May 2006

Commute Trip 

Reduction Program

Implementing the CTR Efficiency Act

The Washington State Legislature passed the Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) law in 1991. The CTR program 

uses partnerships among employers, local jurisdictions, planning organizations, transit systems, and the state to 

encourage employees to ride the bus, vanpool, carpool, walk, bike, work from home, or compress their workweek. 

The major goals for the CTR program are to:

• Improve transportation system efficiency

• Conserve energy

• Improve air quality

In 2006, the Legislature unanimously adopted changes to the CTR law to make the program more effective, efficient, 

and targeted. The modified CTR program will officially start on July 1, 2007. To implement the CTR Efficiency Act, the 

Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is working with cities, counties, planning organizations, and 

transit systems to develop the rules and create new plans.

Implementation Process

For more information on the CTR Program, contact 

WSDOT’s Public Transportation and Rail Division.

Keith Cotton

cottonk@wsdot.wa.gov

360-705-7910

www.wsdot.wa.gov/tdm/taskforce/tfmaterials.cfm#program

Implementing the CTR Efficiency Act will require updating the state 

guidelines into rules, creating regional plans, and updating local 

plans and policies. Everyone involved—affected local jurisdictions, 

regional transportation planning organizations (RTPOs), major 

employers, transit agencies, WSDOT, and the CTR board—will 

need to work collaboratively through July 2007 and beyond to 

implement the changes.

An implementation work group is developing the CTR program 

rules. The work group consists of CTR board members and staff 

from cities, counties, RTPOs, transit agencies, WSDOT, and others, 

as well as representatives from major employers.

What’s in the Rules?

Building on the existing CTR guidelines, the new rules will specify 

the requirements in the CTR Efficiency Act for:

• Program goals and measurement 

• Local CTR ordinances, plans, and administration 

• Regional CTR plans 

• State CTR plan and role of the CTR board 

• Growth and Transportation Efficiency Centers (GTECs) 

• Other details related to the CTR Efficiency Act

Implementation Schedule

The timeline for implementing the new law includes: 

• WSDOT, in collaboration with the implementation work group, 

develops the program rules from April to June 2006.

• Public comment on the draft rules in July 2006.

• WSDOT releases the final draft rules in August 2006.

• Supported by state planning funds and following the final 

draft program rules, local jurisdictions and RTPOs develop 

CTR plans in a collaborative process from August 2006 to 

April 2007. During this time, local jurisdictions may choose 

to designate Growth and Transportation Efficiency Centers 

(GTECs). The CTR board will approve local and regional plans 

by June 2007.

• CTR program rules are adopted into Washington 

Administrative Code (WAC) by January 2007. 

• The modified program begins in July 2007. Local jurisdictions 

begin to implement plans, update ordinances, and educate 

employers on the program changes; employers begin to 

evaluate potential program changes.

How Can You Be involved?

It is vital that everyone be informed and active in the rules 

development process, so that WSDOT can build consensus 

around the changes. There are several ways to be involved:

• Visit the CTR Efficiency Act website often at 

www.wsdot.wa.gov/tdm/taskforce/tfmaterials.cfm#program

• Sign up to receive e-mail announcements on the CTR program 

implementation and learn about opportunities to give your 

feedback on the draft rules.

• Attend one of many CTR briefings for local jurisdictions, 

planning organizations, employers, legislators, and others.

• Request a presentation for your group.

Governor Signs 

CTR Efficiency Act

March 2006

Rules 

Development

April – June 2006

Public Comment 

on Rules

July 2006

Draft Rules 

Released

August 2006

Local and 

Regional Planning

August 2006 – 

April 2007

New CTR 

Rules Adopted

January 2007

Modified CTR 

Program Starts

July 2007

Major Milestones for Implementing the Modified CTR Program

May 23, 2006 0605-0186
Current CTR Program Modified CTR Program

Washington State’s CTR program works with major employers in 

the state’s ten most populous counties to encourage employees 

to commute without driving alone. About 500,000 employees at 

nearly 1,100 worksites in the state have access to CTR programs.

The CTR Program Is Working

The drive-alone rate at worksites participating in CTR decreased 

from 70.8 percent in 1993 to 65.7 percent in 2005. This 

contributed to Washington’s overall drive-alone commuting rate 

declining slightly from 1990 to 2000 (one of only two states where 

the percentage dropped). Statewide, employees commuting to CTR 

worksites made over 20,000 fewer vehicle trips each weekday 

morning in 2005 than they did when they entered the program.

CTR Enhances Transportation Efficiency

Making the state’s transportation system more efficient is the 

CTR program’s most important goal. The 7 percent reduction 

in drive-alone trips at CTR sites from 1993 to 2005 creates 

substantial benefits, particularly at bottlenecks and chokepoints 

on key highways. CTR employees in the central Puget Sound 

made more than 14,200 fewer vehicle trips each weekday 

morning in 2005 than they did when their employers entered 

the program. The absence of these trips reduced travel delay by

an estimated 11.6 percent on average during the peak morning 

commute in the region.

