The EIS process for the 2001 update of the MTP is now underway. The official 30 day public comment period on the scope of the EIS runs from September 15 thru October 15. The existing MTP, adopted in 1995, outlines the future of regional road, transit, ferry, rail and other systems through 2020. It represents the efforts of government agencies serving the region to coordinate planning of transportation systems to keep pace with growth, tackle growing traffic congestion and provide more access to alternatives to the auto. Land use decisions have direct relationships with transportation systems and often impact the water systems that salmon depend on.
Few things are as fundamentally important to the quality of our lives as clean air.
The choices we make each day often contribute to the quality of the air we breath. 0ur transportation plans are required to meet federal clean air mandates. And the decisions we make about how we get around will require consideration of the long term impacts on our air. The prices we pay to consume transportation services aren't buying what we want - there's far too much traffic far too often, and inadequate access to alternatives like more safe, speedy and reliable transit and ferry service. The alternative strategies have been organized into four categories.