PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 

COMMISSION AGENDA  STAFF BRIEFING    Item No.                7b 
Date of Meeting        February 2, 2010 
DATE:      January 27, 2010 
TO:         Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:     Mike Merritt, Manager, Government Relations 
Dan Burke, Project Lead Planner, Regional Transportation 
SUBJECT:   Transportation 2040 Briefing 

BACKGROUND:
The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) has worked for the past three years to update the
region's transportation plan that will replace the existing Destination 2030. The updated plan,
Transportation 2040, is the transportation element which is intended to help implement Vision
2040, the region's land use plan which was adopted in April, 2008. 
Transportation 2040, which began in early 2007, is expected to help provide the needed mobility
to support a growing population and job base in the Puget Sound through 2040. The purpose of
the plan is to provide transportation choices with increased capacity and improved utilization of
the existing system which will help move people and goods. Besides actual transportation
projects and programs, Vision 2040 and the draft Transportation 2040 plans calls for the
identification of new funding sources and for the protection and enhancement of Manufacturing
and Industrial Centers (MICs) in the region. 
Of particular concern for the Port of Seattle (Port) are elements of the plan addressing freight
mobility. We seek clear policies and action items that will support the region's projected 
growth, economic goals and mobility needs. Policies should support investments in the
transportation infrastructure to create a sustainable economy and to keep the Puget Sound 
competitive with other regions of the state, country and the world. 
To help identify and meet freight mobility needs, the PSRC is in the process of preparing a
Freight Strategy which will be incorporated into the regional transportation plan. The Freight
Strategy is intended to develop a strong understanding of freight demand in the region, and an
identification of the freight transportation network and needed projects to increase the efficiency
of the freight system. The report will include a series of recommendations and action items to
support freight mobility in the Puget Sound. We have commented extensively on the Freight
Strategy.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
T. Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
January 27, 2010 
Page 2 of 2 

Transportation 2040 is scheduled to be adopted by the PSRC General Assembly in May, 2010. 
The framework of the plan focuses on congestion and mobility, the environment and sustainable
funding. Within this framework, the transportation system will be analyzed with a focus on four
key elements: 
1) Preservation, Maintenance & Operations, 
2) Safety and Security 
3) Efficiency 
4) Strategic Capacity 
In early 2008, the PSRC identified six alternatives to analyze, and a draft Environmental Impact
Statement was completed to evaluate each alternative. Based on the results, a draft preferred
alternative was identified in November, 2009. Further analysis and input from the public,
agency staff and elected officials led to the development of a refined Preferred Alternative. 
The Preferred Alternative was supported by the Transportation Policy Board in November and
the Executive Committee in December, and they directed PSRC staff to complete a draft plan
and prepare and prepare a final EIS. The draft plan was released for review on January 19th with
comments due on March 5th. The final EIS is expected to be completed in March, 2010. 
PSRC staff is here today to update the Port Commission on the Transportation 2040 process,
including the Freight Strategy, with a special emphasis on how freight mobility is incorporated
into the plan. 
PRIOR COMMISSION ACTION: 
The Commission has not been formally briefed but there has been significant involvement from
multiple working levels at the Port. Commissioner Bill Bryant is a member of the PSRC
Executive Board and Commissioner John Creighton is a member of the Transportation Policy
Board, and both have played a role on moving the plan through approval stages. 
Port staff is included on many committees which have helped guide the Transportation 2040
process. These committees include the Regional Staff Committee, the Transportation Policy
Board Working Group, FAST and the Freight Mobility Round Table. 
Additionally, Port and PSRC staffs have met on several occasions to discuss development of the
Freight Strategy, and how it should be represented in the Transportation 2040 plan. 
NEXT STEPS: 
Port Staff will review updated versions of the Transportation 2040 Draft Plan as well as the
Freight Strategy between January and early March, 2010 in preparation for its adoption at the
PSRC General Assembly in May, 2010.