Now that's a bargain.

This fall many voters in King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties will be deciding on a ballot measure to expand Sound Transit regional transit system.  Michael Ennis, Washington Policy Center's transportation research director, has just released a new study on the measure.  According to the study, the plan (ST2) "would add 36 miles of light rail, expand the Sounder commuter rail by four daily round trips between Tacoma and Seattle and expand the Express bus system by 17%."

The introduction to the 2008 Citizens' Guide to Sound Transit, Phase 2, reads: 

Sound Transit officials say that, if passed, ST2 would cost about $17.8 billion through 2023 and $22.8 billion through 2037. The proposal would impose a 0.5% sales tax increase within the Sound Transit district, which incorporates most of King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties. The total sales tax rate would vary among jurisdictions, but Seattle would rise from 9% to 9.5%.

The study makes several important findings about the ST2 measure:

• ST2 would spend about $22.8 billion, yet serve only 0.4 percent of all trips in 2030.

• ST2 would shift only 0.84 percent of passenger vehicles from the road to transit by 2030.

• ST2 would spend $22.8 billion to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by only 0.867 percent.

• The cost for ST2 to serve one additional trip would be about $368,000. Under Transit Now, the cost for King County to serve one additional trip is about $10,000.

• The ST2 proposal would be 37 times less efficient than a traditional bus system like the one in King County.

• ST2 would increase traffic congestion for passenger cars and freight trucks by about 25 percent across the I-90 bridge.

• ST2 would reduce lane capacity on I-90 by 20 percent during the morning and afternoon peak commute periods.

• ST2 would eliminate subarea equity protections.

• Not counting CO2 emitted during construction, ST2 would reduce regional CO2 emissions by up to only 1.11 percent. The same reduction could be achieved through purchasing carbon offsets for only $2.3 million.

Read the full 2008 Citizens' Guide to Sound Transit, Phase 2, here.