(1) Background and purpose. This section describes the background of the commute trip reduction (CTR) law (RCW 70.94.521 through 70.94.555) and the purpose of these rules.

(a) Program history and goals. Washington state's laws relating to commute trip reduction (CTR law) were adopted in 1991 and incorporated into the Washington Clean Air Act as RCW 70.94.521 through 70.94.551. The intent of the CTR law is to reduce automobile-related air pollution, traffic congestion, and energy use through employer-based programs that encourage the use of alternatives to the single-occupant vehicle traveling during peak traffic periods for the commute trip. Strategies such as these that encourage travelers to use the transportation system more efficiently are generally known as transportation demand management (TDM). In 2006, the Legislature amended the CTR law to make the program more efficient and effective.

(b) Purpose of rules. These rules are intended to ensure consistency in CTR plans and goals among jurisdictions while fairly taking into account differences in employment and housing density, employer size, existing and anticipated levels of transit service, special employer circumstances, and other factors the board determines to be relevant.

(2) Program overview. This section describes some general considerations for affected jurisdictions and employers.

(a) Existing CTR programs. Those jurisdictions with an existing CTR ordinance as of March 1, 2007, and the employers within those jurisdictions, shall continue to operate their existing CTR programs as necessary to comply with the requirements of the existing CTR ordinance, until the time that the jurisdiction adopts changes to its CTR ordinance to respond to changes in the CTR law and the planning requirements in these rules.

(b) Relation to other transportation demand management requirements. The state encourages local jurisdictions to make existing transportation demand management (TDM) requirements compatible with the requirements of RCW 70.94.521 through 70.94.555 and these rules. Several jurisdictions have implemented TDM requirements for employers or developers through the permitting of new facilities under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), or through development requirements under the Growth Management Act (GMA). The state recognizes that jurisdictions may use TDM to satisfy different goals than those in the CTR law because of other considerations. The state encourages jurisdictions to review existing and proposed TDM requirements that are based on SEPA and GMA and make them compatible with the CTR law where feasible. The state intends for property owners to be treated equitably and that, wherever possible, jurisdictions reduce the conflict, duplication and higher cost of separate or conflicting TDM requirements at the same major employer worksite. To this end, the state recommends that TDM development requirements be measured using the same instruments, methodologies, and reporting requirements used for employers subject to the jurisdiction's CTR ordinance.

(c) Interjurisdictional cooperation. The state intends that, to the extent possible, jurisdictions in affected urban growth areas enter into cooperative arrangements for the implementation of their CTR plans. Such arrangements may be made with the county, other cities, transit agencies, regional transportation planning organizations, or other entities, as appropriate. The arrangements may be entered into through interlocal agreements or contracts. The advantages of such arrangements include stretching the limited resources available for implementing CTR plans and facilitating consistent treatment of employers across jurisdictional boundaries.

(d) Cooperation among affected employers. The state encourages affected major employers to enter into cooperative arrangements with other affected major employers in their immediate vicinity for the development and implementation of CTR programs. These arrangements could be through the formation of transportation management associations (TMAs), or they could be less formal. The advantages of such cooperation include economies of scale, the potential for sharing resources, and the formation of a larger grouping of employees, making ridesharing arrangements or special transit services easier.

(e) State agency leadership. RCW 70.94.547 recognizes the state's crucial leadership role in establishing and implementing effective commute trip reduction programs, and intends for the department of general administration and other state agencies, including institutions of higher education, to aggressively develop substantive programs to reduce commute trips by state employees. The interagency board created in RCW 70.94.551 is responsible for developing policies and guidelines to promote consistency among state agency commute trip reduction programs and for developing the state's leadership role.

(1) Definitions. The definitions in this section apply throughout these rules.

(a) Statutory definitions. The terms listed in this subsection are defined in the CTR statutes (RCW 70.94.521 through 70.94.555).

(i) "A major employer" means a private or public employer, including state agencies, that employs one hundred or more full-time employees at a single worksite who begin their regular work day between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. on weekdays for at least twelve continuous months during the year.

(ii) "Major employment installation" means a military base or federal reservation, excluding tribal reservations, at which there are one hundred or more full-time employees, who begin their regular workday between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. on weekdays, for at least twelve continuous months during the year.

(iii) "Person hours of delay" means the daily person hours of delay per mile in the peak period of 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., as calculated using the best available methodology by the department of transportation.

(iv) "Commute trip" means trips made from a worker's home to a worksite during the peak period of 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on weekdays.

(v) "Proportion of single-occupant vehicle commute trips" means the number of commute trips made by single-occupant automobiles divided by the number of full-time employees.

(vi) "Commute trip vehicle miles traveled per employee" means the sum of the individual vehicle commute trip lengths in miles over a set period divided by the number of full-time employees during that period.

(vii) "Growth and transportation efficiency center" means a defined, compact, mixed-use urban area that contains jobs or housing and supports multiple modes of transportation. For the purpose of funding, a growth and transportation efficiency center must meet minimum criteria established by the commute trip reduction board under RCW 70.94.537, and must be certified by a regional transportation planning organization as established in RCW 47.80.020.

(viii) "Affected urban growth area" means:

(A) An urban growth area, designated pursuant to RCW 36.70A.110, whose boundaries contain a state highway segment exceeding the one hundred person hours of delay threshold calculated by the department of transportation, and any contiguous urban growth areas; and

(B) An urban growth area, designated pursuant to RCW 36.70A.110, containing a jurisdiction with a population over seventy thousand that adopted a commute trip reduction ordinance before the year 2000, and any contiguous urban growth areas.

(ix) "Certification" means a determination by a regional transportation planning organization that a locally designated growth and transportation efficiency center program meets the minimum criteria developed in a collaborative regional process and the rules established by the department of transportation.

(b) Terms defined by rule. The terms listed in this subsection are defined herein and apply throughout these rules.

(i) "Goal" means a purpose toward which efforts are directed.

(ii) "Target" means a quantifiable or measurable value that is expressed as a desired level of performance, against which actual achievement can be compared in order to assess progress.

(iii) "Drive-alone" means single-occupant vehicle.

(iv) "Single-occupant vehicle" means a motor vehicle, including a motorcycle, occupied by one person for commute purposes. If there are other passengers occupying the motor vehicle, but the ages of these passengers are sixteen or under, the motor vehicle is still considered a "single-occupant vehicle" for measurement purposes.

(v) "Nondrive-alone travel" means travel by a method other than single-occupant vehicle. Travel avoided by telework, alternative work schedules, or condensed work weeks shall also be considered as nondrive-alone travel.

(vi) "Base year value" means the measured values per employee at a major employer worksite, on which commute trip reduction targets for the major employer worksite shall be based.

(vii) "Jurisdiction's base year measurement" means the year of the first measurement. For those jurisdictions which have used the CTR survey, the jurisdiction's base year measurement shall be determined based on employee surveys administered in the 2007-2008 survey cycle. If complete employee survey data from the 2007-2008 survey cycle is not available, then the base year measurement shall be calculated from the earliest available set of complete employee survey data. For jurisdictions which do not use the CTR survey for measurement, this shall be determined using equivalent 2007-2008 data.

(viii) "Affected employee" means a full-time employee who begins his or her regular workday at a major employer worksite between 6:00 and 9:00 a.m. (inclusive) on two or more weekdays for at least twelve continuous months, who is not an independent contractor, and who is scheduled to be employed on a continuous basis for fifty-two weeks for an average of at least thirty-five hours per week.

