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Home My WebLink AboutAppendix I - Economics DR I-405, Renton Nickel Improvement Project, I-5 to SR 169 ECONOMIC ELEMENTS DISCIPLINE REPORT October 2005 %&e( !"b$ AÉ !"`$ !"`$ Aæ %&e( Bothell Kirkland Bellevue Renton AÊ AÐ Aí Aô AÌ Aí Aç AÅ Lake Washington Arterial Road Freeway Municipality Lake Park M0 2 Miles I-405 Project Area Renton Nickel Improvement Project ECONOMIC ELEMENTS DISCIPLINE REPORT I-405, Renton Nickel Improvement Project Prepared for Washington State Department of Transportation Urban Corridors Office And Federal Highway Administration Prepared by Brett Sheckler, Berk & Associates Erica Natali, Berk & Associates October 11, 2005 Title VI WSDOT ensures full compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by prohibiting discrimination against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin or sex in the provision of benefits and services resulting from its federally assisted programs and activities. For questions regarding WSDOT's Title VI Program, you may contact the Department's Title VI Coordinator at 360. 705.7098. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information If you would like copies of this document in an alternate format—large print, Braille, cassette tape, or on computer disk, please call 360.705.7097. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, please call the Washington State Telecommunications Relay Service, or Tele-Braille at 7-1-1, Voice 1.800.833.6384, and ask to be connected to 360.705.7097. Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report i T ABLE OF C ONTENTS Glossary.............................................................................................................................................................................iii Acronyms and Abbreviations Used in this Report ........................................................................................................iv Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................1 What is the Renton Nickel Improvement Project? ...........................................................................................................1 What is the No Build Alternative?................................................................................................................................2 What is the Build Alternative?.....................................................................................................................................2 How will stormwater from the project be managed? .................................................................................................12 What environmental and utilities issues influenced the project design and what was done to avoid and minimize project effects?....................................................................................................................................13 What is planned for wetland and stream mitigation?.....................................................................................................16 What benefits will the project provide?......................................................................................................................17 How will the project incorporate community design preferences?.............................................................................17 How will the project be constructed?.........................................................................................................................18 Why do we consider economics as we plan this project?..............................................................................................19 What are the key points of this report?..........................................................................................................................20 Existing Conditions.........................................................................................................................................................21 How was economic information collected?....................................................................................................................21 What data sources were used?.....................................................................................................................................21 What geographic area is included in the analysis?........................................................................................................22 What are the population and housing trends in the study area?....................................................................................23 What is the study area’s commercial character?...........................................................................................................24 Who are the major employers?.................................................................................................................................30 What role does commerce in the study area play in the regional economy?............................................................30 What changes are expected in the area’s pattern of employment in future years?...................................................31 What is the main tax base in the study area?................................................................................................................33 Potential Effects...............................................................................................................................................................35 What methods of analysis were used to study the project’s potential effects?..............................................................35 Effects During Construction.......................................................................................................................................35 Effects During Operation...........................................................................................................................................35 How will the construction of the project affect conditions for commerce and businesses?............................................36 How many jobs and how much income will be created during construction of the project?...........................................37 Construction-related Employment.............................................................................................................................37 Construction Interference..........................................................................................................................................38 How many businesses will be relocated?......................................................................................................................38 What effect will the project have on local tax revenues?...............................................................................................38 What effect will the improvements have on the economy during operation?.................................................................39 What would the economic effects be of a No Build Alternative?....................................................................................39 What would the effects be during construction?........................................................................................................39 What would the effects be during operation?............................................................................................................39 What would the indirect effects be?..........................................................................................................................40 What indirect effects will the project have on the economy?.........................................................................................40 Measures to Avoid or Minimize Project Effects ............................................................................................................41 TABLE OF CONTENTS Renton Nickel Improvement Project ii Economic Elements Discipline Report How will temporary effects on business owners be reduced or mitigated?................................................................... 41 References....................................................................................................................................................................... 42 E XHIBITS Exhibit 1. Project Vicinity Map..........................................................................................................................................1 Exhibit 2. Project Overview Section 1..............................................................................................................................3 Exhibit 3. Project Overview Section 2..............................................................................................................................4 Exhibit 4. Project Overview Section 3..............................................................................................................................5 Exhibit 5. Project Overview Section 4..............................................................................................................................6 Exhibit 6. Project Overview Section 5..............................................................................................................................7 Exhibit 7. Project Overview Section 6..............................................................................................................................8 Exhibit 8. Project Overview Section 7..............................................................................................................................9 Exhibit 9. Project Overview Section 8............................................................................................................................10 Exhibit 10. Affected Area for Economic Assessment.....................................................................................................23 Exhibit 11. Current and Forecasted Population.............................................................................................................24 Exhibit 12. Construction and Resources Sector Employment........................................................................................25 Exhibit 13. Manufacturing Sector Employment..............................................................................................................26 Exhibit 14. Wholesale Trade, Transportation, Communications, and Utilities (WTCU) Sector Employment.................27 Exhibit 15. Retail Sector Employment............................................................................................................................28 Exhibit 16. FIRES Sector Employment..........................................................................................................................29 Exhibit 17. Current and Forecasted Employment Area by Sector..................................................................................30 Exhibit 18. Current and Forecasted Total Employment.................................................................................................31 Exhibit 19. Current and Projected Employment by Sector.............................................................................................32 Exhibit 20. Current and Projected Employment Location Quotients by Sector..............................................................33 Exhibit 21. Principal Sources of City General Fund Revenue