What Washingtonians understand and believe

1. What Washingtonians understand and believe about transportation and tolling and what that may mean for the future

2. Comprehensive Tolling Study Context Technical findings Illustrative Scenarios Public Attitudes Bold transportation vision to secure Washington’s economic future.

3. Principal Findings of Public Attitude Research • Citizens of Washington want improvements that will ease traffic congestion and improve safety, sooner rather than years in the future. • The public is amenable to using tolls to fund specific projects and in specific situations. • People want reassurances from government leaders that if tolls are used, they will be used efficiently and implemented fairly.

4. What are Washingtonians thinking? • Citizens understand the problem of deteriorating transportation infrastructure. • They’re skeptical about the state’s ability to deliver improvements. • This skepticism is impeding a discussion about solutions.

5. What are Washingtonians thinking? • They don’t understand how tolling can be used to manage traffic. • They disagree on ways to fund solutions.

6. Synopsis • 16 Interviews with business, government and community leaders throughout the state • Focus groups in Puget Sound, Yakima, and Vancouver • Telephone survey included 1,118 voters who were also licensed drivers. • Between January and March 2006

7. Primary Conclusions aboutTransportation Funding • Citizens know how transportation projects are funded. • Not everyone knows that gas tax is earmarked for transportation. (37%) • Nonetheless, the gas tax is regarded as fair.

8. To the best of your knowledge, where do the funds come from to pay for transportation projects in the state … things such as road construction and maintenance? Use of Gas Tax Perceived Sources of Funding From what you understand about it, do gas tax funds go into the state’s general fund to be used as the legislature determines, or are they dedicated to fund only transportation projects?

9. Gas Tax Fairness As you may recall, the gasoline or fuel tax is the major provider of funds for state highway projects, with lesser amounts coming from other sources. Do you feel that the gas tax [system for funding highway projects / rate] is … very fair, somewhat fair, somewhat unfair or very unfair?

10. Primary Conclusions about Tolling and Congestion Management • Tolling for revenue is preferred to tolling for traffic management. • Public doesn’t understand how tolling can be used to manage traffic. • Focus group responses—ideas and openness to new alternatives—point to the possibility of acceptance of congestion management

11. Use Tolls For . . . We should use tolls as a way to provide funds to improve our highway system. We should use tolls as a way to shift traffic patterns…

12. If Drivers Not Required To Stop [Disagree with tolls to shift traffic: N=366] And would you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree that we should use such tolls to spread out traffic congestion if drivers were not required to stop at toll booths?

13. Pricing for Traffic Management Have you heard or read anything about tolling roads or bridges as a way to shift traffic patterns and spread out road usage by charging higher tolls when there is a lot of traffic and lower tolls when there is less traffic? [Aware: N=230] From what you understand about it, does this strike you as a good idea or a not-so-good idea? Impression Awareness

14. Advantages and Disadvantages of Pricing for Traffic Management • Advantages • Facilitates better traffic flow • People can plan to take advantage of variable pricing • Safety because of better spacing and flow • Use is tied directly to cost • Choice of whether to use or not in cases of HOT lanes. •  Disadvantages • Many don’t have option of when they must use highways and therefore must pay peak prices • Temporary fix – more capacity needs to be built • Fear of manipulation and government intrusions • Fear it will become compulsory

15. Primary Conclusions about Tolling • If more funds are needed, people prefer tolls to increasing the gas tax. • Tolls are generally seen as fair because the users who benefit the most pay the toll.

16. Adequate or Not Funds Preference

17. New Ways to Consider And what do you feel are some new ways that should be considered? (N=228)

18. If More Funds NeededFinal Assessment All things considered, if additional funds were needed to fund future transportation improvements, which of these would you prefer … Increase the gasoline tax to pay for the improvements … or … use tolls from the drivers who use the improvements?

19. Current Conditions for Acceptance of Tolling • Apply tolls on a project-by-project basis, especially for bridges and new roads. • Spend all toll revenue on the tolled facility. • If tolled routes have an free alternative, and/or are presented as a new choice for commuters, they are more likely to be accepted.

20. Distortions That Need to Be Corrected • Toll roads, bridges and even HOT Lanes require stopping to pay tolls (despite awareness of electronic toll collection). • A slight majority of citizens (51%) believe that additional transportation funds are needed, but they are not convinced that the state spends the gas tax efficiently.

21. Distortions That Need to Be Corrected • Lack of awareness and understanding may impede a discussion about use of tolling for congestion management. • Cynicism about government spending blocks acceptance of creative funding approaches.