(ix) "CTR commuter" means a resident or employee in an affected urban growth area who is a participant in the city or county's commute trip reduction program, including any growth and transportation and efficiency center ("GTEC") programs, implemented to meet the city or county's established targets.

(x) "Commute trip vehicle miles traveled per CTR commuter" means the sum of the individual vehicle commute trip lengths in miles over a set period divided by the number of CTR commuters during that period.

(xi) "Major employer worksite" means the physical location occupied by a major employer, as determined by a local jurisdiction.

(xii) "Voluntary employer worksite" means the physical location occupied by an employer who is voluntarily implementing a CTR program.

(2) Identification of CTR jurisdictions. This section establishes the process to be used by WSDOT to determine the state's affected urban growth areas and lists the state's affected urban growth areas.

(a) Process to determine affected urban growth areas. WSDOT shall use the definition of an affected urban growth area in RCW 70.94.524 to determine the list of affected urban growth areas. WSDOT shall use the most recent set of valid and available data that covers the entire state highway system to calculate the one hundred person hours of delay threshold for state highway segments. WSDOT shall use the most recent geographical information for the state's urban growth areas as provided by the department of community, trade and economic development, or its successor.

(b) Listing of affected urban growth areas. The cities and counties within or containing an affected urban growth area, as determined by WSDOT, are:

(i) Clark County and the cities of Camas, Vancouver, and Washougal;

(ii) King County and the cities of Algona, Auburn, Beaux Arts, Bellevue, Black Diamond, Bothell, Burien, Clyde Hill, Covington, Des Moines, Federal Way, Hunts Point, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kent, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Maple Valley, Medina, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Normandy Park, Pacific, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, SeaTac, Seattle, Shoreline, Tukwila, Woodinville, and Yarrow Point;

(iii) Kitsap County and the cities of Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, and Port Orchard;

(iv) Pierce County and the cities of Bonney Lake, DuPont, Edgewood, Fife, Fircrest, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, Milton, Orting, Puyallup, Ruston, Steilacoom, Sumner, Tacoma, and University Place;

(v) Snohomish County and the cities of Arlington, Bothell, Brier, Edmonds, Everett, Lake Stevens, Lynnwood, Marysville, Mill Creek, Monroe, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, Snohomish, and Woodway;

(vi) Spokane County and the cities of Airway Heights, Liberty Lake, Millwood, Spokane, and Spokane Valley;

(vii) Thurston County and the cities of Lacey, Olympia, and Tumwater;

(viii) Whatcom County and the cities of Bellingham and Ferndale; and

(ix) Yakima County and the cities of Selah, Union Gap, and Yakima.

(c) Listing of affected urban growth areas exempted from CTR requirements for a period not exceeding two years from March 1, 2007. The cities or counties within an affected urban growth area, as determined by WSDOT, but which the legislature in RCW 70.94.527(12) has exempted from CTR requirements for a period not exceeding two years from March 1, 2007, are:

(i) Benton County and the cities of Kennewick, Richland, and West Richland; and

(ii) Franklin County and the city of Pasco.

(d) Notification of cities, counties, and regional transportation planning organizations (RTPOs) required to adopt CTR plans. WSDOT shall notify the cities, counties, and RTPOs that are determined to be in the affected urban growth areas. Cities and counties in the affected urban growth areas shall identify the major employers, if any, within their boundaries. Only those cities and counties containing a major employer in the affected urban growth area within the boundaries of their official jurisdiction shall be required to adopt a local CTR plan. Only those regional transportation planning organizations whose planning territory encompasses a city or county required to adopt a local CTR plan shall be required to adopt a regional CTR plan.

(1) Program purpose and process. The purposes of the CTR program, as defined in RCW 70.94.521, are to decrease automobile-related air pollution, consumption of gasoline, and traffic congestion.

(2) Statewide program performance goals and targets. The CTR board shall establish the performance goals and targets of the statewide program every four years in its state CTR plan, per RCW 70.94.537(3).

(3) Local program performance goals and targets. Local jurisdictions shall establish goals and targets for their CTR plan that contribute to goals established in the state plan and the purposes of the CTR program. The goals and targets shall be set for the affected urban growth area in the city or county's official jurisdiction, and shall be targets for the four-year period under the state CTR plan based on the base year measurement for the urban growth area.

(a) Local and regional goals and measurement methodologies shall be consistent with the measurement policies established by WSDOT and posted on the agency's website. Progress will be determined every two years based on the jurisdiction's performance in meeting its established goals and targets. Local jurisdictions shall establish base year values and targets for each major employer worksite (including major employment installations) in the jurisdiction. However, the targets may vary from major employer worksite to major employer worksite, based on the goals and measurement system implemented by the jurisdiction. Variability may be based on the following considerations:

(i) Previous engagement in trip reduction programs by the employer;

(ii) Current conditions, policies and services in the vicinity of the major employer worksite;

(iii) Planned investments, services, policy changes and other strategies in the vicinity of the major employer worksite;

(iv) Transit access to the employer worksite and frequency of transit service during peak periods in the vicinity of the major employer worksite;

(v) Potential for ride matching internally and with other employers in the area;

(vi) Bicycle and pedestrian access to the major employer worksite; and

(vii) Ability to implement compressed work week schedules and/or teleworking.

(b) Jurisdictions will use base year values in determining their base year measurement.

(c) In their local CTR plans, local jurisdictions shall communicate what local, regional and state benefits would be gained if the established targets were achieved. Benefits may include but are not limited to projected changes in transportation system performance, projected reductions in emissions of pollutants, projected reductions in energy consumption, and projected benefits for economic development. Regional transportation planning organizations (RTPOs) and WSDOT shall provide applicable data, if available, to assist this analysis.

(4) Goals for employers. Regardless of the variations in major employer worksite targets that a jurisdiction implements, each major employer worksite shall be accountable for attaining the targets established by the jurisdiction. However, if major employer worksites are meeting the state requirements and giving a good faith effort as defined in RCW 70.94.531, local jurisdictions may not penalize the major employer for not meeting established targets.

(5) Voluntary employer worksites. In the local CTR plan, local jurisdictions shall indicate whether voluntary employer worksites that agree to measure will be counted in the calculation of the jurisdiction's progress toward its established targets. Regardless of whether the local jurisdiction chooses to count voluntary employer worksite measurements toward the area goal, jurisdictions shall continue to track results for those employer worksites that agree to measure.

(6) Other local strategies for achieving the goals. Jurisdictions may choose to institute trip reduction strategies for residents and employees in the urban growth area who are not affected by the local CTR ordinance. The progress of these efforts may be used in the jurisdiction's calculation of its progress toward its established urban growth area targets, if it is measured in a manner that is consistent with the measurement guidelines established by WSDOT and posted on the agency's website.

(7) Regional goal-setting. The RTPO in its regional CTR plan shall establish regional CTR program goals and targets. The regional program goals and targets shall be developed with consideration and inclusion of the contribution of local jurisdiction goals and targets in the region.

(8) Local jurisdictions shall not be penalized for not meeting their established four-year targets if they are implementing a plan that meets state requirements and if WSDOT determines that there are circumstances beyond the jurisdiction's control that prevented attainment of the targets.

(1) Purpose and process.