by City............................................................................34 Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report iii GLOSSARY acquisition The purchasing of property for use as right-of-way or for other purposes necessary for completion of the project. census tracts Census tracts are small, fairly permanent subdivisions of a county. Their delineations are determined by a local committee of users of census data in order to present such data. They are designed to contain somewhat homogeneous population and economic characteristics as well as living conditions. Census tracts average 4,000 inhabitants. general fund The principle repository and source of operating revenues for the day-to-day operation of a city. The general fund is used to account for revenues and expenditures that are not accounted for through restricted-use funds (e.g., road funds, surface water management funds, or capital funds). indirect effect Indirect effects are those associated with independent actions, which may occur as a result of the improvement project, but are not under the control of project decision makers. They can be seen as “ripple effects” of the proposed action (NCHRP 2002). location quotients An area’s location quotient for a given sector of employment is calculated by comparing the area’s share of regional employment in that sector with the area’s total share of regional employment. For example, if an area has 10% of the region’s retail jobs and 5% of the region’s total jobs, then the location factor is 2.0 (10% / 5% = 2.0). multiplier effect The introduction of new demand for local goods or services, such as an increase in tourist spending or an investment in infrastructure, generates additional purchases of goods and services from suppliers. It also causes the recirculation of dollars in the economy due to purchases made by wage earners. This additional spending from supplier purchases and wage- earner spending is called the multiplier effect. Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) The Puget Sound Regional Council is an association of cities, towns, counties, ports, and state agencies that serves as a forum for developing policies and making decisions about regional growth and transportation issues in the four-county central Puget Sound region. raw data Data which has not yet been subjected to analysis. right-of-way Land legally established for public use by pedestrians, vehicles, or utilities. Regional Transportation Investment District The regional district comprising King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, created by Washington State statute with the goal of developing a regional transportation investment plan. The plan will identify a list of projects to be funded and will develop a proposed tax and fee package for public approval, via ballot, that will serve as a district-specific source of revenues for plan implementation. right-in, right-out Traffic design that limits traffic flow in and out of a driveway to right turns only. This generally improves traffic flow and safety. sector A categorical grouping of industries into types based on specific industries with common characteristics. As used in this document, all commercial activities are organized into six sectors: (1) construction/resources, (2) manufacturing, (3) wholesale trade, transportation, communications, and utilities (WTCU), (4) retail, (5) finance, insurance, real estate, and services (FIRES), and (6) government/education. spatial analysis The process of analyzing and evaluating the geographic location of pertinent information. transportation analysis zone A geographical unit that is used for data collection and for forecasting/transportation modeling by the Puget Sound Regional Council. Transportation analysis zones are generally equivalent to two census tracts. Renton Nickel Improvement Project iv Economic Elements Discipline Report ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS REPORT EA environmental assessment Ecology Washington State Department of Ecology EIS environmental impact statement FIRES Finance, insurance, real estate and services GIS geographic information systems IMPLAN Impact Analysis for Planning NEPA National Environmental Policy Act PSRC Puget Sound Regional Council SEPA State Environmental Policy Act SR State Route TAZ transportation analysis zone USDOT U.S. Department of Transportation WSDOT Washington State Department of Transportation WTCU Wholesale trade, transportation, communications and utilities Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 1 INTRODUCTION What is the Renton Nickel Improvement Project? The Renton Nickel Improvement Project is a highway expansion project that will improve mobility and safety through Tukwila and Renton. On I-405, this project begins just east of the I-5/I-405 interchange in Tukwila and extends north past the Cedar River to the SR 169 (Maple Valley Highway) interchange. The project will build an additional lane both northbound and southbound between I-5 and SR 169. On SR 167, the project will extend the southbound high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane north to I-405 and add a southbound auxiliary lane from I-405 to the SW 41st Street off-ramp. These limits comprise the study area for the project. Prior to planning this specific project, WSDOT created the I-405 Corridor Program. This program provides a comprehensive strategy to reduce congestion and improve mobility throughout the I-405 corridor. The corridor begins at the I-5 interchange in the city of Tukwila and extends northward 30 miles to the I-5 interchange in the city of Lynnwood. The program’s purpose is to provide an efficient, integrated, and multimodal system of transportation solutions. Using the I-405 Corridor Program’s Selected Alternative as the Master Plan to improve I-405, WSDOT developed relatively low cost, congestion relief roadway improvements as an interim step in achieving the Master Plan. As part of this effort, WSDOT began to define the Renton Nickel Improvement Project. The Renton Nickel Improvement Project was developed as part of a first step in providing a focused strategy to improve I-405 between I-5 in Tukwila and SR 169 in Renton and SR 167 southbound from I-405 to SW 41st Street, see Exhibit 1. This discipline report analyzes two project alternatives: the No Build Alternative and the Build Alternative. Exhibit 1. Project Vicinity Map G r e en R i v e r C e d ar Riv er Interurban TrailCedar River Interpretive Trail Panther Creek Wetlands Green River TrailBlack River Riparian Forest Fort Dent Park Cedar River Park Liberty Park SW 41st St S W 3 4 t h S t S W 2 7 t h S t SW 16th St Southcenter ParkwayW Valley HwyI n t e r u r ban Ave SMa ple V alley H w yRainier Ave SS W Sun s e t B lvdS W 7 t h S t S W G r a d y W a y Lind Ave SWTUKWILA RENTON S pri n g br ook CreekBenson Rd SSW 23rd St Talbot Rd SBenson Dr SI-405 Northern Project Limit at SR 169 I-405 Southern Project Limit at I-5 !"`$ %&e( Aæ Aç Aí SR 167 Southern Project Limit at SW 41st St 0 0.25 0.5 Miles M AÅ Arterial Road Freeway Trail Stream Lake Park Municipality INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project 2 Economic Elements Discipline Report What is the No Build Alternative? The No Build Alternative assumes that only routine activities such as road maintenance, repair, and safety improvements would take place over the next 20 years. This alternative does not include improvements to increase roadway capacity or reduce congestion. For these reasons, it does not satisfy the project’s purpose—improve I-405 between I-5 in Tukwila and SR 169 in Renton and SR 167 southbound from I-405 to SW 41st Street. The No Build Alternative has been evaluated in this discipline report to establish a baseline for comparing the effects associated with the Build Alternative. What is the Build Alternative? The new lanes that will be built under this project are: An I-405 northbound general-purpose (GP) lane from I-5 to the SR 167 off-ramp. An I-405 northbound auxiliary lane from the SR 167 to I-405 on-ramp to the SR 169 off-ramp. An I-405 southbound auxiliary lane from the SR 169 to I-405 on-ramp to the SR 167 off-ramp. An I-405 southbound GP lane from the SR 167 to I-405 on-ramp to the I-5 off-ramp. A SR 167 southbound auxiliary lane from I-405 to the SW 41st Street off-ramp. Also, the existing inside HOV lane will be extended north to I-405 from its present starting point in the vicinity of SW 21st Street. See Exhibits 2 through 9 show the project features. In addition to adding lanes to I-405 and SR 167, this project will provide the following improvements. Improve Interchanges Minor modifications will be made to the ramps at the SR 167 interchange: The one-lane ramp from northbound I-405 to SR 167 will be widened to a 2-lane off connection, which provides a dedicated lane to southbound SR 167 and a dedicated lane to northbound Rainer Avenue. See Exhibit 5. Traffic from two consecutive single-lane on- ramps from southbound I-405 to SR 167 will be separated by a concrete barrier. This will provide a smoother transition to the mainline and reduce congestion on the on-ramps. What is an auxiliary lane? An auxiliary lane is a lane added between interchanges—from one on-ramp to the next off-ramp. It is dedicated to traffic entering and leaving the freeway and provides motorists with more time and extra room to accelerate or decelerate and merge when getting on and off the freeway. 89:P 89:T Existing On-ramp On-ramp with proposed auxiliary lane INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 3 T u k w i l a P a r k w a y I-405 Southern Project Limit at I-5 Gilliam Creek Cottage Creek Westfield Shoppingtown MallSouthcenter ParkwaySouthcenter Blvd 65th Ave STUKWILA RENTON!"`$ %&e( Sec. 1 Sec. 2 Sec. 3 Sec. 4 Sec. 5 Sec. 6 Sec. 7 Aæ Aç Sec. 8 Aí I-405 Northboundbound Improvements: A general-purpose lane will be added by restriping the existing pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at some locations. I-405 Southbound Improvements: A general-purpose lane will be added by restriping the existing pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at some locations. M0250500 Feet I-405 NORTHBOUND Existing Proposed I-405 SOUTHBOUND Existing Proposed Renton Renton Piped River/Creek Channel Open River/Creek Channel Ecology EmbankmentÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Retaining Wall Stormwater Flow Control Facility New Pavement Easement Acquisition Parcel Acquisition Existing ROW Areas of Construction New ROW Exhibit 2. Project Overview Section 1 INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project 4 Economic Elements Discipline Report ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃInterurban TrailFort Dent Park W Valley HwyInterurban Ave S RENT ONT UKWI L AG r e en RiverSouthcenter B lv d65th Ave SAí %&e( %&e(UP RRBNSF RRBridge Restripe Only Bridge Rail Replacement Bridge Rail Replacement M o n s t e r R d S WTUKWILA RENTON!"`$ %&e( Sec. 1 Sec. 2 Sec. 3 Sec. 4 Sec. 5 Sec. 6 Sec. 7 Aæ Aç Sec. 8 Aí I-405 Northbound Improvements: A general-purpose lane will be added by restriping the existing pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at some locations. I-405 Southbound Improvements: A general-purpose lane will be added by restriping the existing pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at some locations. M0250500 Feet I-405 SOUTHBOUND Existing Proposed Renton Renton I-405 NORTHBOUND Existing Proposed %&e( Retaining Wall Piped River/Creek Channel Open River/Creek Channel ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Ecology Embankment Stormwater Flow Control Facility New Pavement Areas of Construction Easement Acquisition Parcel Acquisition Existing ROW New ROW Exhibit 3. Project Overview Section 2 INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 5 ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ SW 16th St S W G r a d y W a y SW G ra d y W a y Oakesdale Ave SWSW 16th St %&e( Potential Staging Area Bridge Replacement S prin g br o o k Cr eekBridge Replacement TUKWILA RENTON!"