 509 in King County and SR 167 in Pierce County. The SR 509 project includes creating a new south access point to Sea-Tac Airport, improving freight connections to the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, and reducing congestion on local roads. The program also proposes tolling as a tool for sustainable congestion management.

The City of SeaTac has been working since 2018 to acquire approximately 8 acres of surplus forested land from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) adjacent to Des Moines Creek Park. The acquisition aims to expand open space, improve trail access, and preserve a conservation area along one of the city's salmon-bearing streams. As of October 2020, the city had secured $2.29 million in grant funding for the purchase, with an additional $1 million under consideration in the 2021-2022 budget process.

The Washington Aviation Economic Impact Study, published in July 2020 by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), examines the economic contributions of airports across Washington State, including on-airport activities and off-airport visitor spending. Prepared by Kimley-Horn in partnership with EBP, WSP, and PRR, the study uses economic modeling tools such as IMPLAN to estimate jobs, output, and income generated by aviation activity statewide. The report also addresses how aviation economics changed over the study period, including the effects of COVID-19 on the industry.

The SR 518 Corridor Planning Study, published by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) in May 2020, examines the stretch of State Route 518 running from SR 509 to Interstate 5 (milepost 0.00 to 3.42) in the Seattle area near Sea-Tac Airport. The study was conducted by WSDOT's Management of Mobility Division to evaluate transportation conditions and identify potential improvements along this key corridor. It was formally approved by WSDOT leadership in November 2019 and includes standard civil rights and accessibility notices in both English and Spanish.

House Bill 2688 proposes changes to Washington State's transportation system policy goals, requiring the Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to evaluate transportation projects submitted to the legislature using updated policy criteria. Multiple state agencies — including the Departments of Commerce, Health, Ecology, and the Interagency Council on Health Disparities — would be required to participate in these project evaluations, along with representatives from vulnerable and highly impacted communities. The fiscal impact on participating agencies is estimated to be non-zero but indeterminate, with the Department of Commerce alone estimating costs of between $21,000 and $35,000 per year.

Washington State House Bill 2688 proposes expanding and modifying the state's transportation policy goals by adding new priorities such as accessibility, health and resilience, and equity and environmental justice, while removing existing goals like mobility and stewardship. The bill would require all transportation projects to be evaluated against these updated goals and specific metrics before receiving budget authorization, with projects failing to meet a minimum score threshold being excluded from funding. The evaluation process would involve multiple state agencies and must include public input from vulnerable and highly impacted communities.

In November 2019, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) presented findings from the SR 518 Corridor Planning Study to the Highline Forum in Des Moines, WA. The study, mandated by a 2017 legislative proviso and funded with $500,000 from the legislature plus an additional $400,000 from the Port of Seattle, examined traffic conditions and improvement alternatives along the SR 518 corridor near Sea-Tac Airport. The presentation covered traffic analysis, alternatives screening, and recommended improvement packages, with a final report due by November 30, 2019.