King County Metro Transit, Sound Transit, Community Transit, Pierce Transit, and Kitsap Transit officials on Monday outlined the implications of losing funding that has long been dedicated to transit through the Federal Highway Trust Fund, but could shift to a smaller one-time “alternative transportation account” set to expire in 2016. The move would also leave transit systems scrambling to compete with other programs for the smaller pot of money.

If approved by Congress, the measure will further shrink transit budgets and eliminate one of the few remaining predictable funding sources for preventative maintenance and capital investments to support economic recovery and access to jobs. In 2011, the region’s transit agencies received about $324 million in federal grant revenues for transit.

Already, nearly 80 percent of public transit systems across the nation are scaling back service and raising fares due to budget challenges, according to a recent American Public Transportation Association (APTA) study.

Sound Transit, which is planning to expand its light rail service from north Seattle to Everett in the next several years, said that the bill could stop or delay voter-approved light rail expansions,  and the jobs associated with that work. The University Link light rail extension is now creating more than 20,000 direct and indirect jobs, and the Sound Transit 2 projects are positioned to create another 100,000, the agency said.

“The House bill calls into question some key assumptions built into our capital plan in both the short and long term,” said Sound Transit CEO Joni Earl. “Our ability to deliver on key projects, whether it’s extensions to the University of Washington, Bellevue and Redmond, Lynnwood, Federal Way, or Tacoma Link, will be in question if our federal partner becomes less reliable. It is crucial that our congressional delegation work to defeat this bill.”

Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor noted that transit service “is already hurting due to the economy and this legislation really kicks us to the floor again. A reduction in federal funding would add to an already grave situation for people who take our buses to work every day and could further stall our economic recovery.”

Community Transit receives about 9 percent of its annual operating budget from these federal formula funds, and uses the money to pay for paratransit service, maintenance and replacement buses. If it is unsure whether this funding will be available year to year, those budget gaps will be filled from the general fund, which — based on current estimates — equates to a service cut of up to 9 percent. That would come on top of the 37 percent in service cuts Community Transit has already made over the last three years due to low revenues, the agency said.

The bill, approved by the House Ways and Means Committee, now goes to the full House for action. You can find more information here:

• HR 3864, Tax Title approved by the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee
• Text of U.S. House Surface Transportation Authorization Bill (H.R. 7)

According to Edmonds streets manager Tod Moles, crews so far have used 2,000 gallons of anti-ice, 80 yards of sand and 130 man-hours to prepare for predicted snow and ice. “We will continue to monitor and adjust our response according to what Mother Nature throws at us,” Moles said Tuesday. “We stated our morning with wet pavement, but in just a matter of minutes our parking lot here at public works turned white.”

“We have already planned our crew schedules for the next two day making sure we have people available for a 24-hours response,” Moles added. “It’s really the only way to cover an event like this. Our guys are in good shape and ready for the worst, hoping for the best.”

His advice for residents: ‘If you don’t have to drive….DON’T. It can look like there is nothing at your house, and two blocks away, it’s a white out. Conditions are very fluid and predicting what the roads will be like to travel is impossible.”

According to Moles, so far the city has had to close only one road during the most recent snow and ice –  the steep hill at 172nd and Olympic View Drive. “We have one truck out currently and we are going through our gear prepping for the next wave,” he said. The city’s snow route maps have been recently updated and citizens should check them, he said. You can find a link to those maps here.

“I encourage people to be aware of their vehicles ability to navigate these conditions, check their tire tread conditions and stay off the roads if at all possible,” Moles said.

Motorists are advised to plan their trips carefully by allowing ample time to reach their destination, plan for rest stops along the way, obey the posted speed limit, and make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained.

Watching the weather forecast and checking the conditions of the roads before you set out will save you time and frustration. Also make sure your vehicle is prepared for the bad weather.

“Now through the end of the year is the period when we see a noticeable increase in the number of impaired drivers on our roads,” Washington State Patrol District 7 Captain Jeffrey Sass said.  “Troopers will be keeping a sharp eye out for impaired drivers.  For those who don’t comply, we’re going to be out there, and you will be arrested.”

Motorists are reminded that they can immediately report dangerous drivers by dialing 911.

Sound Transit reports that it has canceled its Northline Sounder service between Seattle and Everett Wednesday evening due to mudslides.

Seattle-to-Edmonds commuters can board charter buses at 4th Avenue South and South Jackson Street at 4:05 p.m. and 5:35 p.m. Riders may also board regularly scheduled Community Transit Route 416 at 5th and James.

This weekend’s special event trains to the Apple Cup and Seahawk games will operate if no additional mudslides occur, Sound Transit said.

During this closure, ferry traffic will be rerouted from the upper holding lanes, using Dayton and Railroad avenues. Vehicles more than 50 feet long can’t load or offload during the Main Street closure. Larger vehicles should use the Seattle/Bainbridge route during this time.

Customers can expect delays, and pedestrians should look for special access during this closure. 

Burlington Northern railroad staff have requested the use of the parking portion of Bracketts Landing Park located north of the ferry dock from approximately Oct. 27-Nov. 23, to stage materials and equipment for the project. The closure will apply only to parked vehicles; the railroad says it will strive to keep pedestrian access open at all times.