`$ %&e( Sec. 1 Sec. 2 Sec. 3 Sec. 4 Sec. 5 Sec. 6 Sec. 7 Aæ Aç Sec. 8 Aí I-405 Northbound Improvements: A general-purpose lane will be added by restriping the existing pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at some locations. The existing Springbrook Creek and Oakesdale Avenue bridges will be replaced and the existing culvert will be removed. I-405 Southbound Improvements: A general-purpose lane will be added by restriping the existing pavement and adding pavement up to 70 feet to the outside at some locations. The existing Springbrook Creek and Oakesdale Avenue bridges will be replaced and the existing culvert will be removed.M0250500 Feet I-405 SOUTHBOUND Existing Proposed Renton Renton I-405 NORTHBOUND Existing Proposed Piped River/Creek Channel Open River/Creek Channel ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Ecology Embankment Retaining Wall Stormwater Flow Control Facility New Pavement Areas of Construction Easement Acquisition Parcel Acquisition Existing ROW New ROW Exhibit 4. Project Overview Section 3 INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project 6 Economic Elements Discipline Report ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ SW 19th StLind Ave SWS G r a d y W a y Aæ %&e( Potential Staging Area Noise Wall Renton CinemaRolling Hills Creek Panther Creek Wetlands SW 16th St Lake AveSouthRainier Ave STUKWILA RENTON!"`$ %&e( Sec. 1 Sec. 2 Sec. 3 Sec. 4 Sec. 5 Sec. 6 Sec. 7 Aæ Aç Sec. 8 Aí I-405 Northbound Improvements: A general-purpose lane will be added up to the SR 167 interchange and an auxiliary lane will be added from the SR 167 to I-405 on-ramp north. These lanes will be added by restriping the existing pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at some locations. I-405 Southbound Improvements: An auxiliary lane will be added up to the I-405 to SR 167 on-ramp and a general-purpose lane will be added south of the interchange. These lanes will be added by restriping the existing pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at some locations. SR 167 Southbound Improvements: An auxiliary lane will be added by restriping existing pavement and adding up to 19 feet of pavement at the outside at some locations. The existing HOV lane will be extended north from SW 21st Street to the interchange with I-405.M0250500 Feet I-405 SOUTHBOUND Existing Proposed Renton Renton I-405 NORTHBOUND Existing Proposed SR 167 SOUTHBOUND Existing Proposed Renton ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Piped River/Creek Channel Open River/Creek Channel Proposed Noise Wall ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Ecology Embankment Retaining Wall Stormwater Flow Control Facility New Pavement Areas of Construction Easement Acquisition Parcel Acquisition Existing ROW New ROW Exhibit 5. Project Overview Section 4 INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 7 ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃPanther Creek Wetlands S W 2 7 t h S t Talbot Rd SEast Valley RdTalbot Rd SPotential Staging Area SW 23rd St TUKWILA RENTON!"`$ %&e( Sec. 1 Sec. 2 Sec. 3 Sec. 4 Sec. 5 Sec. 6 Sec. 7 Aæ Aç Sec. 8 Aí SR 167 Improvements: In addition to extending the HOV lane north from SW 21st Street, an auxiliary lane will be added by restriping the existing pavement and adding pavement up to 19 feet to the outside at some locations. M0250500 Feet SR 167 SOUTHBOUND Existing Proposed Renton RentonÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Piped River/Creek Channel Open River/Creek Channel ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Ecology Embankment Retaining Wall Stormwater Flow Control Facility New Pavement Areas of Construction Easement Acquisition Parcel Acquisition Existing ROW New ROW Exhibit 6. Project Overview Section 5 INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project 8 Economic Elements Discipline Report ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃSW 41st St S W 3 3 r d S t Panther CreekEast Valley RdTalbot Rd SLind Ave SWAæ SR 167 Southern Project Limit at SW 41st St TUKWILA RENTON!"`$ %&e( Sec. 1 Sec. 2 Sec. 3 Sec. 4 Sec. 5 Sec. 6 Sec. 7 Aæ Aç Sec. 8 Aí SR 167 Improvements: An auxiliary lane will be added by restriping the existing pavement and adding pavement up to 19 feet to the outside at some locations. The new lane will tie into the existing ramp connection to SW 41st Street. M0250500 Feet SR 167 SOUTHBOUND Existing Proposed Renton Renton Piped River/Creek Channel Open River/Creek Channel ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Ecology Embankment Retaining Wall Stormwater Flow Control Facility New Pavement Areas of Construction Easement Acquisition Parcel Acquisition Existing ROW New ROW Exhibit 7. Project Overview Section 6 INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 9 ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃS G rady W ayB e a c o n S 7 t h S tWilliams %&e( Potential Staging Area Replace Bridge Bridge Widening Existing Bridge to be Demolished Thunder Hills Creek Rolling Hills Creek Noise Wall Benson Rd STalbot Rd STUKWILA RENTON!"`$ %&e( Sec, 1 Sec. 2 Sec. 3 Sec. 4 Sec. 5 Sec. 6 Sec. 7 Aæ Aç Sec. 8 Aí I-405 Northbound Improvements: An auxiliary lane will be added by restriping the existing pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at some locations. I-405 Southbound Improvements: An auxiliary lane will be added by restriping the existing pavement and adding pavement up to 24 feet to the outside at some locations. Benson Rd S Improvements: The Benson Rd S overpass will be replaced and realigned to the west of its current location. The new overpass will have 2 lanes with 5-foot bike lanes on both sides and a 6-foot sidewalk on the west side.M0250500 Feet I-405 NORTHBOUND Existing Proposed I-405 SOUTHBOUND Existing Proposed Renton Renton Parcel Acquisition New ROW Existing ROW Easement Acquisition Areas of Construction New Pavement Stormwater Flow Control Facility Retaining Wall ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Ecology Embankment Proposed Noise Wall Piped River/Creek Channel Open River/Creek Channel Exhibit 8. Project Overview Section 7 INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project 10 Economic Elements Discipline Report C edar River Cedar River Interpretive Trail Cedar River Park Liberty Park Ma p l e V a ll e y H w y H o u s e r W a y S N 3 r d S t Bronson Wa y N%&e( I-405 Northern Project Limit at SR 169 Aç Restripe Only Main AvenueCedar Ave SRenton Ave STUKWILA RENTON!"`$ %&e( Sec. 1 Sec. 2 Sec. 3 Sec. 4 Sec. 5 Sec. 6 Sec. 7 Aæ Aç Sec. 8 Aí I-405 Northbound Improvements: An auxiliary lane will be added by restriping the existing pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at some locations. I-405 Southbound Improvements: An auxiliary lane will be added by restriping the existing pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at some locations. M0250500 Feet I-405 NORTHBOUND Existing Proposed I-405 SOUTHBOUND Existing Proposed Renton Renton Piped River/Creek Channel Open River/Creek Channel ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Ecology Embankment Retaining Wall Stormwater Flow Control Facility New Pavement Areas of Construction Easement Acquisition Parcel Acquisition Existing ROW New ROW Exhibit 9. Project Overview Section 8 INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 11 Improve Benson Road The Benson Road overpass will be replaced and realigned to accommodate the southbound auxiliary lane on I-405 as well as future improvements to I-405 as shown on Exhibit 8. Improvements on Benson Road include a 6-foot sidewalk on the west side and 5-foot bike lanes on both sides. Widen and replace bridges Several bridges within the study area will be widened or replaced based on present location, cost, and existing soil conditions. To construct the new lanes, the project will: Widen Talbot Road Bridge on both the northbound and the southbound sides. See Exhibit 8. Replace Springbrook Creek Side Channel Bridge and Oakesdale Avenue Bridge with new southbound and northbound structures and remove the Springbrook Creek box culvert. See Exhibit 4. Replace the rail on the I-405 bridges over SR 181 and the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroads. The project will not affect the I-405 bridges over the Green River, Lind Avenue, or the Cedar River. The project will also not affect the Cedar Avenue or Renton Avenue overpasses. The roadway will be restriped in these areas to accommodate the new lanes. Use retaining walls Widening I-405 and SR 167 will require retaining walls to minimize the construction footprint and right-of-way acquisition. Retaining walls will also help avoid and minimize effects to wetlands and other sensitive areas. Improve culverts WSDOT anticipates that construction will affect some existing stormwater cross culverts and one stream culvert. Associated culvert improvements include extending the existing structures due to widening the roadway and stabilizing culvert ends with rock or retaining walls. The I-405 Team will conduct a hydraulic analysis of the culverts to ensure that the modifications will have no effect on the base flood elevations. See the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Discipline Report for detailed discussion on fish passage. Why rebuild Benson Road on a new alignment over I-405? By building the new overpass to the west on a new alignment, the new structure can be constructed while the existing structure remains open to traffic. Traffic can then be shifted onto the new structure, while the old overpass is demolished. What does a “rail” replacement involve? Typically, a bridge rail replacement project consists of making minor adjustments to the width of the bridge deck and replacing the guard rail or barrier. This type of project does not include adding new bridge columns or footings. INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project 12 Economic Elements Discipline Report Build a noise wall One noise wall will be built on the northbound side of the freeway as shown on Exhibits 5 and 8. The wall will begin at the intersection of South 14th Street and South 15th Street and follow South 14th Street east to Talbot Road. This wall will be approximately 2,150 feet long and 18 feet tall. How will stormwater from the project be managed? Stormwater from the project will be managed for both quality and peak flows using currently accepted best management practices (BMPs). The I-405 Team has designed the stormwater management facilities to comply with the following guidelines and procedures: WSDOT Highway Runoff Manual M 31-16 WSDOT Hydraulics Manual M 23-03 Stormwater treatment facilities The project will add new impervious surface within the study area, most of which will be within the Springbrook Creek basin. This project will treat runoff for an area equal to 100 percent of these new surfaces. The project will use BMPs that the HRM lists as enhanced treatment facilities. The I-405 Team has proposed that stormwater be treated using a combination of these facilities. In