(a) Purpose of local CTR plan. The state's intent in requiring local CTR plans is to ensure that CTR program goals and targets help jurisdictions achieve their broader transportation and land use goals, and that the jurisdiction in turn develops services, regulations, policies and programs that support the trip reduction investments of major employers. This can be achieved by integrating the local CTR plan and program with other transportation and land use plans and programs, and collaborating with local service providers, interest groups, and others to develop effective trip reduction strategies. Nothing in these rules is intended to change the requirements for local comprehensive plans developed under the Growth Management Act. The state intends for the CTR planning process to provide a new perspective on the local comprehensive plan; while a jurisdiction may choose to update or amend its comprehensive plan based on the outcome of the CTR planning process, nothing in these rules requires it.

(b) Plan development process. RCW 70.94.527(4) requires local CTR plans to be developed in consultation with local transit agencies, the applicable RTPO, major employers, and other interested parties.

(i) Consultation. The local jurisdiction shall invite, as appropriate, representatives of major employers, local transit agencies, the applicable RTPO, business associations and economic development organizations, nonprofit transportation and land use advocacy organizations, pedestrian and bicycle advocacy organizations, public health agencies, tribal governments, and residents, employees and businesses that will be affected by the CTR plan to participate in the development of the local CTR plan. The state intends for the invited partners to work collaboratively with the local jurisdiction by providing data and plans and discussing opportunities, including new and reprioritized investments and policy changes, to reduce drive-alone commute trips in the jurisdiction and increase transportation access to affected major employer worksites.

(ii) State role. WSDOT shall provide information to support local CTR plan development. This information shall include employer and jurisdiction base year values, calculated from CTR survey data, state highway system performance data, and other information as appropriate. WSDOT shall also provide technical assistance to support implementation of the local CTR plan, which may include but is not limited to:

(A) Printing and processing of state CTR survey forms;

(B) Creation of survey reports and customized data reports;

(C) Online survey set-up and assistance;

(D) Online annual report set-up and assistance; and

(E) Program reviewer and survey training.

(iii) Regional role. It is critical that the local jurisdiction collaborate with the applicable RTPO in the development of its local CTR plan. By working closely with the RTPO, the local jurisdiction can produce a CTR plan that meets state requirements and is consistent with the regional CTR plan.

(iv) Public outreach. The local jurisdiction shall follow, at a minimum, a comparable process to the local requirements and procedures established for purposes of public outreach for comprehensive plan development, adoption, or amendment, including public notices and public meetings and hearings.

(c) Consistency and integration with other plans, programs and local requirements. RCW 70.94.527(5) requires local CTR plans to be consistent with applicable state and regional transportation plans and local comprehensive plans. RCW 70.94.527(5) also requires local CTR plans to be coordinated and consistent with those of adjoining jurisdictions or related regional issues to ensure consistency in the treatment of employers who have worksites in more than one jurisdiction. The local jurisdiction shall review the local comprehensive plan to ensure that it is consistent with the local CTR plan. If the local jurisdiction determines that the local comprehensive plan needs to be updated or amended to be consistent with the local CTR plan, the local jurisdiction shall identify in the local CTR plan what changes may be needed and when the changes will be made. The local jurisdiction shall use the regional CTR planning process as a means to discuss regional issues with adjoining jurisdictions. The local jurisdiction shall follow the administrative guidelines established by WSDOT and posted on the agency's website to ensure consistency in the treatment of employers who have worksites in multiple jurisdictions.

(d) Plan review and approval. RCW 70.94.527(1) requires the local CTR plan to be submitted to the RTPO and be included in the regional CTR plan.

(i) Schedule. In order for a local jurisdiction to receive state CTR program funding in the 2007-2009 biennium, the CTR board must receive the final draft of the local CTR plan by October 1, 2007. For biennia after 2007-2009, the CTR board must receive updated CTR plans by March 31 every two years thereafter if updates to the local CTR plan have been made or if a jurisdiction is adopting a local CTR plan for the first time.

(ii) RTPO review. RCW 70.94.527(5) requires the RTPO to review the local CTR plans. Local jurisdictions shall submit the final draft of their local CTR plans to the applicable RTPO by the date specified by the RTPO, so that the RTPO may review the plans before submission to the CTR board. The RTPO will review the local CTR plan to determine its consistency with the regional CTR plan and state requirements.

(iii) Determination of consistency. RCW 70.94.527(7) requires the RTPO to collaborate with the CTR board to evaluate the consistency of local CTR plans with the regional CTR plan. When the RTPO submits its regional CTR plan to the CTR board, it shall also submit any final drafts of local CTR plans in the region and recommend to the CTR board which local CTR plans are consistent with the regional CTR plan and state requirements.

(iv) Approval by CTR board. RCW 70.94.527(7) requires local CTR plans to be approved by the CTR board in order to be eligible for state CTR funding. The CTR board shall review the final drafts of local CTR plans and communicate its findings in writing to the submitting RTPO within one hundred twenty days following receipt of the plans. If the CTR board approves a local CTR plan, the local jurisdiction shall then adopt the local CTR plan by ordinance and begin to implement the plan and any other necessary changes to local ordinances, plans, or programs. If the CTR board rejects a local CTR plan, it shall communicate its reasoning and recommendations for improvement to the submitting RTPO. The RTPO shall then work with the local jurisdiction to improve the local plan. Jurisdictions may submit a revised local CTR plan to the RTPO and CTR board in the schedule jointly established by the RTPO and the CTR board.

(v) Appeal. If a local CTR plan is not approved by the CTR board, the local jurisdiction may choose to appeal the decision to the secretary of transportation or his/her designee within sixty days of the board's decision by submitting a written request for appeal to the secretary of transportation or his/her designee. The secretary of transportation or his/her designee shall consider the appeal within sixty days of the jurisdiction's request. If the secretary of transportation or his/her designee grants the appeal, the local CTR plan shall be considered valid by the CTR board and RTPO. If the secretary of transportation or his/her designee denies the appeal, the local jurisdiction is not eligible for state CTR program funding until its revised plan is submitted and approved by the CTR board.

(e) Plan update cycle. According to RCW 70.94.527(5), local jurisdictions shall review their local CTR plans annually and revise them as necessary to be consistent with applicable plans developed under RCW 36.70A.070. The local CTR plan shall be updated at least once every four years, in order to establish new four-year targets and program strategies and update other elements as needed.

(2) Required plan elements. RCW 70.94.527(4) requires affected local governments to adopt CTR plans consistent with the rules and deadlines established by WSDOT. The state intends for local jurisdictions to use information in existing plans and programs, such as the local comprehensive plan, unified development codes, the transportation improvement program, economic development plans, and others, as much as possible in order to develop the local CTR plan. The local CTR plan is required to meet the requirements specified in these rules, but local jurisdictions may choose to adjust the scope of their local CTR plans as needed to make them more effective. The local CTR plan shall describe how the CTR program will help achieve the jurisdiction's broader land use and transportation goals.

The local CTR plan shall contain the following elements:

(a) Description of land use and transportation context. Jurisdictions shall evaluate the significance of local land use and transportation conditions, characteristics and trends to describe the most critical factors to the success of CTR.

The plan shall highlight the existing and future land use and transportation conditions and characteristics considered most critical by the jurisdiction and evaluate the degree to which existing local services, policies, regulations, and programs, as well as any documented future investments, will complement the trip reduction efforts of CTR employers. Jurisdictions may choose to broaden the scope of their local CTR plan by developing a jurisdiction-wide analysis, rather than focusing only on major employers.

