Volume 2: Draft Gorst Planned Action Environmental Impact Statement

GORST PLANNED ACTION EIS | AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT, SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS, AND MITIGATION MEASURESVISION 2040 is implemented through PSRC’s policy and plan review of each county and city comprehensive planand their amendment. PSRC also certifies transportation elements, as well as the regional TIP, and evaluatingperformance measures.Transportation 2040 supports VISION 2040 planning for a transportation system supporting the growth strategy.Transportation 2040 is built around three key strategies, as stated in the plan’s executive summary:• Congestion and Mobility. The plan improves mobility through a combination of effective land use planning,demand management, efficiency enhancements, and strategic capacity investments. To improve systemefficiency, the plan creates “smart corridors” with advanced technology, better information for travelers, andadvanced tolling approaches which adjust for actual traffic conditions. Capacity improvements strategicallyexpand roadway, transit, and non-motorized facilities, with new roadways limited to key missing links andenhancing existing facilities. This plan includes additional attention to monitoring system performance.• Environment. A key focus of the plan is to protect and improve the region’s environmental health. Thisincludes ensuring that the region has healthy air that meets all standards, ensuring that transportationprojects improve the handling of stormwater runoff to protect Puget Sound and other surface waters, andaddressing emerging issues such as transportation’s role in reducing GHG emissions and adapting to climatechange. The plan includes a specific strategy to address state GHG goals and VMT reduction benchmarks. Thefour-part strategy includes Land Use, Transportation Pricing, Transportation Choices, and Technology. Inaddition, the plan builds on current efforts to protect natural areas and support vibrant, livable communities.• Funding. The Transportation 2040 financial strategy relies on traditional funding sources in the early years ofthe plan. Over time the region will transition to a new funding structure based on user fees, which couldinclude high-occupancy toll lanes, facility and bridge tolls, highway system tolls, VMT charges, and otherpricing approaches that replace the gas tax and further fund and manage the transportation system. Fundingstrategies need to include a nexus between the tax, fee, or toll and the use of the revenues.Kitsap CPPThe GMA requires that counties adopt CPPs express a regional vision, provide a common framework to developcomprehensive plans, and to help measure consistency of local plans (RCW 36.70A.210). GMA also specifiessubjects that must be addressed, including policies for urban and rural uses.On August 10, 1992, the Kitsap County BOCC adopted the Kitsap County CPPs. Seven agencies participated indevelopment of the CPPs through the KRCC including representatives of Kitsap County, the cities of BainbridgeIsland, Port Orchard, Bremerton, and Poulsbo, the Port Gamble/S’Klallam Tribe, and the Suquamish Tribe. TheCPPs have been amended several times since notably in November 2004 (established population distributions),and most recently in November 2011. The CPPs include policies that address the following topics.• Countywide Growth Pattern. Establishes the countywide vision which includes livable urban communities andneighborhoods, centers for employment, civic activities and housing; a vital diversified economy; efficientmulti-modal transportation system; natural systems protection; maintaining the character of rural areas; andresponsive government.oThe role of cities in achieving the countywide growth pattern is to:• The primary role of Kitsap’s urban communities is to encourage growth, through new development,re-development and in-fill. Population growth should be directed to Cities, UGAs and centers with atransportation system that connects people with jobs and housing.• Each of Kitsap’s urban communities should foster its unique vision as a high quality place to live andwork, through urban design, historic preservation, and arts that improve the natural and humanmadeenvironments; promote healthy lifestyles; contribute to a prosperous economy; and, increasethe region’s resiliency in adapting to changes or adverse events.Draft | June 2013 3-243