most of the study area, ecology embankments will be used to capture runoff from the edge of the pavement and provide water quality treatment. Ecology embankments also serve to convey treated runoff to receiving waters or to flow control facilities as required. The project also includes a combined stormwater quality wetland and detention facility that addresses water quality and flow control in one facility. Exhibits 2 through 9 show the location of stormwater facilities that will be built for this project. Ecology Embankment Cross-Section What are the guidelines for stormwater management facilities? Water quality treatment will be provided for an area equal to the new impervious surfaces created on the project. Impervious surfaces, such as pavement, are those that do not allow water to penetrate into the ground. Stormwater from new impervious surfaces or an equal area will be controlled in detention facilities. This process allows water to be held (detained) and thus released at rates that are equal to existing conditions. INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 13 Drainage Collection and Conveyance Some changes to existing drainage will be necessary to provide flow control and water quality treatment to address the new impervious area added by the project. However, existing storm drainage systems will be kept to the greatest extent possible and existing flow patterns will be maintained. Where roadway widening affects drainage ditches that convey water from adjacent private properties, the project design will assure that existing conveyance capacities are maintained. What environmental and utilities issues influenced the project design and what was done to avoid and minimize project effects? Throughout the development of the Renton Nickel Improvement Project design, environmental elements were reviewed and design features were modified to avoid or minimize negative effects to the environment. Influence on the project design came from: Soil Conditions: the soils in the project area are highly prone to accentuate earthquake shaking, which influences how bridges can be widened or replaced. Noise: highway noise in the project area already exceeds acceptable levels, which means that including noise walls as part of the project had to be considered. Wetland Locations: many wetlands are located along the edges of the highway, which influence whether the widened sections will use retaining walls or fill slopes. Historical Sites: some historic sites exist within the study area, so the project design was coordinated to avoid these properties. Because the I-405 Team planned for these environmental considerations, several design features have the benefit of avoiding or minimizing potential effects due to the project. These design features are described from south to north below. I-405, I-5 to SR 167 WSDOT will construct a retaining wall from west of the 68th Avenue structure over I-405 at Tukwila Parkway What are detention facilities? These facilities control stormwater runoff so that it can be released at a controlled rate. Two types are commonly used: Ponds. Vaults. Similar to a pond, but with a hard-sided construction. These concrete structures function like a pond but also provide detention storage. INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project 14 Economic Elements Discipline Report The proposed design modifications allow the additional lanes to be added over the Green River by restriping instead of bridge widening. This avoids effects on the river, stream habitat, floodplain, and Interurban Trail. to the Green River. This wall avoids the need to construct a fill slope that would extend into Gilliam Creek. See Exhibit 2. WSDOT will provide a narrower outside shoulder on northbound I-405 at the Green River Bridge. The shoulder will vary from 10 to just over 3 feet at the west abutment of the existing bridge. Narrowing the shoulder avoids modifications to the existing bridge. As a result, the design also avoids effects to the river, the 100-year floodplain, the ordinary high water level, and adjacent riparian zones. At the SR 181 interchange, the bridge and ramp will be restriped to provide the new general-purpose lane and ramp improvements. This approach minimizes the need to widen the existing SR 181 Bridge, reconstruct the SR 181 interchange, or modify the Southcenter Boulevard crossing of the Green River. This in turn avoids relocating or diverting the Interurban Trail, which goes under the bridge. See Exhibit 3. Near the Westfield Shoppingtown Mall, a large Seattle Public Utilities water transmission line parallels I-405. WSDOT will line this pipe so that is can support the loads from the new roadway embankment. This approach allows the line to stay in its present location. WSDOT will remove the existing I-405 bridges over the Springbrook Creek side channel and Oakesdale Avenue and replace them with a single northbound and a single southbound bridge. This approach will allow for the removal of the Springbrook Creek box culvert. Construction of the new bridges will be phased with the southbound bridge built slightly to the north of the existing roadway. This phasing minimizes the need to construct temporary roadway to maintain traffic operations. WSDOT also evaluated the location of the new bridge piers and selected locations that will minimize the effect on the existing stream, stream buffer, and trail that crosses under the bridge. WSDOT will construct a narrower exit gore from I-405 to the northbound ramp at the SR 167 interchange as shown in Exhibit 5. By building a narrower exit gore, the project can be constructed within the existing right- of-way. This has the benefit of avoiding right-of-way acquisition, avoiding effects to the wetland outside the right-of-way, and avoiding effects to the existing Lind Avenue Bridge. What is an exit gore? An exit gore is a roadway feature that separates an exiting lane from the main lanes. An exit gore can be defined either by paint stripes, raised buttons, physical barriers, or a combination of these. INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 15 Retaining walls will help to avoid and minimize effects on the Panther Creek wetlands along SR 167 SR 167, southbound from I-405 to SW 41st Street WSDOT will build a retaining wall along a large portion of the west edge of SR 167 southbound instead of an earth fill slope. See Exhibits 6 and 7. The retaining wall minimizes effects on three wetlands. The retaining wall has the added benefit of minimizing right-of-way needs and reduces the effect on existing utility crossings, in particular, the City of Seattle’s 60- inch water line and Olympic Petroleum’s two high pressure pipelines, which all cross under SR 167. I-405, SR 167 to SR 169 WSDOT will add a lane by restriping I-405 northbound next to the Talbot Hill retaining wall immediately east of the SR 167 interchange. Restriping instead of widening avoids the need to reconstruct the existing Talbot Hill retaining wall and avoids effects on properties south of I-405 in this area. Between Talbot Road and the “S-Curves”, northbound I-405 will be widened to achieve standard lane and shoulder widths. Most of this length will be supported by retaining walls to minimize effects to Thunder Hills Creek, adjacent properties, and the existing cut slope south of I-405. To support the fill required to widen the roadway on the north side of I-405 next to the outfall for the original Rolling Hills Creek culvert, the design uses a retaining wall. By using the retaining wall, the project improvements at this location can be constructed without affecting the existing culvert. WSDOT will use a non-standard design for the I-405 to SR 167 exit ramp. The changes from the design standards include not providing a recovery lane, narrowing the distance between the through lane and ramp, and providing narrower shoulders. While these changes deviate from WSDOT design standards they are an improvement over existing conditions. These features will avoid effects to the existing Rolling Hills Creek/Thunder Hills Creek channel located between I-405 and the Renton Cinema complex as shown in Exhibit 5. Using retaining walls along the west side of Benson Road avoids effects to Rolling Hills Creek and the wetlands east of Talbot Road. WSDOT will use retaining walls to support widening southbound I-405 south of the Cedar Avenue overpass. Using retaining walls versus a fill slope, avoids encroaching on Cedar Avenue and Main Avenue in Renton. What is a recovery lane? A recovery lane is a paved area adjacent to an off-ramp. This area gives drivers, who find themselves exiting the freeway unintentionally, room to maneuver back onto the freeway. INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project 16 Economic Elements Discipline Report WSDOT also plans to replace the existing Benson Road overpass on a new alignment. The new bridge will be located slightly to the west of the existing bridge. This will allow traffic to continue to use the existing overpass until the new one is completed. This will minimize disruption for local traffic and to emergency response vehicles. Where northbound and southbound I-405 passes under the Renton Avenue and Cedar Avenue overpasses, WSDOT will add lanes by restriping. This design avoids replacing the two overpasses; however, the available area does not allow the standard shoulder and lane widths. WSDOT shifted a proposed stormwater facility to avoid effects to the existing Renton Coal Mine Hoist Foundation site south of Benson Road. This site is on the Washington Historic Register. What is planned for wetland and stream mitigation? WSDOT will compensate for unavoidable effects to wetlands with credits from the Springbrook Creek Wetland and Habitat Mitigation Bank. Mitigation is needed for 1.66 acres of wetlands. The Springbrook Creek Wetland and Habitat Mitigation Bank is being developed as a joint effort between WSDOT and the City of Renton. This ‘bank’ will construct a new high quality wetland complex that will serve to replace other wetlands that are filled in by projects such as the Renton Nickel Improvement Project. The location of the bank is shown to the left. In addition to wetland mitigation, the site will also provide flood storage mitigation. The Springbrook Creek Wetland and Habitat Mitigation Bank will be one of the first urban mitigation banks to be certified in Washington. To mitigate project effects on streams, WSDOT will remove the existing Springbrook Creek box culvert. With the new I-405 southbound and northbound bridges that will span both Springbrook Creek and Oakesdale Avenue, the box culvert is no longer needed. After the new bridges are in place, the box culvert will be removed and the streambed in that area will be restored. This will improve fish habitat within Springbrook Creek. Any additional stream mitigation required to offset project effects will be accommodated within the project vicinity. Renton Coal Mine Hoist Foundation site looking west r Interurban TrailPanther Creek Wetlands Green River TrailFort Dent Park SW 41st St S W 3 4 t h S t S W 2 7 t h S t SW 16th St W Valley HwyS W 7 t h S t S W G r a d y W a y Lind Ave SWS pri n g br ook CreekSW 23rd St Aæ Aí M 0 0.25 0.5 Miles 100 Year Floodplain 500 Year Floodplain Park Renton Tukwila Springbrook Creek Wetland & Habitat Mitigation Bank Wetlands Local Road Legend Trail Arterial Road Freeway River/Creek Channel Study Area Limits Springbrook Creek Wetland and Habitat Mitigation Bank INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 17 