The plan shall evaluate the existing barriers to the success of the CTR program, and identify how the jurisdiction and its partners can overcome these barriers. The state intends for the plan to be a mechanism through which employers can describe what policy changes, services and support they need to make their CTR programs more effective.

The plan shall also discuss cross-boundary issues, such as pass-through commute patterns or larger regional issues, and how these affect the local CTR plan.

(b) Goals and targets. The plan shall establish the jurisdiction's CTR goals and targets and show how achievement of these goals and targets will contribute to the jurisdiction's other adopted land use and transportation goals. The plan's goals and targets shall be established consistent with the standard described in WAC 468-63-030, Program goals and measurement. The plan shall describe the base year values and numerical targets for each major employer worksite required to participate in the CTR program.

(c) Measurement methodology for determining base year values and progress toward meeting goals and targets. The plan's measurement methodology shall be consistent with the measurement guidelines established by WSDOT and posted on the agency's website.

(d) Description of local services and strategies for achieving the goals and targets. The plan shall describe what local services and strategies will be implemented to achieve the plan's goals and targets, and how these services and strategies will support the CTR programs of major employers. Strategies may include, but are not limited to:

(i) Modifications of local policies and regulations, including the transportation concurrency system, street design standards, parking, and zoning;

(ii) Investments in services and facilities, including transit services, nonmotorized facilities and amenities; and

(iii) Marketing and incentives.

Transit agencies shall work with counties, cities and towns as a part of their six-year transit development plan established in RCW 35.58.2795 to take into account the location of major employer worksites when planning and prioritizing transit service changes or the expansion of public transportation services, including rideshare services (RCW 70.94.527(5)).

(e) Description of requirements for major employers. The plan shall describe the requirements for major employers that will be outlined in the local ordinance. The plan shall also describe the program that the local jurisdiction will offer to its employees and how this contributes to the success of the overall plan. The plan shall also identify the major employer worksites, including affected state agency locations, within the jurisdiction's affected urban growth area and any major employment installations.

(f) Documentation of consultation. The plan shall include documentation from the local jurisdiction that verifies consultation with employers, transit agencies and others to develop the plan. If the CTR plan includes new or reprioritized transit service beyond that identified in the six-year transit development plan as a strategy to meet the goals and targets, the plan shall include acknowledgement from the applicable transit agency that it supports the transit element of the plan and has agreed on a plan to fund future service investments. If the plan submittal to the CTR board does not include acknowledgement of support from the applicable transit agency, then the new or reprioritized transit service element of the plan shall not be considered as a valid strategy to meet the plan's goals and targets.

(g) A sustainable financial plan. The plan shall describe the funding revenues from public and private sources that are reasonably expected to be available, as well as the expected costs, to implement the plan and achieve its goals and targets. If a jurisdiction identifies program elements that are not necessary to the success of the plan, but would support the plan and are beyond expected resources, the plan shall describe the level of funding that would be needed to implement the program element and how it would contribute to the success of the plan.

(h) Implementation structure. The plan shall describe how the various strategies identified in the CTR plan will be implemented, either by the local jurisdiction, its partners, or its contracting partners, and when the elements of the plan are expected to be implemented. If the local jurisdiction decides to update its comprehensive plan to be consistent with the CTR plan, it shall describe which elements need updating and when the update will occur.

(i) Growth and transportation efficiency centers. If the jurisdiction has designated a growth and transportation efficiency center, the local jurisdiction shall summarize and incorporate the GTEC program plan into the local CTR plan in the next update of the plan.

(1) Purpose and process.

(a) Purpose of regional CTR plan. The state's intent in requiring regional CTR plans is to ensure that the region develops a consistent, integrated regional strategy for meeting CTR goals and targets. The region shall use existing plan information as much as possible to determine how the CTR program can help the region achieve its transportation goals. The state intends for CTR services and strategies to be prioritized in regional funding programs.

(b) Plan development process. RCW 70.94.527(6) requires the regional CTR plan to be developed in collaboration with all affected local jurisdictions, transit agencies, and other interested parties within the region.

(i) Collaboration. The RTPO shall invite, as appropriate, local jurisdictions, local transit agencies, major employers, business associations and economic development organizations, nonprofit transportation and land use advocacy organizations, pedestrian and bicycle advocacy organizations, public health agencies, tribal governments, and others as necessary to participate in the development of the regional CTR plan's goals, targets and strategies.

(ii) Development of regional GTEC criteria. The RTPO shall develop minimum land use and transportation criteria for GTECs in collaboration among local jurisdictions, transit agencies, major employers, and other affected parties as part of the regional CTR plan. The state intends for minimum land use and transportation criteria for GTECs to be developed as early in the regional planning process as possible.

(iii) Regional role. The state intends for the RTPO to coordinate the local and regional CTR planning process, and work closely with local jurisdictions to ensure consistency in all of the plans. The RTPO shall provide data and technical assistance to local jurisdictions to aid the development of their local CTR plans.

(iv) Planning framework. The state intends for local plans to follow a planning framework established by the RTPO. However, the state recognizes that during the initial planning phase in fiscal year 2007, development of local and regional CTR plans will be a concurrent, iterative process. Thus the state intent that RTPOs lead the planning process.

(c) Identification of lead agencies. The regional CTR plan shall describe which entities will be implementing the CTR program for each city and county, as determined locally. This description shall include an identification of lead agencies and the expected contractual relationships for program administration.

(d) Consistency and integration with other plans, programs and local requirements. RCW 70.94.527(6) requires the regional CTR plan to be consistent with and incorporated into transportation demand management (TDM) components in the regional transportation plan (as required by RCW 47.80.030). The regional CTR plan shall be consistent with TDM components in the regional transportation plan. The regional CTR plan shall be incorporated by the RTPO into the regional transportation plan by December 31, 2008.

(e) Plan review and approval. According to RCW 70.94.527(6), regions without an approved regional CTR plan shall not be eligible for state CTR funds.

(i) Schedule. For jurisdictions in the region to receive CTR program funding, the CTR board must receive final draft regional CTR plans by October 1, 2007, and by March 31 every two years thereafter, if updates have been made to the regional CTR plan or if the RTPO is adopting a regional CTR plan for the first time.

(ii) Submittal. RCW 70.94.527(7) requires RTPOs to submit their regional CTR plans, related local CTR plans, and certified GTEC programs to the CTR board. By October 1, 2007, and by March 31 every two years thereafter, the RTPO shall submit the regional CTR plan, all local CTR plans in the region, and GTEC certification reports to the CTR board. Local and regional CTR plan submittals shall include documentation of support from the applicable transit agencies if the plans include a transit element.

(iii) Determination of consistency. RCW 70.94.527(7) requires the RTPO to collaborate with the CTR board to evaluate the consistency of local CTR plans with the regional CTR plan. When the RTPO submits local CTR plans to the CTR board, it shall also submit its determination of which local CTR plans are consistent with the regional CTR plan and meet state requirements. If any plans are not consistent or do not meet state requirements, the RTPO shall describe its reasoning and what changes need to be made to the plan before it is approved. The CTR board shall use the RTPO recommendation during its review of the local and regional CTR plans.