22. Fears • Instituting a statewide tolling system raises many concerns and fears. • Advanced concepts like cordon tolling and annual mileage fee concepts (to replace gas tax) are not understood and raise many questions, even among knowledgeable leaders. • The details of such programs, and the benefits to taxpayers, would have to be worked out and a consensus developed.

23. About Possible Projects Puget Sound • Convert existing I-405 carpool lanes to HOT lanes to relieve congestion and offer a faster, more reliable choice. • HOT lanes where there are underutilized HOV lanes • Toll the 520 Bridge to pay for replacement and improvement. Snoqualmie Pass • Placing a modest toll on Snoqualmie Pass to keep it open year-round, improve safety and facilitate movement of trucks would have more support than tolls in other places.

24. About Possible Projects Vancouver Area • Tolling existing Columbia River bridges to pay for reconstruction and seismic reinforcement might be acceptable as part of a larger plan of circulation improvements. • A new bridge over the Columbia River.

25. What beliefs will move the state of transportation forward? • We need to ease traffic congestion, improve safety. • Tolling specific projects is a good idea. (66% said that keeping the gas tax & tolling special projects was a good idea.) • Convince me that the tolls are needed, and that they will be applied fairly, and I’ll support tolls. • Tolls are fair because users pay.

26. What beliefs will be obstacles? • Education, crime and the economy are currently more important than transportation and traffic congestion. • The gas tax would be adequate to meet the state’s transportation challenges if government were more efficient. • Alternative sources of funding aren’t necessary. • Lack of information about congestion management, electronic toll collection and infrastructure funding.

27. Obstacle #1: Education, crime and the economy are more important than transportation and traffic congestion. • Link transportation with family wage jobs and economy to raise its level of importance—into the first tier. • Frame proposals in the form of an agenda to get specific improvement and congestion management projects moving NOW rather than years in the future. • Communicate – Continually raise public awareness of the economy’s dependence on transportation infrastructure and make a clear connection between sound transportation infrastructure, the economy, safety and lifestyle.

28. Survey respondents were asked to rate issues on a four-point scale of importance ranging from “extremely important (worth 3 points), very important (worth 2 points), somewhat important (worth 1 point) and not that important (worth 0 points). Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3

29. Obstacle #2The gas tax would be adequate to meet the state’s transportation challenges if government were more efficient. • We may not be able to win this argument. • Must move discussion to the NEED for improvements and congestion management and the benefits to motorists and the economy, and • Demonstrate ACTION.

30. Tax and Government Smith and Jones are talking about the gasoline tax. Smith says that the gasoline tax provides adequate funds for our transportation needs if government would use the money efficiently. Jones says the gasoline tax does not provide adequate funds for our transportation needs even if government were more efficient. He feels more funding must be found if Washington State is to have a quality transportation system.

31. Obstacle #3Alternative sources of funding aren’t necessary. • Of the slight majority that believes that alternative sources are needed, only 30% think taxes should be increased to provide those funds. • Movement of this group is possible. • Tell a story that brings infrastructure into focus—investment in the future the economy and safety – new user pay choices made available years ahead. • Improved lifestyle. When the infrastructure is at risk, so is the lifestyle.

32. Obstacle #4Lack of information about congestion management, electronic toll collection and infrastructure funding • Use projects like Tacoma Narrows Bridge and SR 167 to inform and educate—visible success story.

33. Where do we go from here? • Talk to opinion leaders and the public • Inextricably link transportation with the state’s economy (personal security) and safety in people’s minds. • Clearly explain and illustrate electronic toll collection and managed lanes in project-specific contexts to inform and educate on these subjects. • Secure public feedback on the study’s outcome, including selected illustrative scenarios. • Get projects on the ground ASAP - TNB, SR 167, others.

34. Tolling Study Public Outreach Plan Featuring: • Washington State Transportation Commissioners • WSTC Staff • Cambridge Systematics, subconsultant technical and FW&A staff With assistance from: • Transponder mock-ups and other visual aids • Graphic displays • Cookies and coffee

35. Tolling Study Public Outreach Plan Proposed Schedule • June 20 Seattle • June 21 Bellingham • June 22 Vancouver • June 27 Spokane or Yakima • June 28 Yakima or Tri-Cities

36. Tolling Study Public Outreach Plan Each stop will include: • Morning roundtable discussion with local leaders and stakeholders • Afternoon meetings with local news media where appropriate • A well publicized early evening public open house in each target area • “Virtual open house” website for those who do not or who cannot attend one of the open houses.