What benefits will the project provide? The Build Alternative will benefit the area by reducing congestion at chokepoints, reducing the duration of congestion during peak commuter travel hours, and improving freight movement. This section of I-405, from the I-5 interchange to SR 169, is congested due to large traffic volumes and merging and diverging traffic. The new lanes will help relieve congestion by adding roadway capacity. This in turn will improve safety by providing drivers with more time and extra room to accelerate or decelerate and move into and out of the stream of traffic when getting on and off the freeway. This provides a smoother transition for motorists as they get on and off I-405 in Tukwila and Renton and helps decrease rear- end and sideswipe collisions. The project reduces congestion approaching the SR 167 interchange, and it complements the completed southbound I-405 to southbound SR 167 flyover ramp. This project will construct one noise wall along northbound I-405 from the intersection of South 14th Street and South 15th Street east to Talbot Road. This wall will benefit residents in that area by lowering the overall noise levels. Another benefit of this project is that it continues the application of the Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) design choices made by the communities within the I-405 corridor. The Benson Road realignment will reflect the most comprehensive application of these design choices as explained further in the next section. How will the project incorporate community design preferences? The Renton Nickel Improvement Project is being planned, developed, and designed according to CSS guidelines. These guidelines establish the community design preferences used to design the project features. Working within the framework for the overall I-405 corridor, the Urban Design Guidelines will be adapted to incorporate the communities’ design preferences. These preferences will be included in the contract documents prepared for the Renton Nickel Improvement Project. The selected I-405 theme of “Culture, Nature, and Progress,” with nature This rendering shows the new Benson Road overpass with the CSS Guidelines applied INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project 18 Economic Elements Discipline Report being the dominant theme, will be carried into corridor- wide and local I-405 designs. The new Benson Road overpass is the main project feature that will receive CSS treatment. The new southbound and northbound bridges over Springbrook Creek and Oakesdale Avenue will also receive CSS treatments. The rest of the project elements will be designed to match in color and vegetation type only, as many of these elements will be affected by construction of future Master Plan projects. During future Master Plan phases for the overall I-405 corridor, the approved CSS guidelines will be applied throughout. How will the project be constructed? Construction of the entire Renton Nickel Improvement Project is expected to take two years, beginning in early 2008 and being completed in late 2010. However, construction activity will not be constant for the entire study area throughout this time, and in some locations, the work will take substantially less time than two years. Construction will pose some minor inconveniences because of localized travel delays due to temporary lane closures and narrowed lanes and shoulders. At-grade construction At-grade construction, which occurs on the same elevation as the existing lanes, will be staged to minimize traffic delays and detours. Typically, lanes are shifted toward the median. WSDOT then places a concrete barrier to close off the shoulder. Staging allows construction to occur safely without closing lanes for the duration of construction. Access to construction areas will occur from the roadway side to minimize property effects. Bridge construction Construction of the I-405 bridges will occur in multiple stages to minimize traffic delays and detours. The following describes typical staging for bridge construction. As the first stage, traffic is shifted toward the I-405 median and the existing lanes and shoulders are narrowed slightly to allow widening of the existing structure or construction of the new bridge depending on the design. In the next stage, traffic is shifted onto the new bridge area. If the bridge is being replaced rather than simply widened, the old structure is demolished after traffic is shifted to the new bridge. At-grade construction for this project will likely be staged similar what is shown above. Here, the southbound lanes of I-5 were shifted toward the median and a concrete barrier closed off the shoulder to provide crews a safe work area. INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 19 The new Benson Road overpass will also be staged. The new structure will be built to the west, while the existing overpass remains in service. After traffic has been shifted onto the new overpass, the existing structure will be demolished. Staging areas Construction staging areas along I-405 and SR 167 will be within the WSDOT right-of-way. Potential staging areas have been identified as shown on Exhibits 2 through 9. Traffic control Detour agreements with the local agencies will be obtained after WSDOT awards the contract. A traffic control plan will be approved by WSDOT prior to starting construction. The plan’s primary objectives will be to provide a safe facility, to streamline the construction schedule, and to minimize reductions to existing traffic capacity. To lessen effects on traffic, the duration of activities will be minimized and reductions in capacity will be limited and will be targeted to a period when they will have the least effect. Why do we consider economics as we plan this project? We consider economics as we plan, because economics answers the question: How does an existing or contemplated action contribute to society’s well-being? At its core, economics is the science of allocating scarce resources. In the context of this discipline report, economic analysis focuses on two issues: Overall efficiency: Is the project an effective way to make society, as a whole, better off? Effects on the patterns of commerce: How does the project affect the mechanisms by which people’s needs are met through the exchange of goods and services? WSDOT considers it important to evaluate economic effects and outline key issues that may affect an area’s economic well-being. These issues are outlined in the 2004 Environmental Procedures Manual and take into account the overall economic climate, farm and business activity, employment, property values, and local economy. INTRODUCTION Renton Nickel Improvement Project 20 Economic Elements Discipline Report What are the key points of this report? The Renton Nickel Improvement Project study area is a major center of commercial activity in the Puget Sound Region, with a strong base in the manufacturing sector. The study area is also strong in the Wholesale Trade, Transportation, Communications, and Utilities (WTCU) sector and the retail sector. Manufacturing and WTCU sector activity in the study area relies heavily on mobility on I-405 and local arterials to move finished goods to market and to access labor and materials. The study area’s regional retail centers also rely heavily on I-405 mobility to ensure that residents from a large portion of south and central King County have convenient access to retail centers. Construction of the Build Alternative is expected to cost approximately $219 million and take just over two years. This will mean an additional $98.5 million per year of taxable sales (based on 90 percent of total cost) for two years. This will generate approximately $837,250 in additional city sales tax revenue to be split between Renton and Tukwila depending upon the percent on construction occurring in each city. Benefits to reliability, travel speeds and volumes of trips on I-405 will lower costs of business by reducing transportation times for materials being transported to and from businesses, increasing the accessibility of manufacturing inputs and decreasing the time it takes to get goods to market. Short- and medium-term improvements to traffic flows on I-405 will also shorten commute times (marginally increasing the competitiveness of local employers). The improvements will also make regional retail centers accessible to a greater number of households. Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 21 EXISTING CONDITIONS How was economic information collected? The I-405 Team collected information for this report by reviewing inventories of current commercial conditions from local and regional planners and by reviewing the findings of regional real estate research firms. The I-405 team also performed spatial analyses of raw data from King County and Washington State that describe current conditions in the study area. The I-405 Team determined the existing conditions by considering: (1) current and forecasted employment levels in the study area; (2) the relative mix of industrial categories represented in that employment number (e.g., the portion of study area employment that is tied to retail versus manufacturing sector activity); (3) locations in the study area where specific types of businesses are concentrated relative to the regional economy; and (4) the extent to which different commercial areas in the study area serve different roles in the local economy (e.g., Is an area a retail center, a center of warehousing and manufacturing, or a center of services employment?). The I-405 team then assessed the ways in which the local economy is expected to change in coming decades. The I-405 team defined the economic landscape where the Build Alternative will have effects by assessing existing economic patterns and expectations about the future. Each commercial sector is affected differently by changes in accessibility. Consequently, in an assessment of the effects of the Build Alternative, it is important to know the scale and distribution of each category of commercial use. Having evaluated where the local economy is now and what it is expected to be like in the future, the I-405 team set the baseline against which the alternative future of the Build or No Build Alternatives will be measured. What data sources were used? The I-405 Team conducted spatial analyses using a variety of GIS data including jurisdictional boundaries, King County Assessors Office data extracts, Washington State Employment Security Division ES202 data (as geographically coded by the Puget What is spatial analysis? Spatial analysis is the process of incorporating and assessing the geographic location of information. What is the context of the economic analysis? Understanding current conditions in the study area, and understanding the changes that forecasters expect to see in the area in coming decades, provides the analysts with a baseline for assessing economic effects of the Build and No Build Alternatives. EXISTING CONDITIONS Renton Nickel Improvement Project 22 Economic Elements Discipline Report Sound Regional Council (PSRC)), regional and small area employment forecasts (as developed by the PSRC), and census data. Other data were extracted from prior I-405 Corridor and concurrent Renton Nickel Improvement Project discipline reports. In particular, the I-405 Team based its assessment on the findings of the related Renton Nickel Improvement Project Transportation Discipline Report. Most of the data described above were acquired by the I-405 team in