(iv) Approval. According to RCW 70.94.527(7), regional CTR plans must be approved by the CTR board to be eligible for state CTR funding. The CTR board shall review the regional CTR plan and notify the RTPO in writing whether it approves or denies the plan. If the regional CTR plan is approved, jurisdictions in the region are eligible for state CTR funding. If the regional CTR plan is not approved, the CTR board shall state its reasoning and recommendations for improvement to the RTPO. The RTPO may then choose to submit its revised plan to the CTR board by the deadline established by the CTR board or to appeal the decision.

(v) Appeal. If a regional CTR plan is not approved by the CTR board, the RTPO may choose to appeal the decision to the secretary of transportation or his/her designee within sixty days of the board's decision by submitting a written request for appeal to the secretary of transportation or his/her designee. The secretary of transportation or his/her designee shall consider the appeal within sixty days of the RTPO's request. If the secretary of transportation or his/her designee grants the appeal, the regional CTR plan shall be considered valid by the CTR board. If the secretary of transportation or his/her designee denies the appeal, the region is not eligible for state CTR program funding until a revised regional CTR plan is submitted and approved by the CTR board.

(f) Annual progress report. RCW 70.94.527(8) requires RTPOs with a regional CTR plan to submit an annual progress report to the CTR board at the end of each state fiscal year. The RTPO is required to submit a progress report to the CTR board by June 30, 2008, and every year thereafter. The report shall describe progress in achieving the regional CTR goals and targets and shall highlight any problems being encountered in achieving the goals and targets. The information shall be reported in a form established by the CTR board.

(g) Plan update cycle. The regional CTR plan shall be updated concurrent with the schedule for the regular update of the regional transportation plan or in order to establish new regional goals and targets and incorporate information from updated local CTR plans.

(2) Required plan elements. RCW 70.94.527(6) requires affected RTPOs to adopt a regional CTR plan consistent with the rules and deadlines established by WSDOT.

The regional CTR plan shall contain the following elements:

(a) Description of land use and transportation context. The state intends for RTPOs to evaluate the significance of regional land use and transportation conditions, characteristics and trends to highlight factors that are considered critical to the success of the regional CTR plan.

The plan shall discuss the existing and future land use and transportation conditions and characteristics considered most critical by the RTPO and evaluate the degree to which existing local services, policies, regulations, and programs, as well as any documented future investments, will complement the trip reduction efforts of major employers and help employer programs be more effective.

The plan shall evaluate the existing barriers to the success of the CTR plan, and identify how the RTPO and its partners can overcome these barriers.

The plan shall also discuss cross-boundary issues, such as pass-through commute patterns or extra-regional issues, and how these affect the regional plan.

(b) Minimum criteria for growth and transportation efficiency centers. The RTPO shall adopt minimum transportation and land use criteria that are appropriately scaled to the regional context. The RTPO may establish either absolute or relative criteria. The regional criteria may include, but are not limited to:

(i) Consistency with local and regional CTR plans and local comprehensive plans;

(ii) Support achievement of goals in the regional transportation plan;

(iii) Minimum existing and/or target density thresholds (i.e., activity density, population density, or employment density);

(iv) Minimum and maximum geographic sizes;

(v) Existing and targeted levels of transit service;

(vi) Existing and targeted commute trip mode splits;

(vii) Current and forecasted level of delay on state and regional facilities of significance;

(viii) Number of employees and/or residents;

(ix) Maximum parking development ratios for new commercial and residential development;

(x) Pricing strategies affecting parking demand (commuter and transient); and

(xi) Bicycle and pedestrian accessibility.

(c) Regional program goals and targets. The plan shall describe the established CTR goals and targets for each of the region's affected urban growth areas and designated GTECs. The plan shall also describe the entire region's goals and targets for CTR and how the regional goals and targets relate to the local goals and targets. The plan shall describe how the regional CTR goals and targets will help the region achieve its other transportation goals.

(d) Description of how progress will be measured. The plan shall describe how the measurement of local CTR plan progress will be used to assess regional progress toward CTR goals and targets. The plan's measurement methodology shall be consistent with the measurement guidelines established by WSDOT and posted on the agency's website.

(e) Description of regional strategies for achieving the goals and targets. The plan shall describe what regional services and strategies will be implemented to achieve the plan's goals and targets, and how these services and strategies will support major employer programs and local CTR plans. The regional services and strategies may include modifying regional funding allocations and program prioritization criteria to support the regional CTR plan.

(f) A sustainable financial plan. The plan shall describe the funding revenues from public and private sources that are reasonably expected to be available, as well as the expected costs, to implement the plan and achieve its goals and targets. If a RTPO identifies program elements that are not necessary to the success of the plan, but would support the plan and are beyond expected resources, the plan shall describe the level of funding that would be needed to implement the program element and how it would contribute to the success of the plan.

(1) Purpose and process.

(a) Purpose and objective of the growth and transportation efficiency center (GTEC) program. The state's goal for the GTEC program is to provide greater access to employment and residential centers while increasing the proportion of people not driving alone during peak periods on the state highway system. Counties, cities and towns may designate existing or new activity centers as GTECs in order to establish a transportation demand management (TDM) program in the designated area. The purpose of the rules pertaining to GTECs is to provide a consistent framework for local jurisdictions to exercise their authority to implement a GTEC via comprehensive plans, development regulations, and transportation investments that support population growth and economic development, transportation-efficient land uses, and transportation demand management strategies.

The state intends for GTECs to be developed in a collaborative planning process that builds upon the information in local and regional CTR plans as well as other existing plans and programs such as the local comprehensive plan, unified development codes, the transportation improvement program, economic development plans. The state intends for the development of the GTEC program plan to be informed by and coordinated with the development of local and regional CTR plans.

The state intends to focus state program resources provided for GTECs in those urban areas that can provide the greatest current or future benefits for highway system efficiency.

(b) Jurisdictional coordination. The state encourages jurisdictions to discuss interjurisdictional issues and evaluate the possibility of creating a cross-boundary GTEC. While these rules refer to the actions of a single city or county in designating a GTEC, nothing in these sections shall prohibit jurisdictions from cooperating to designate GTECs that cross jurisdictional boundaries. Jurisdictions designating a cross-boundary GTEC shall adopt consistent ordinances and enter into a cooperational partnership to implement the GTEC program.

(c) Consistency for employers. Major employers that are affected by the base CTR program, when located within a designated GTEC, shall only be required to fulfill one set of requirements, if the GTEC program and base CTR program requirements vary. Jurisdictions that allow major employers to follow the requirements of the GTEC, rather than the base CTR program, shall ensure that major employer worksites are measured in a manner that allows accountability for the worksite and is consistent with the measurement guidelines established by WSDOT and available on the agency's website.

(d) Designation and certification. RCW 70.94.537(2) requires WSDOT to establish methods for RTPOs to evaluate and certify that designated GTECs meet the minimum requirements and are therefore eligible for funding.

(i) Minimum land use and transportation criteria. RCW 70.94.537(2) requires WSDOT to establish guidance criteria for GTECs. Minimum land use and transportation criteria for GTECs shall be developed by the RTPO in collaboration with local jurisdictions, transit agencies, major employers, and other affected parties as part of the regional CTR plan. The regional CTR plan may include a map that depicts which areas of the region meet the criteria.

The state's intent is to constrain funding resources to those areas that have the greatest potential to reduce single-occupant vehicle commute trips on the state highway system in the future. The state will use the RTPO certification of the GTEC's potential system benefits as part of its funding prioritization process.

