From Michelle Witham at the City of Kent:

Kent City Council Approves Transportation Impact Fees
New Development to Help Pay for City Road Projects

KENT, Wash. – July 7, 2010 – After nearly four years of planning and gathering public input, the Kent City Council approved an ordinance allowing the collection of transportation impact fees to help pay for road projects necessary to accommodate new growth.

Transportation impact fees are paid by developers and expanding businesses to help cover the cost of road improvements that increase traffic capacity.  Money from the fees is tied directly to the size and type of the development and the anticipated increase in traffic associated with the project.

State law requires that cities plan for projected growth and have the infrastructure in place to support it within six years.

“We adopted a Transportation Master Plan in 2008,” said Council President Jamie Perry.  “But a plan is only a plan until it’s funded.  I’m happy to see we’re taking these first steps to implementing the plan we passed two years ago,” Perry said.

Projected future development accounts for roughly 45% of the total cost for new road projects identified in the Kent’s Transportation Master Plan.

Transportation impact fees are calculated by determining how many more vehicle trips are generated as a result of new development; the more traffic that results from a project, the higher the amount paid by a developer.

“Development should help pay the costs of new development,” Perry added. “Current residents shouldn’t be asked to shoulder the costs associated with new growth.”

The new fees will replace the City’s current Environmental Mitigation Agreements, which required developers to pay an average $2,400 per peak hour trip towards the cost to complete three cross-valley corridor projects over the last 15 years.

Citywide, the fees will now average $4,084 per peak hour trip, while downtown area fees will be approximately 25% lower, in part, because the impact fee calculation assumes fewer trips due to the close proximity of amenities and public transportation options.

In approving transportation impact fees, council members were particularly concerned about the effect they might have on future development and will review the rates annually beginning in July 2011.

“We will watch carefully what impacts the new fees have, and make adjustments accordingly” said Perry.  “But right now, we need to be proactive in funding our infrastructure.  Superior infrastructure will be good selling point for investing in Kent.”

Depending on the actual development that occurs, the new fees are expected to generate approximately $89 million from 2010 to 2017 to help pay for $389 million in needed transportation projects.

Transportation impact fees have been implemented across the state as diminishing revenues are insufficient to support the infrastructure needed for future growth.   Neighboring cities including Auburn, Covington, Des Moines, Federal Way, and Renton utilize transportation impact fees.

The City of Kent is the sixth largest city in Washington with a population over 112,000. As a culturally rich destination, Kent’s dynamic quality of life features captivating neighborhoods, award-winning parks and nationally accredited police and fire departments. In recent years, Kent has experienced impressive economic growth, and is nationally known as a prime location for manufacturing. For more information, visit www.choosekent.com.

From Linda Thielke at the King County Department of Transportation:

Kent East Hill ‘In Motion’ program rewards healthy travel choices

King County Metro Transit is launching an “In Motion” program on Kent’s East Hill to entice residents to get around by walking, cycling, riding the bus or train, and sharing rides. Program participants receive detailed travel information and earn rewards when they reduce their driving over a period of time.

During the first week of June, about 3,500 households on the East Hill are receiving an In Motion mailer with information about local travel options that emphasize the health, cost-savings and community benefits of driving less. The mailing features a neighborhood map showing bus routes throughout the East Hill area, and destinations near Southeast 240^th Street and 104^th Ave Southeast that are reachable by a short bike ride or walk.

Residents are invited to register as participants to receive more information and free ride tickets for Metro and Sound Transit. If they pledge to drive less, they can earn rewards that continue through September. Rewards include a shopping tote bag, pre-loaded ORCA transit cards, and gift cards from local businesses. Kent merchants benefit, too, from the increased emphasis on shopping locally. Several businesses have donated items for three prize drawings, including a Diamondback mountain bike and $100 gift cards to Kent Station.

Two organizations involved in the Kent community will help with outreach. The Lucy Lopez Center will offer information to Spanish-speaking participants, and ReWA (Refugee Women’s Alliance) will help Russian speakers. Metro’s other partners in the effort are the City of Kent’s Kent4Health program and the Kent Chamber of Commerce’s East Hill Partnership.

Over the past six years, Metro’s grant-funded In Motion program has reached residents in more than 20 King County neighborhoods. Metro estimates the popular programs have reduced more than 1.3 million miles of driving, 66,000 gallons of gas, and 674 tons of CO₂ emissions.

Information is available online at www.kingcounty.gov/inmotion or by calling the In Motion hotline at 206-296-3455