raw form. The I-405 team performed integrated analyses of these data sets to assess the economic environment. The I-405 team also used regional forecasts developed by the PSRC and comprehensive planning and zoning policies developed by the cities of Renton and Tukwila. The I-405 team also relied on real estate market information drawn from local news, as well as quarterly market research reports from area real estate brokerage firms. Additional information was gathered directly from local real estate brokers who are familiar with conditions in the study area. What geographic area is included in the analysis? The I-405 Team took into consideration the NEPA requirements that the “affected area” must include both the general and local economies, business activity, and employment. We assessed an area of approximately 37 square miles surrounding the Renton Nickel Improvement Project. This area is comprised of 27 transportation analysis zones (TAZs), as shown in Exhibit 101. The I-405 Team assessed both the commercial patterns within the 37-square mile area and the role the area plays within the larger, regional economy. The study area includes most of the City of Renton and portions of the cities of Tukwila and Kent. Physically, no part of the Renton Nickel Improvement Project falls within Kent city boundaries. However, because of large concentrations of warehousing and distribution activity in Kent, and because those businesses rely heavily on mobility on SR 167, I-405, 1 Source: Puget Sound Regional Council. What is a TAZ? A traffic analysis zone (TAZ) is a geographical unit used to track demographic data. On average, a TAZ is roughly half the size of a census tract. Planners in the Puget Sound Region use TAZs for modeling the regional transportation system. As a result, TAZs are one of the few geographical units for which forecasts of population and employment are readily available. What is the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC)? The PSRC is an association that develops policies and makes decisions about regional growth and transportation issues in the central Puget Sound region. The Council is made up of cities, towns, counties, ports, and state agencies. Where can more information be found on other potential project effects? This report has been developed concurrently and in coordination with other Renton Nickel Improvement Project discipline reports that assess potential project effects. Additional related detail regarding possible effects on businesses and community in the study area can be found in the Social, Environmental Justice, and Transportation discipline reports for the Renton Nickel Improvement Project. What is a Census Tract? Census tracts are small subdivisions of a county. They are designed to contain somewhat homogeneous population and economic characteristics as well as living conditions. EXISTING CONDITIONS Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 23 and I-5, the City of Kent is expected to be affected economically by the project. Exhibit 10. Affected Area for Economic Assessment What are the population and housing trends in the study area? The Renton Nickel Improvement Project study area is dominated by suburban development patterns supporting residential neighborhoods and large concentrations of retail and other commercial uses. EXISTING CONDITIONS Renton Nickel Improvement Project 24 Economic Elements Discipline Report The area still offers significant opportunities for development of residential and commercial land uses. As shown in Exhibit 11, the 37-square-mile affected area was home to 91,403 people in the year 2000, representing 2.8 percent of the total population in the Central Puget Sound region (King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, hereafter referred to as the region). The PSRC forecasts a population increase of 32,547 between 2000 and 2030 in the study area. This estimate represents roughly 2.6 percent of forecasted regional growth. Exhibit 11. Current and Forecasted Population Study Area Affected Environment Total for King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties Renton Nickel Project Study Area Share of Regional Total 2000 91,403 3,275,847 2.8% 2030 Forecast 123,950 4,535,087 2.7% Forecasted Annual Growth Rate 1.2% 1.3% Forecasted Growth 32,547 1,259,240 2.6% Source: Puget Sound Regional Council 2003 Small Area Forecasts by TAZ. What is the study area’s commercial character? The Renton Nickel Improvement Project study area is a major center of commercial activity in the Puget Sound Region, with a strong base in the manufacturing sector. The area is also strong in the WTCU sector and the retail sector. Manufacturing and WTCU sector activity in the study area relies heavily on mobility on I-405 and local arterials for movement of finished goods to market and for access to labor and materials. The study area’s regional retail centers also rely heavily on I-405 mobility to ensure that residents from a large area of south and central King County have convenient access to the retail centers. Commercial activity in the area served by the Renton Nickel Improvement Project is most heavily EXISTING CONDITIONS Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 25 concentrated in central Renton and in the northern end of the Kent Valley, which lies between I-5 and SR 167, as shown in Exhibit 12–Exhibit 162 below. Construction and resources employment is spread throughout the study area, with larger employers generally located in the southern portion of the study area near SR 167, and clustered just west of the SR 167/I-405 interchange. Exhibit 12. Construction and Resources Sector Employment 2 Source: Puget Sound Regional Council. What is the construction sector? The construction sector includes such categories as: General Contractors-Residential Buildings General Contractors-Industrial Buildings and Warehouses Bridge, Tunnel, and Elevated Highway Construction Carpentry and Electrical Work EXISTING CONDITIONS Renton Nickel Improvement Project 26 Economic Elements Discipline Report Some of the larger employers in this sector in the study area are: ADT Security Services, EJ Bartells, PSC Industrial Outsource, Holmes Electric Company, and Scarsella Brothers Inc. Manufacturing constitutes 33 percent of all employment in the study area. It is dominated by larger firms and is primarily concentrated in central Renton and in the Kent Valley between I-5 and SR 167. Some of the larger employers in this sector in the study area are: Boeing, Hexcel Corporation, Wizards of the Coast, Continental Mills Incorporated, Alexander Broadcasting, Alside Supply Center, and Paccar Incorporated. Exhibit 13. Manufacturing Sector Employment What is the manufacturing sector? The manufacturing sector includes such categories as: Furniture And Fixtures Printing and Publishing Industries Rubber And Miscellaneous Plastics Products Stone, Clay, Glass, And Concrete Products Textile Mill Products Transportation Equipment EXISTING CONDITIONS Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 27 Wholesale Trade, Transportation, Communications, and Utilities (WTCU) employment in the area is very heavily concentrated in the northern portion of the Kent Valley between I-5 and SR 167. Some of the larger employers in this sector in the study area are: Columbia Distributing, Paccar Incorporated (warehouse), Emerald Shared Service, Food Services of America, South Seattle Auto Auction, Shuttle Express Incorporated, and Dreyers Grand Ice Cream. Exhibit 14. Wholesale Trade, Transportation, Communications, and Utilities (WTCU) Sector Employment What is the WTCU sector? The WTCU sector includes: Wholesale automobiles, furniture, construction materials, and office goods Railroad Transportation Local And Suburban Transit And Interurban Highway Passenger Transportation Water Transportation Electric, Gas, And Sanitary Services United States Postal Service EXISTING CONDITIONS Renton Nickel Improvement Project 28 Economic Elements Discipline Report Retail employment comprises 20 percent of total employment in the study area. There are two large concentrated areas of retail in the study area. The first node is located in the Southcenter area, which supports the Westfield Shoppingtown Southcenter Mall and many other retail centers, many of which are anchored by one or more big-box stores. The second node is in downtown Renton—a large commercial center with a mix of big box, mid-size, and small retail outlets. Some of the larger employers in this sector in the study area are: A R A Services Incorporated, Elmhult, Compucom Systems Incorporated, Wal Mart, Nordstrom, Macy’s, JC Penny, Costco, and The Home Depot. Exhibit 15. Retail Sector Employment What is the retail sector? The retail sector includes such categories as: • Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply, And Mobile Home Dealers • General Merchandise Stores • Food Stores • Home Furniture, Furnishings, And Equipment Stores • Restaurants • Clothing And Accessory Stores • Automotive Dealers And Gasoline Service Stations EXISTING CONDITIONS Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 29 The Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, and Services (FIRES) sector represents 23 percent of total employment in the study area, which is modest in comparison with other areas in the Central Puget Sound Region. The FIRES firms in the area are both smaller and more dispersed across the area compared with employers in other categories. The largest concentrations of FIRES sector businesses are in the vicinity of I-405 between SR 169 and SR 167. In addition, similar to other sectors, there is a concentration on the western edge of the study area between SR 167 and I-5. Some of the larger employers in this sector in the study area are: Enterprise Rent A Car, Olympic Security, ER Solutions Incorporated, Patient Accounting Services, Diamond Lils, Group Health Cooperative, and Starmed Health Personnel. Exhibit 16. FIRES Sector Employment What is the FIRES sector? The FIRES sector includes such categories as: Commercial Banks Insurance Carriers Real Estate Drycleaning Beauty Shops Automotive Repair and Parking Health, Legal, Educational, and Social Services Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps, and Other Lodging Places EXISTING CONDITIONS Renton Nickel Improvement Project 30 Economic Elements Discipline Report Who are the major employers? Major employers in the study area include Boeing and Paccar, in Renton, and large retailers in Renton and the Southcenter area of Tukwila. The area also supports a large number of firms that are engaged in warehouse and distribution and wholesale trade. Overall, with the presence of large manufacturers like Boeing and Paccar, the most dominant commercial sector in the area is manufacturing. However, the area is also home to substantial activity in the FIRES and retail sectors as shown in Exhibit 17. The distribution of employment is forecasted to change by 2030, with the FIRES sector seeing a large increase to 42 percent of total employment, along with a reduction in the share of employment allocated to manufacturing and WTCU. Retail activity is expected to remain strong in the area, but will decline as a percent of total due to the large increase forecasted in FIRES employment. Government/Education is expected to remain the same at 6 percent of total employment. Exhibit 17. Current and Forecasted Employment Area by Sector Manufacturing WTCU Retail FIRES Government/ Education Total 2000 37,239 20,019 22,259 26,030 7,206 112,753 Percent of Total