(ii) Eligibility and designation process. To be eligible for certification as a designated "growth and transportation efficiency center," the jurisdiction must submit a GTEC certification application to the applicable RTPO that:

(A) Describes how the GTEC meets the minimum land use and transportation criteria established by the RTPO as part of the regional CTR plan;

(B) Includes a copy of the GTEC program plan and the required elements identified in this rule;

(C) Identifies when and how the GTEC program plan will be incorporated into future updates or amendments of the applicable local comprehensive plan; and

(D) Includes letters of support for the GTEC program plan from partners that are expected to contribute resources to the plan or intend to work with the local jurisdiction to develop future strategies and funding resources for the GTEC.

(iii) Schedule. For GTEC programs to be eligible for state CTR program funds, the CTR board must receive GTEC certification reports, or local jurisdiction requests for appeal, for new or updated GTEC programs by October 1, 2007, and by April 1 every two years thereafter.

These rules do not constrain the ability of local jurisdictions to designate a GTEC at any time, or for RTPOs to certify new or updated GTECs at any time.

GTEC program plans may be updated annually to reflect changing conditions and new information. However, substantial changes to the program plan, including reductions in targets, densities, and investments, may be made no more than once every biennium. RTPOs may require local jurisdictions to update GTEC program plans as part of the regional CTR plan update. Substantially modified GTEC program plans shall be resubmitted to the RTPO for recertification.

(iv) Certification. RCW 70.94.528 (1)(b) requires designated GTECs to be certified by the applicable RTPO to be eligible for state funding. The RTPO shall evaluate the jurisdiction's GTEC certification application to determine if the proposed GTEC meets the requirements outlined in this rule. The RTPO shall, in partnership with the local jurisdiction and WSDOT, evaluate how achievement of the GTEC goal would affect the performance of the state highway system and the regional transportation system.

Within sixty days following receipt of the jurisdiction's application, the RTPO shall issue a certification report to the jurisdiction that either certifies or declines to certify the GTEC. The certification report shall state the rationale for the decision and describe in quantitative terms how the GTEC addresses state and regional highway deficiencies, and what benefits for the transportation system the GTEC is projected to provide. The RTPO shall provide a copy of the certification report and the GTEC program plan report to the CTR board.

(v) Appeal. RCW 70.94.528 (1)(b) allows jurisdictions denied certification of a designated GTEC by an RTPO to appeal the decision to the CTR board. If the RTPO declines to certify a GTEC when requested by the local jurisdiction, the local jurisdiction may appeal the decision to the CTR board within sixty days following receipt of the RTPO's certification report. The CTR board will hear the appeal within sixty days of a jurisdiction request.

If the CTR board concurs with the RTPO decision, the jurisdiction's GTEC will not be eligible for state funding. The local jurisdiction may then choose to implement the GTEC (while ineligible for state funding) or revise its application and request RTPO certification during the next biennial budget cycle. If the CTR board overrules the RTPO and certifies the GTEC, then the jurisdiction's GTEC will be eligible for state funding if it is designated within one hundred twenty days following receipt of the notice of the state GTEC funding allocation.

(vi) Adoption. The jurisdiction shall "designate" the GTEC by adopting the GTEC program plan via official resolution or ordinance within one hundred twenty days following receipt of the notice of the state GTEC funding allocation. If the jurisdiction does not designate the GTEC program plan within this deadline, then it will not be eligible for any state or regional funding intended for GTEC programs for the current biennium.

(vii) Funding. State funding for GTECs shall be allocated by the CTR board, based on the board's funding policy developed pursuant to RCW 70.94.544.

(2) GTEC program plan.

(a) Program development process. RCW 70.94.528 (1)(a) requires the GTEC program plan to be developed in consultation with local transit agencies, the applicable RTPO, major employers, and other interested parties.

(i) Collaboration. The local jurisdiction shall invite, as appropriate, representatives of major employers, property managers, local transit agencies, the applicable RTPO, business associations and economic development organizations, nonprofit transportation and land use advocacy organizations, pedestrian and bicycle advocacy organizations, public health agencies, tribal governments, and residents, employees and businesses that will be affected by the GTEC to participate in the development of the GTEC program plan. The local jurisdiction and its invitees shall discuss the findings of the gap analysis portion of the plan and collaboratively develop the program's goals, targets, and program strategies.

(ii) Informal review. The local jurisdiction shall give collaborating entities and those entities affected by the GTEC designation an opportunity to review the draft program plan before it is released to the public and submitted for certification to the RTPO.

(iii) Public outreach. The local jurisdiction shall follow, at a minimum, a comparable process to the local requirements and procedures established for purposes of public outreach for comprehensive plan development, adoption, or amendment, including public notices and public meetings and hearings.

(b) Required elements. RCW 70.94.528 (1)(c) requires the TDM program elements in the GTEC to be consistent with the rules established by WSDOT.

The state intends for GTECs to be developed in a collaborative planning process that builds upon the information in local and regional CTR plans as well as other existing plans and programs, such as the local comprehensive plan, unified development codes, the transportation improvement program, and economic development plans. The state intends for the GTEC program plan to be a focused planning element that is coordinated with the local and regional CTR plan.

The GTEC program plan shall describe local conditions and use projections of future growth to define the scope of the problem that the GTEC goals and strategies are designed to address.

The GTEC program plan shall contain the following elements:

(i) Executive summary. The GTEC program plan shall include an executive summary of the jurisdiction's vision for the GTEC, how the GTEC relates to the base CTR program, how the plan's success will affect transportation access to and within the center, and states:

(A) The GTEC program goals and targets;

(B) The GTEC target population;

(C) Proposed program strategies, including policy and service changes needed to execute the plan and proposed land use strategies to support the plan; and

(D) Key funding and service partnerships.

(ii) Background information. The GTEC program plan shall include:

(A) A description of the geographic boundaries of the GTEC;

(B) Documentation that the GTEC is located within the jurisdiction's urban growth area; and

(C) A brief description of the jurisdiction's vision for the GTEC, including information from the local comprehensive plan, other transportation plans and programs, and funded transportation improvements.

(iii) Evaluation of land use and transportation context. Jurisdictions shall evaluate the significance of local conditions, characteristics and trends to determine which factors are most critical to the success of the plan. The RTPO, local transit agencies, state agencies and other appropriate entities shall assist this process by providing data and plans and discussing issues with jurisdictions.

The local jurisdiction shall evaluate existing conditions and characteristics and projected future conditions and characteristics. The jurisdiction may choose to evaluate, but is not limited to, the following issues:

(A) Existing conditions and characteristics. These may include, but are not limited to:

(I) Existing land uses, including the general location and extent of housing, commerce, industry, recreation, open spaces, public utilities, public facilities, and other land uses, and population densities and building intensities, with particular attention to mix of land uses and proximity of residential and employment locations.

(II) Existing transportation network, including:

• Major origins and destinations of trips, including traffic impacts of activity to, from and within a GTEC to state-owned transportation facilities, if adequate information is available from WSDOT to support this evaluation;

• Transit service network and level of service including unused capacity and facilities, service deficiencies and needs, if adequate information is available from transit agencies to support this evaluation;

• Available capacity and performance of other HOV systems serving the GTEC, if adequate information is available from transit agencies and WSDOT to support this evaluation;

• Public and private parking capacity, pricing, and development standards (minimums, maximums, and incentives to reduce parking);

• Significance of the use of and deficiencies in the street, sidewalk, and trail/bicycle path network for bicyclists and pedestrians and deficiencies in end of trip facilities (e.g., bike parking, storage and shower/locker facilities) necessary to support bicyclists and pedestrians;

• Estimated commute mode share in the GTEC for transit, rideshare, bike and walk for all employers;

• Number and size of CTR-affected employers and commute mode share by CTR employees; and

• Local and regional transportation demand management strategies available to businesses in the GTEC, including incentives and programs that promote nondrive-alone travel.

