Transportation Benefit District Spending Plan

We’ve got a little more insight on how the City plans to spend the funds raised by the $20 car tab fee adopted by Tacoma’s Transportation Benefit District board last year. The Tacoma Transportation Benefit District Governing Board (a.k.a. Tacoma City Council) is scheduled to hold a special meeting this Tuesday to consider a resolution approving the 2013-2014 Transportation Benefit District Spending Plan.

The Washington State Department of Licensing will begin collecting the $20 vehicle license fee in June on behalf of the Tacoma TBD. The spending plan breaks down how the expected $4 million in TBD revenues will be spent on transportation improvements within the district.

The RCW states that the TBD should take certain factors into consideration in selecting transportation improvements to be funded.

• reduced risk of transportation facility failure and improved safety
• improved travel time
• improved air quality
• increases in daily and peak period trip capacity
• improved modal connectivity
• improved freight mobility
• cost-effectiveness of the investment
• optimal performance of the system through time
• other criteria, as adopted

The draft spending plan shows the TBD investing mostly in street rehabilitation, with smaller amounts carved out for non-motorized transportation-related work, and traffic signal improvements.

Street Rehabilitation — $3,633,100

• Residential Chip Seal — $309,596
• Residential Overlay — $1,713,111
• Arterial Chip Seal — $433,867
• Crack Sealing — $55,017
• Other Maintenance/Repair — $1,121,509

Nonmotorized & Sidewalk/Curb Ramp — $306,900

• Curb Ramps New/Repair

Traffic Signal/Signal Upgrade — $60,000

• Detection Upgrade/Replacement

So, it’s your $20, does this reflect how you’d like to see it spent?