Employment (2000) 33% 18% 20% 23% 6% 100% 2030 Forecast 34,308 26,559 32,591 73,985 10,746 178,189 Percent of Total Employment (2030) 19% 15% 18% 42% 6% 100% Forecasted Annual Growth Rate -0.3% 1.1% 1.5% 6.1% 1.6% 1.9% Forecasted Growth -2,931 6,540 10,332 47,955 3,540 65,436 Source: Puget Sound Regional Council 2003 Small Area Forecasts by TAZ. What role does commerce in the study area play in the regional economy? One way for an analyst to measure an area’s mix of commercial activity is through the use of location quotients. The concept of location quotients can be applied to an area of any size, from a neighborhood to a state, and is a useful mechanism for identifying the extent to which the area in question serves as a center of one or more types of commercial activity. A location quotient greater than 1.0 for a given sector means that local commercial activity is more heavily concentrated in that sector. Conversely, a location EXISTING CONDITIONS Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 31 quotient of less than 1.0 means that sector is less present in the local area than one typically expects. As of 2000, the study area had low location quotients in FIRES and government/education employment (0.59 and 0.39, respectively), while displaying high concentrations of manufacturing (2.41), WTCU (1.44), and retail employment (1.08). What changes are expected in the area’s pattern of employment in future years? Building on the area’s existing commercial strength, current projections show that the Renton Nickel Improvement Project study area will capture an increasing share of the region’s overall employment. In 2000, estimated employment in the area represented 6.4 percent of the total employment in the region. Exhibit 18 shows that by contrast, PSRC forecasts indicate that the area will receive 8.3 percent of the region’s employment growth between 2000 and 2030, resulting in the project’s study area increasing its share to 7.0 percent of the region’s total employment by 2030. These forecasts of increased commercial activity are consistent with current development trends. Exhibit 18. Current and Forecasted Total Employment Study Area Affected Environment Total for King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties Study Area Share of Regional Total 2000 112,753 1,748,793 6.4% 2030 Forecast 178,189 2,535,899 7.0% Forecasted Annual Growth Rate 1.9% 1.5% Forecasted Growth 65,436 787,106 8.3% Source: Puget Sound Regional Council 2003 Small Area Forecasts by TAZ. Large scale developments of retail, commercial, and residential uses are now in various stages of planning within the cities of Renton, Tukwila, and in unincorporated King County. These plans include major expansion of the Westfield Shoppingtown Mall in Tukwila, large-scale development of retail, housing, and commercial space near Lake Washington in Renton, and development of hundreds of acres of land in unincorporated areas of King County south of Tukwila. Combined, these three proposed What is a location quotient? A location quotient offers a way to identify the extent to which an area “specializes” in certain economic activities. An area’s location quotient for a given sector is calculated by comparing the area’s share of regional employment in the sector with the area’s share of regional employment across all sectors combined. For instance, a location quotient of 1.0 in the retail sector for a given area means that the area has its “fair share” of retail employment. The area could have ten percent of the region’s retail employment and ten percent of the region’s total employment, which translates to a retail location quotient of 1.0 (ten percent retail share divided by ten percent total share). If, instead, the area had twenty percent of the region’s retail employment, but only ten percent of the region’s total employment, then the area’s location quotient for retail would be 2.0 (twenty percent divided by ten percent), signaling the importance of retail in the area’s local commercial base. EXISTING CONDITIONS Renton Nickel Improvement Project 32 Economic Elements Discipline Report developments will add more than ten million square feet of commercial and retail square footage in coming years. Although the overall share of regional employment will increase, employment in some market areas will diminish while others increase. Specifically, regional forecasts anticipate that the area will see diminishing shares of the region’s employment in WTCU and manufacturing, while capturing increasing shares of Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, and Services (FIRES), retail, and the government/education sectors of the economy as shown in Exhibit 19. Exhibit 19. Current and Projected Employment by Sector Manufacturing WTCU Retail FIRES Government/Education Region's employment 2000 240,068 215,040 320,575 684,630 288,480 Renton's share 2000 15.5% 9.3% 6.9% 3.8% 2.5% Region's employment 2030 235,497 317,999 457,101 1,144,395 380,907 Renton's share 2030 14.6% 8.4% 7.1% 6.5% 2.8% Source: Puget Sound Regional Council 2003 Small Area Forecasts by TAZ. Exhibit 203 shows that in terms of location quotients, regional forecasts suggest that the study area will become less reliant on manufacturing and WTCU activity in the future, moving towards greater balance among sectors. Forecasts predict a shift towards FIRES sector activity in the area and shifts away from manufacturing and WTCU. Retail is expected to remain relatively strong in the area. 3 Source: Puget Sound Regional Council 2003 Small Area Forecasts by TAZ. EXISTING CONDITIONS Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 33 Exhibit 20. Current and Projected Employment Location Quotients by Sector 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 Manufacturing WTCU Retail FIRES Government & EducationLocation Quotients2000 2030 Forecast What is the main tax base in the study area? The cities of Tukwila, Renton, and Kent will be positively affected by the Renton Nickel Improvement Project. All three of these cities are fiscally strong, generating general fund revenues per resident ranging from a high of $1,884 (Tukwila) to a low of $651 (Kent) in 2003, as displayed in Exhibit 21.4 In comparison, the median city in Washington State generated approximately $423 per resident in general fund revenues in the same year. Among the three affected cities, Tukwila is perhaps in the strongest fiscal position, due in large part to high retail sales tax and property tax revenues per resident. Typically, when a city like Tukwila has high sales tax revenues it means that the city’s retailers are drawing from markets that extend well beyond city boundaries. In the case of Tukwila, high sales volumes by “big box” stores and the Westfield Shoppingtown Southcenter Mall suggest that retailers are drawing in customers from outside the project area. 4 Source: Washington Sate Auditors Office. What is a “big box” store? A “big box” store is a large retail outlet that usually has the following characteristics: space of more than 50,000 square feet profits come from high sales volumes rather than price mark up large windowless, rectangular buildings standardized facades reliance on shoppers with automobiles plenty of parking A location quotient of 1.0 in an employment sector for a specified area (i.e., study area) means that the area has its “fair share” of employment in that sector. EXISTING CONDITIONS Renton Nickel Improvement Project 34 Economic Elements Discipline Report Exhibit 21. Principal Sources of City General Fund Revenue by City (2003 Revenues per City Resident) $- $200 $400 $600 $800 $1,000 $1,200 $1,400 $1,600 $1,800 $2,000 Kent Renton TukwilaGeneral Fund RevenuesOther Sources Business and Utility Tax Property Tax Retail Sales Tax The City of Renton also generates relatively strong retail sales tax revenues per resident, although its property tax revenues are not as high as those in Tukwila. The City of Kent has larger property tax revenues than Renton, but significantly lower retail sales tax revenues per resident. Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 35 POTENTIAL EFFECTS What methods of analysis were used to study the project’s potential effects? Effects during construction The I-405 Team assessed employment effects of construction using the IMPLAN input/output model estimates of economic effects associated with construction expenditures. The I-405 team described the primary, short-term construction effects in terms of: One-time local sales tax revenues on the value of construction Temporary construction employment and other multiplier effects on the regional economy Possible construction interference on business activity located near the project site Increased traffic congestion and delays within the study area Effects during operation The I-405 team evaluated long-term economic effects by examining two factors: The economic effect of changes in traffic patterns and patterns of commerce in the local business community; and Broader economic changes associated with the project, such as the effect that congestion reduction may have on businesses’ ability to deliver goods and services, to access material inputs, and to access labor markets. What is IMPLAN? IMPLAN (short for IMpact Analysis for PLANning) is an economic model that traces the ripple effects of a stimulus to the economy, like an investment in highway construction. Analysts use the model to track how an economic action like a highway investment ripples through a regional economy creating revenue, jobs, and income in many different economic sectors. POTENTIAL EFFECTS Renton Nickel Improvement Project 36 Economic Elements Discipline Report How will the construction of the project affect conditions for commerce and businesses? The value of construction labor and materials to make the improvements will be subject to state and local sales taxes for the duration of the Renton Nickel Improvement Project. The revenues from local sales tax on construction will accrue to local jurisdictions based on the location of the construction activity. The sales tax will be levied on taxable retail sales within the study area at a total rate of 8.8 percent. Because portions of the study area improvements are located in Renton and Tukwila, the city component of local sales taxes (0.85 percent of taxable activities) will accrue to those two cities based on the proportion of construction costs allocated to each. King County will receive 0.15 percent of all taxable activities that will occur within each of the two cities. Construction of the Renton Nickel Improvement Project Build Alternative is expected to cost approximately $219 million and take just over 2 years. When considering these numbers, it is important to recognize that the design is still in the beginning stages. Many design aspects may, and likely will, change before it is finalized. For the purposes of this assessment, however, we have used the most recent estimate of construction costs and expected build time. If one assumes that 90 percent of construction costs are subject to sales and use taxes (a reasonable share given recent experience across the state), then those figures imply an average taxable activity of $98.5 million per year, for each of the two years of construction. By comparison, the Washington State Department of Revenue reports that the City of Renton, in which a large portion of the Renton Nickel Improvement Project is located, had taxable retail sales of $1.9 billion in 2004 (generating $15.8 million in sales tax revenues to the city), while