(III) Local and regional economic development plans.

(B) Projected future conditions and characteristics. Jurisdictions shall use existing data, plans and programs to describe anticipated changes in the future. Jurisdictions shall use projections of future growth to evaluate how it will affect transportation access and economic development in the GTEC. Factors may include, but are not limited to:

(I) Projected population and employment growth for at least ten and twenty years;

(II) Projected changes in land use types and intensities for at least ten and twenty years;

(III) Forecasts of traffic, delay, mode share, and parking needs for at least ten years to provide information on the location, timing, and capacity needs of future growth, as well as to describe the costs to accommodate growth under the status quo (for example, describing the projected parking costs, delay, and other costs that will be incurred from future growth); and

(IV) Identification of jurisdiction plans, policies and capital programs for the provision of infrastructure, services and amenities to support planned growth and reduce single-occupant-vehicle trips, including additional transit routes, HOV capacity, pricing strategies and nonmotorized facilities and amenities.

(iv) Gap analysis. Using the information gathered in discussion of the existing and projected future conditions and characteristics, the local jurisdiction and its partners shall evaluate the degree to which existing and future services, policies, and programs will be sufficient to maintain or improve transportation access and increase the proportion of nondrive-alone travel as the area grows. This evaluation shall describe the gaps between what services, policies and programs will be available versus what may be needed to address the projected conditions. The jurisdiction's evaluation of its own policies, programs, and regulations shall include, but is not limited to an evaluation of land use and transportation regulations, including parking policies and ordinances, streetscape design standards, development requirements, concurrency policies, level of service standards, assessment of impact fees, and zoning, to determine the extent that they can reduce the need for drive-alone travel and attract and maintain a mix of complementary land uses, particularly uses that generate pedestrian activity and transit ridership.

(v) Description of program goals and measurements. The state's goal for the GTEC program is to provide greater access to employment and residential centers while increasing the proportion of people not driving alone during peak periods on the state highway system. The GTEC program plan's established goals and targets shall be more aggressive than the minimum goal for the urban growth area established by the jurisdiction, in accordance with RCW 70.94.528(1). The GTEC's established goals and targets shall be designed to maintain or improve transportation access and increase the proportion of nondrive-alone travel as the area grows. The goals and targets shall be designed to support achievement of local and regional goals for transportation and land use.

(A) Goals and targets. Jurisdictions shall have flexibility in establishing GTEC goals and targets, as long as the targets are certified by the RTPO to be more aggressive than the minimum targets for the urban growth area established by the jurisdiction. The RTPO shall certify that the GTEC program targets meet this standard if the GTEC program goal is to reduce, on a relative or absolute basis, more drive-alone trips or more vehicle miles traveled than the minimum base CTR program target in the urban growth area.

The GTEC targets shall be expressed in terms of changes from a base year value.

The RTPO shall determine in the GTEC certification report if the GTEC program target meets the standard defined in RCW 70.94.528(1), and work with WSDOT to evaluate how attainment of the target will affect the performance of the state highway system.

(B) Performance measures. The GTEC program plan shall describe the methodology for measuring the program's performance. The program's performance shall be measured at least once every two years after the base year measurement in order to assess progress toward the established GTEC goals and targets. The program's measurement methodology shall be consistent with the GTEC guidelines established by WSDOT and listed on the agency's website.

(vi) Description of program strategies. Using the gap analysis evaluation, the local jurisdiction and its partners shall identify what new or revised services, policies and programs may be needed in order to meet the GTEC's established goals and targets.

The local jurisdiction shall consult with appropriate representatives of local transit agencies, the applicable RTPO, business associations and economic development organizations, nonprofit transportation and land use advocacy organizations, public health agencies, and residents, employees and businesses that will be affected by the GTEC so that they may provide their perception of what services, policies and programs are needed to meet the GTEC's established goals and targets. The state's intent is for the discussion to be an open, collaborative process, and for all of the parties to think about how they may be able to improve their own services, policies and programs, or develop stronger partnerships, in order to support the GTEC's established goals and targets.

The GTEC program plan shall identify the target population that will be the focus of the plan, as well as the services, policies and programs that will be needed in order to meet the GTEC's established goals and targets. These may include new services, policies and programs or improvements to existing services, policies and programs. The state recognizes that program strategies will vary across the state, depending on local conditions, needs, partnerships, and resources.

The GTEC program plan may include but is not limited to the following strategies:

(A) Improvements to policies and regulations;

(B) New services and facilities; and

(C) New marketing and incentive programs.

(vii) Financial plan. The GTEC program plan shall include a sustainable financial plan that demonstrates how the jurisdiction plans to implement the GTEC program to meet its goals and targets. The plan shall describe resources from public and private sources that are reasonably expected to be made available to carry out the plan, and recommend any innovating financing techniques consistent with chapter 47.29 RCW, including public/private partnerships, to finance needed facilities, services, and programs. The plan shall specifically describe when and how the expected funding resources will fund the plan's strategies. The plan shall describe how locally derived funding resources will be leveraged as a match to state GTEC program funds allocated through the CTR board according to its funding policy. The plan shall describe the jurisdiction's contingency plan if anticipated funds do not become available to support the plan. Jurisdictions may consider using other state TDM funding resources, including the trip reduction performance program, the vanpool investment program, the rideshare tax credit, and the regional mobility grant program, in funding their GTEC programs.

(viii) Proposed organizational structure for implementing the program. The GTEC program plan shall identify the organization or organizations that are proposed to administer the GTEC program. The plan shall describe the roles of the local jurisdiction's partners by describing who will implement the various strategies identified in the plan and when the elements of the plan are expected to be implemented. If the jurisdiction will update its comprehensive plan to be consistent with the GTEC program plan, it shall describe which elements need updating and when the update will occur.

(ix) Documentation of public outreach. The GTEC program plan shall document the level and frequency of outreach and consultation with local transit agencies, the applicable RTPO, major employers, and other affected parties in the development of the GTEC program plan. The jurisdiction may choose to include letters of support from business associations, developers, employers and others as documentation of consultation. When submitting the plan to the RTPO for certification, the local jurisdiction shall include letters of support from those partners that are expected to contribute resources to the plan or intend to work with the local jurisdiction to develop future strategies and funding resources for the GTEC.

(x) Description of relationship to local CTR plan. Jurisdictions shall describe the relationship of the GTEC program plan to the base CTR program in the local CTR plan. The narrative shall include information about what the GTEC plan adds beyond the requirements and strategies in the base CTR program, and the expected benefits of the GTEC plan for the base CTR program.

(3) Support for GTECs.

(a) Prioritization. RCW 70.94.528 requires transit agencies, local governments, and RTPOs to identify certified GTECs as priority areas for new service and facility investments in their respective investment plans. Transit agencies, local governments, regional transportation planning organizations, and the state shall identify certified growth and transportation efficiency centers as priority areas for new service and facility investments in future updates of their investment plans, as required by RCW 70.94.528(1). Periodically, the CTR board shall evaluate the degree to which prioritization of GTECs has occurred.