Unforeseen conditions or inclement weather may extend the completion date. The project will have flaggers present between 6 a.m.-5 p.m. but those hours could be extended as construction efforts indicate. It will involve night work on as many as 14 nights — see attached preliminary schedule here — to avoid interference with ferry and rail traffic.

Ferry commuters should check with Washington State Ferries for any change to the routes.

The Washington State Department of Transportation sent a reminder Friday that it is closing the southbound I-5 on-ramps from SR 525 and I-405 from Friday night to Monday morning, Sept. 23 through 26, while crews complete new on-ramps and connect them to the southbound lanes. Northbound I-405 drivers will be detoured to southbound I-5 via the 164th Street SE interchange. To avoid backups on this route, consider taking alternate routes like SR 522, SR 527, SR 524 and SR 104 to reach southbound I-5.

If you’re on southbound SR 525, you can take southbound SR 99 to 196th Street Southwest or 220th Street Southwest to reach southbound I-5, the DOT says. You can also reach southbound I-5 via Alderwood Mall Parkway and westbound 196th Street Southwest

The new on-ramps will open at 5 a.m. Monday, Sept. 26, but there will be more changes next week as well. A temporary traffic island will separate mainline I-5 traffic from on-ramp traffic and traffic exiting to 196th Street Southwest for five days while crews work to complete the new 196th Street Southwest off-ramp. “If you’re on southbound I-5 and need to exit to 196th Street SW, you’ll need to move into the right lane prior to the I-405 interchange to avoid missing the exit,” the DOT said.

The new off-ramp to 196th Street Southwest will be opened on Friday morning, Sept. 30. Visit the website to get an overview of what the change will look like, and check out the Snohomish County construction page for a detailed listing of ramp and road closures.

By the end of the month, drivers will use new on- and off-ramps designed to eliminate lane-weaving and reduce the risk of collisions.

Crews have been preparing and grading the north parking area and will be ready to pave the area in asphalt early next week as weather permits.  With the bus transit center and driveway already poured and nearing full strength, crews are forming and preparing the remaining sidewalks for the last concrete pour over the next two weeks.  The bus transit center shelters will be finished next week and landscaping will be ready for planting the following week. 

Lighting was installed in the south parking lot last weekend.  Decorative lighting along the platform will be installed after the project is completed. 

The project is on target to open in July, Sound Transit said. In early July, an opening date for the bus transit center and north parking lot will be identified.

For more information about the project, visit the Sound Transit website or contact Roger Iwata at roger.iwata@soundtransit.org or 206-689-4904.

The pedestrian detour to the sidewalk on the north side of Main Street  remains in place. Once the grading is finished for the new driveway leading to Main Street, the curbs, gutters and sidewalk can be formed and concrete poured.  The work is expected to be finished by the end of next week and the sidewalk should re-open the following week Sound Transit said.

Crews are preparing for the new bus passenger shelter installation and have poured the concrete bases this week.  Next week, the shelter frames will be assembled and will be ready for painting and finishing work.  A water main will be installed next week, then flushed and tested before it is ready to provide new water service to the site. 

For more information about the project, visit the Sound Transit website or contact Roger Iwata at roger.iwata@soundtransit.org or 206-689-4904.

The culprit is sluggish sales tax revenues in the Snohomish County, the transit agency said.

“The recession has taken a large toll on public agencies that rely on sales tax revenues,” said Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor. “While we expect sales tax revenues to climb slightly this year, we foresee a long, slow economic recovery.”

In 2007, before the recession began, Community Transit collected $76 million in sales tax revenue, its primary funding source. The past two years, sales tax collections have been stuck at about $62 million, Eleanor said. Community Transit collects a voter-approved 0.9 percent tax on retail sales in its Snohomish County service district, the maximum allowed by the state.

“These cuts are necessary to keep our agency sustainable, so that we can provide transportation for Snohomish County residents far into the future,” she said.

The 2012 service cut will equal about 80,000 hours of service, roughly the same amount of service that was cut in 2010.

“By this time next year we will have cut about a third of the service and about a third of the employees that we had at the beginning of 2010,” Eleanor said.

In the last three years, Community Transit has cut about $29 million in program and administrative expenses, raised fares twice, deferred projects and purchases, and cut service by 15 percent.

More than 100 positions have been eliminated at the agency so far due to budget cuts.

“We are making this announcement now so that we can involve the public in a conversation on how our service should be restructured,” Eleanor said. Read the full speech in the “Message from the CEO.”

On June 2, Community Transit will release to the public three alternatives for achieving the 20 percent cut. Two of those alternatives will focus on reducing the frequency of trips, while a third alternative will propose a complete restructuring of bus service in Snohomish County. At least one of the alternatives will restore a skeletal level of Sunday service, which will mean deeper cuts the rest of the week.

Details of the proposals will be available in June on the agency’s website. Throughout the month of June, the agency will take public comment on the alternatives at five community open house meetings and a dozen rider forums and bus ride-alongs.

On July 7, the Community Transit Board of Directors will hold a public hearing on the three alternatives. The board is expected to take action on a final service cut scenario in September. The cuts will take effect on Feb. 19, 2012.