CTR Conserves Energy and Improves 

Air Quality

CTR worksite commuters reduced petroleum use in Washington 

by about 5.8 million gallons of fuel in 2005, saving $13.7 million 

through the choices they made. They also reduced emissions of 

three regulated air pollutants by nearly 3,800 tons and emissions 

of greenhouse gases by the equivalent of 74,200 tons of 

carbon dioxide.

Other Programs Support the Success of CTR

Several strategies contribute to the success of the CTR program. 

Washington has over 2,000 vanpool vans operating on our 

roads, the largest vanpool program in the nation. The legislature 

recognized that the vanpool program increases the CTR program’s 

effectiveness and provided an additional $3.9 million to purchase 

over 150 new vans in 2006. Some of the state programs that 

support CTR include:

• Trip Reduction Performance Program

• Rideshare Tax Credits

• Vanpool Grant Program

• Regional Mobility Grant Program

• Park and Ride Lots

For information about these programs, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/tdm

CTR Task Force Recommended 

Program Changes

The Governor-appointed CTR Task Force represents the varying 

statewide perspectives of residents, businesses, state agencies, 

transit agencies, and local jurisdictions. The Task Force reported to 

the Legislature in December 2005 and recommended that CTR be 

continued, with modifications to make the program more effective, 

efficient, and targeted. 

Governor Signs CTR Efficiency Act

On March 29, Governor Chris Gregoire signed the Commute 

Trip Reduction (CTR) Efficiency Act, Engrossed Substitute Senate 

Bill 6566. At the signing, Governor Gregoire was surrounded by 

members of the CTR Task Force and program partners celebrating 

the culmination of two years of work to improve the CTR Program.

The most significant changes to the CTR law include:

• Focusing the Program on Congested Highway Corridors

The new CTR law shifts the program from the ten most 

populous counties to those urban growth areas that contain 

the most congested state highways. This change focuses 

the program on the areas of the state that will deliver a high 

return on state and private investment. Other jurisdictions may 

participate and tribal governments are encouraged to establish 

CTR programs.

• Increasing Planning Coordination Among Local, Regional, 

and State Levels

The new CTR law establishes a state CTR planning framework 

that will better integrate CTR with local, regional, and state 

transportation and land use planning and investment. 

Based on an evaluation of local, regional, and state needs, 

local jurisdictions may create customized programs with goals 

and strategies that best fit the complexities of that particular 

area. In addition, more state agencies must participate in the 

modified program.

• Providing Flexibility to Local Jurisdictions to Develop 

Customized Trip Reduction Programs in Key Employment 

and Residential Centers

The new CTR law gives local jurisdictions the option to 

establish Growth and Transportation Efficiency Centers 

(GTECs) where they may implement customized trip reduction 

programs and transportation-efficient land use policies that 

go beyond the requirements of the base CTR program.

• Streamlining the CTR Task Force Into a Smaller, More 

Policy-Oriented CTR Board

The new CTR law reduces the size of the Task Force to 16 

members and establishes it as a permanent board to review 

and approve local and regional plans, develop the program 

funding allocations and the state plan, and provide general 

policy guidance for the program.

Today: Ten Counties in the CTR Program Washington

All CTR Sites

US Average 78

76

74

72

70

68

66

64

62

60

1990 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 

Only CTR Sites that been 

with in the program since it began 

Drive Alone Comparison

CTR Worksites, Washington State, and the United States, 1990 to 2005

Percentage of commute trips taken by driving alone

Public Vanpools Operating in Washington

January 2003 to February 2006

Jan 2003 Jan 2004

2,100

1,950

1,800

1,650

1,500

1,350

1,200

Jan 2005 Jan 2006

2003-2005 Biennial Goal:

10% increase in operating vanpools

met in March 2005

2003-2005

Biennial Goal

Legislative

Decision Vanpool Grant

Program Begins

Program

Development

Van Purchases and

Implementation

Incentives

Offered

Goal met in March 2005

Source: WSDOT Vanpool Database

Urban Growth Areas in the CTR Program

(Preliminary Determination)

Current CTR Program Modified CTR Program (effective July 1, 2007)

Where County-wide in ten counties Urban growth areas

Participation Population over 150,000 Congested highway corridors

Who Participates Major employers (over 100 employees) Major employers (over 100 employees) in urban growth areas 

in ten counties required to participate required to participate; in voluntary centers, more employees 

and residents may participate

Who Oversees Program 28-member CTR Task Force establishes 16-member CTR Board establishes policy, provides guidance, 

policy and provides guidance and allocates funding

Performance Goals All employers have same goal targets Employer goals may vary based on local and regional goals 

beyond the state minimum target

Performance Review Worksite programs reviewed each year Worksite programs may be reviewed every two years

Planning Requirements No planning required Coordination with transportation and growth planning required

How the CTR Program is Changing