(i) Transit development plan. The local transit agency shall examine and revise funding prioritization policies, recognizing funding constraints and competing priorities, in order to meet the state's intent to prioritize certified GTECs for investments in facilities, services, and amenities in its transit development plan.

(ii) City and county six-year comprehensive transportation programs. The city or county shall examine and revise funding prioritization policies, recognizing funding constraints and competing priorities, in order to meet the state's intent to prioritize certified GTECs for investments in facilities, services, and amenities in its comprehensive transportation program.

(iii) Regional transportation plan. The RTPO shall examine and revise funding prioritization policies, recognizing funding constraints and competing priorities, in order to meet the state's intent to prioritize certified GTECs for investments in facilities, services, and amenities in its regional transportation plan.

(iv) State plans. WSDOT, the department of community, trade, and economic development, the transportation improvement board and the public works trust fund shall examine funding prioritization policies, recognizing funding constraints and competing priorities, in order to meet the state's intent to prioritize certified GTECs for investments in facilities and services as part of state plans and programs.

(b) Integration. The GTEC program plan shall be incorporated into other plans and programs, including local comprehensive plans and transportation improvement programs, as they are updated after January 1, 2008.

(1) Criteria and process for opt-in. RCW 70.94.537 (2)(h) requires WSDOT to establish criteria and a process to determine whether jurisdictions that voluntarily implement CTR are eligible for state funding. Jurisdictions that are not required to implement CTR may volunteer to participate in the program. The state CTR board is not required to provide state CTR program funding to jurisdictions that opt-in. WSDOT shall provide technical assistance to opt-in jurisdictions that meet the requirements of these rules. The state intends for each jurisdiction participating in CTR to implement a consistent set of requirements for employers. Therefore, jurisdictions that opt-in to the CTR program shall follow the requirements of the rules, with the following exceptions listed below.

(a) Local CTR plan. Voluntary jurisdictions may, instead of developing a stand-alone CTR plan meeting the planning requirements described in these rules, develop an amendment to the transportation element of the local comprehensive plan. The amendment shall contain the following:

(i) Goals and numerical targets for reductions in the proportion of single-occupant vehicle commute trips and vehicle miles traveled per CTR commuter for the area established by the jurisdiction;

(ii) An assessment of current conditions and how attainment of the program goal can help the jurisdiction meet its broader growth and transportation goals;

(iii) A description of local services that will help the jurisdiction and its employers meet the goals and targets;

(iv) A description of the requirements for employers;

(v) A determination of the base year value and how progress toward meeting the program goal will be measured, consistent with the measurement guidelines issued by WSDOT; and

(vi) A description of how the program will be funded and administered.

The jurisdiction must adopt the comprehensive plan amendment and adopt an ordinance implementing the CTR requirements described in the comprehensive plan to be considered an opt-in CTR jurisdiction.

(b) State technical assistance. After an opt-in jurisdiction provides confirmation to the CTR board that a CTR ordinance has been adopted and the jurisdiction has updated its comprehensive plan to include CTR plan information, the jurisdiction shall be eligible to receive a comparable level of technical assistance that WSDOT provides to other jurisdictions required to adopt and implement CTR plans.

(2) Criteria and procedure for RTPOs to propose to add urban growth areas. RCW 70.94.537 (2)(f) requires WSDOT to establish criteria and procedures for RTPOs in consultation with local jurisdictions to propose to add urban growth areas. In their regional CTR plans, RTPOs may propose to add urban growth areas to the CTR program. The proposal shall list the jurisdictions in the urban growth area proposed to be added, and shall include documentation of the jurisdiction's consent to be added to the CTR program. If the proposed additions are accepted by the CTR board, the identified, consenting jurisdictions in the added urban growth areas shall be considered as opt-in jurisdictions. The opt-in jurisdictions shall be eligible to receive a comparable level of technical assistance that WSDOT provides to other jurisdictions required to adopt and implement CTR plans. The state CTR board is not required to provide state CTR program funding to jurisdictions that opt-in.

The CTR board shall consider proposed additions to the CTR program as part of its review of the regional CTR plan. In order for a jurisdiction to be approved as an opt-in jurisdiction through the regional CTR plan, the regional CTR plan shall include the following elements for each opt-in jurisdiction:

(a) Goals and numerical targets for reductions in the proportion of single-occupant vehicle commute trips and vehicle miles traveled per CTR commuter established by the proposed jurisdiction for the urban growth area and its employers;

(b) An assessment of current conditions and how attainment of the program goal can help the proposed jurisdiction meets its broader growth and transportation goals;

(c) A description of local services that will help the proposed jurisdiction and its employers meet the goals and targets;

(d) A description of the requirements for employers;

(e) A determination of the base year value and how progress toward meeting the program goal will be measured, consistent with the measurement guidelines issued by WSDOT; and

(f) A description of how the program will be funded and administered.

(3) Criteria and procedure for RTPOs to propose to exempt urban growth areas. RCW 70.94.537 (2)(f) requires WSDOT to establish criteria and procedures for RTPOs in consultation with local jurisdictions to propose to exempt urban growth areas.

(a) Exemption criteria. In order for their urban growth area to be exempted, jurisdictions must document in the submittal of their local CTR plan that they meet the following criteria:

(i) Development of a local CTR plan that meets the requirements in these rules;

(ii) The jurisdiction is not currently experiencing any problems with traffic congestion or traffic safety; and

(iii) The jurisdiction has not received any state transportation funding, including grant funding, for transportation improvements in the urban growth area within two years of the submittal of the local CTR plan;

(b) Exemption application process. A jurisdiction that seeks an urban growth area exemption shall notify its RTPO as part of the submittal of its local CTR plan. If the RTPO concurs with the urban growth area exemption request, the RTPO will submit the urban growth area exemption request with the regional CTR plan to the CTR board. The urban growth area exemption request shall describe why the exemption is justified.

RTPOs shall submit any urban growth area exemption requests to the CTR board by October 1, 2007, or by March 31 every two years thereafter. The CTR board may consider urban growth area exemption requests at other times.

The CTR board shall consider the proposed urban growth area exemption while reviewing the regional CTR plan, and approve or deny the urban growth area exemption. The CTR board shall state the reasoning for its decision and communicate the information in writing to the RTPO.

If the CTR board grants the urban growth area exemption, the jurisdiction is exempt from the requirements of the CTR law until the regional CTR plan is updated and the exemption is reevaluated.

If the CTR board denies the urban growth area exemption, the jurisdiction may appeal the decision to the secretary of transportation or his/her designee within sixty days of the board's decision by submitting a written request for appeal to the secretary of transportation or his/her designee. The secretary of transportation or his/her designee shall consider the appeal within sixty days of the jurisdiction's request. If the secretary of transportation or his/her designee grants the appeal, the exemption shall be granted by the CTR board. If the secretary of transportation or his/her designee denies the appeal, the jurisdiction is required to follow the CTR requirements and the regional CTR plan must reflect the inclusion of the jurisdiction's CTR plan.

(c) Reevaluation of exemption. As part of the regional CTR plan update, RTPOs, in consultation with local jurisdictions, shall reevaluate any exempted urban growth areas to assess whether the conditions that qualified the area for the exemption have changed. For each proposed urban growth area, the RTPO shall discuss its reasoning for a continued exemption or removal of exemption with the CTR board, and the CTR board will decide whether or not a change is warranted.