the state as a whole had taxable retail sales of $93 billion. From Renton’s perspective, an additional $98.5 million per year of taxable sales would represent roughly 5 percent of the City’s 2004 taxable retail sales, thereby generating approximately $837,250 in additional sales tax revenue. However, this revenue will be shared with Tukwila according to the proportion of construction in each city. If the entire $98.5 million Westfield Shoppingtown Mall is among the Puget Sound Region’s largest shopping malls How is retail sales tax distributed in the study area? State 6.50 % City 0.85 % County 0.15 % King County Metro 0.60 % Criminal Justice 0.10 % Transit/Traffic Congestion 0.20 % Regional Transit Authority 0.40 % Total 8.80 % POTENTIAL EFFECTS Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 37 were to go to Tukwila, it would also represent approximately 5% of the City’s 2004 taxable retail sales, since Renton and Tukwila have similar retail tax bases. How many jobs and how much income will be created during construction of the project? Construction-related employment According to IMPLAN input/output economic model, $1 million of highway construction activity in the Puget Sound region in 2001 generated 9.6 direct jobs and an additional 6.2 indirect and induced jobs within the King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish County area. Given the influence of the construction industry on regional jobs, in general, economic analysts assess employment effects in the following terms: If the direct construction costs of the Renton Nickel Improvement Project are roughly $219 million, adjusting the cost estimates to 2001 (the most recent year for which effect analysis data are available), the project will result in the creation of roughly 1,700 direct jobs and 1,170 indirect and induced jobs (full-time jobs for one year). Having noted the relationship between construction expenditures and jobs, however, it should also be noted that, at a regional level, a job created by a transportation investment should not automatically be viewed as a new job to the region. If the dollars would be spent somewhere in the region, then those dollars will support regional jobs. Alternative uses of investment dollars might include public uses, in the form of transportation or other investments, or private uses, in the form of dollars that remain in the hands of households and businesses to spend in other ways. In either instance, the job- creating effects of those funds may be similar to the effects associated with the project’s construction. In the end, the net job-creation effects of the Renton Nickel Improvement Project depend on the portion of the investment dollars that might be diverted away from the Puget Sound economy if the project is not built. Therefore, there will clearly be no adverse effects to construction-related employment as a result of the Build Alternative and there may be some positive employment effect. The study area has many large commercial businesses such as this large furniture outlet Another study area retailer POTENTIAL EFFECTS Renton Nickel Improvement Project 38 Economic Elements Discipline Report Construction interference Construction activities are not expected to eliminate access to any business property for any substantial period of time. Construction activity will temporarily reduce highway and interchange capacity, which will lead to changes in the level of congestion and increase the overall inconvenience and disruption of travel on the affected roads. This could affect businesses in a wide area around the I-405 corridor in the study area and cause certain businesses to experience some degree of economic hardship. For example, construction could make the trip to a particular business more difficult. Depending on the uniqueness of the destination and the availability of suitable alternatives, more difficult trips can result in fewer visits to local businesses. Therefore, the extent and duration of the interference, the location of competitors, and the type of affected business could all influence the magnitude of the economic effects resulting from construction interference. On a broader level, construction-related congestion will affect commercial activity by increasing the cost of moving goods to markets and decreasing the accessibility to production inputs, including supplies and labor. This means there will likely be short-term effects, but few, if any, long-term effects as a result of construction activities. How many businesses will be relocated? The Renton Nickel Improvement Project Build Alternative will relocate twelve businesses from two properties. One of these properties is located south of I-405 and east of the Springbrook Bridge (See Exhibit 4). There are six small businesses on this property housed within two buildings. The second property is west of SR 167 (See Exhibit 6) and also affects six businesses. What effect will the project have on local tax revenues? Because the acquisitions for the Renton Nickel Improvement Project Build Alternative are minor, there are no expected effects on property tax revenues. POTENTIAL EFFECTS Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 39 During the years of construction, construction of the Build Alternative will bolster sales tax revenues to Renton and Tukwila. What effect will the improvements have on the economy during operation? In the near term, the Build Alternative will cause positive changes to the speed and throughput of traffic in the area served by the project. Once proposed improvements are completed in other sections of the I-405 Corridor, (e.g., other Nickel package improvements), freeway users, neighbors, and businesses within the Renton Nickel Improvement Project study area will likely experience more consistent traffic patterns and benefit from improved mobility and speed. Benefits to travel speeds and vehicle throughput on I-405 will lower costs of business by reducing transportation times for materials being transported to and from businesses, increasing the accessibility of manufacturing inputs and decreasing the time it takes to get goods to market. Short- and medium-term improvements to traffic flows on I-405 will also shorten commute times (marginally increasing the competitiveness of local employers) and will make regional retail centers accessible to a greater number of households. What would the economic effects be of a No Build Alternative? What would the effects be during construction? The No Build Alternative involves no additional construction beyond what would occur during routine maintenance of the road. This means there would be no substantial economic effects compared to existing conditions. What would the effects be during operation? The No Build Alternative would have detrimental effects on the businesses and the economic Boeing’s commercial airplane plant is located at the north end of downtown Renton POTENTIAL EFFECTS Renton Nickel Improvement Project 40 Economic Elements Discipline Report landscape as a result of worsening traffic conditions. The No Build Alternative would likely increase the long-term costs associated with moving freight and delivering goods and services. It is likely that this alternative would also reduce the effective trade areas for retail centers in Renton and Tukwila. Worsening traffic conditions associated with the No Build Alternative would also reduce accessibility to labor markets for most businesses in the area. What would the indirect effects be? Increases in the cost of doing business and decreased access to markets in the area would diminish the ability of businesses to generate income, increase the costs of goods and services, and/or decrease commercial investment in the area compared with the Build Alternative. What indirect effects will the project have on the economy? All else being equal, relative decreases in the cost of doing business in the area and increased access to markets will have one or more of three possible indirect effects: (1) it will increase the ability of businesses to generate income, (2) it will decrease the costs of goods and services, and/or (3) it will increase commercial investment in the area. Were cumulative effects looked at for this discipline? The I-405 team did not evaluate cumulative effects for this discipline report. A report of cumulative effects is not needed for every discipline studied for National Environmental Policy Act and State Environmental Policy Act documentation. The disciplines that were studied for cumulative effects are Air Quality, Surface Water and Water Quality, Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat, and Wetlands. The cumulative effects for these disciplines are presented in the Cumulative Effects Analysis Discipline Report. Renton Nickel Improvement Project Economic Elements Discipline Report 41 MEASURES TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE PROJECT EFFECTS How will temporary effects on business owners be reduced or mitigated? Access to businesses will be maintained throughout the construction period by carefully planning construction activities and being aware of the need to provide adjacent properties with reasonable access during business hours. As part of construction management, access measures will be prepared and included in the contract specifications. Because it may be difficult to determine whether a business is open, or how to access the site during the construction period, provisions will be made for posting appropriate signs that communicate the necessary information to potential customers. Through careful planning and efficient construction staging, potential access restrictions associated with delivery and storage of equipment and materials may be reduced. For example, these activities may be scheduled for off-peak travel and business hours to minimize the construction effect on surrounding properties. Daytime street closures will be kept to a minimum to provide access for businesses during regular business hours. Renton Nickel Improvement Project 42 Economic Elements Discipline Report REFERENCES CB Richard Ellis 2004 Office Market Index Brief (4th Quarter 2003). PSRC (Puget Sound Regional Council) 2003 Small Area Forecasts. 2003 US Census Bureau 2000 Census 2000. http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html (source data accessed 2002 and 2003). Washington Secretary of State 2004 Washington State Initiative 747. http://www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/initiatives/text/i747.htm (accessed April 2004). WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation) 2005 Draft Renton Nickel Improvement Project Social Elements Discipline Report. 2005. WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation) 2005 Draft Renton Nickel Improvement Project Transportation Discipline Report. 2005 WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation) 2004 Environmental Procedures Manual. 2004 WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation) 2002 I-405 Corridor Program NEPA/SEPA Final Environmental Impact Statement. 2002 WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation) 2002 I-405 Corridor Program Record of Decision (ROD). October 2002 Washington State Department of Revenue 2005 Summary of Quarterly Business Data—Taxable Retail Sales by Jurisdiction: http://dor.wa.gov/content/statistics/stats_QBRData.aspx (accessed 2005). Washington State Legislature 2004 Chapter 84.55 RCW: Limitations Upon Regular Property Taxes. http://www.leg.wa.gov/rcw/index.cfm#RCW_by_Title (accessed 2004).