DRAFT

Washington State Public Transportation Plan
Chapter Three: Goals and Action Strategies
GOAL 5 TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEM GUARDIANSHIP
Protect, conserve, and manage Washington’s transportation assets in a manner
that maximizes and sustains their value to the public, public transportation and the
statewide transportation system
We all must be guardians of Washington state’s transportation system. It is the economic
lifeblood of Washington state and its urban, suburban, rural and tribal communities—
moving people and goods by various modes across many jurisdictions. Guardianship of the
transportation system is a commitment to continuously improve the quality, effectiveness
and efficiency of the transportation system. Guardianship of the system entails:
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Maintaining the physical condition of transportation infrastructure
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Ensuring and demonstrating that transportation investments are made in a manner that
maximizes value to the public—economic, social and environmental
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Ensuring the transportation system continues to respond to the needs of Washington state
residents, communities, visitors and businesses
Washington state’s primary and traditional transportation responsibility has been state
stewardship of state owned and managed infrastructure. As the state is challenged to find
cost-effective ways to increase the carrying capacity of its transportation system, public
transportation has become a more essential component of Washington’s toolkit. Maximizing
the value of Washington’s transportation system assets requires an approach to the planning
and delivery of transportation that incorporates a range of solutions that may require new
ways of integrating, managing and funding transportation investments.
Washington’s public transportation system provides 235 million transit trips a year,
combined with 450 daily ferry sailings, 250 miles of HOV lanes, intercity bus service, tribal
transit and nonprofit community transportation. This enables people to get where they need
to go—whether to a job, a doctor’s appointment, to shopping, or to recreation.
Initiatives and programs such as the state’s commute trip reduction program, Vanpool
Investment Program (largest public program in the nation with 8.4 million trips), the special
needs Grant Program, High Occupancy Vehicle and managed lane system, and park and
ride lot system all contribute to providing a complete transportation system for people to
WSDOT | DRAFT October 2015 | WaTransPlan.com
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