Miles driver per capita peaked in 2004, and the total number of miles driver by Americans tapped out in 2007.

The Millennial Generation of 16- to 34-year-olds drove 22 percent fewer miles on average in 2009 than in 2001, the greatest decline of any age group. Millennials are more likely to want to live in urban and walkable neighborhoods and are more open to non-driving options than older Americans, the study says.

Baby Boomer driving shot up in the second half of the 20th century with low gas prices, growth of suburbs and increase in women commuters. Now the trend is receding. Driving won’t ever regain its 2007 peak, but government planners aren’t responding, the study says. They overestimate vehicle travel to justify spending on new and expanded highways.

The trend to less driving combined with better fuel efficiency means Americans will use about half as much gas and other fuels in 2040 as they do today, resulting in a 74 percent drop in gas taxes.

You can see the whole report here.

The bill requires that a vertical sign identifies the space as an electric-charging station and to provide notice that the space is only for electric vehicles that are charging.

“There has been a great deal of planning and a lot of infrastructure costs put into creating these spaces, so we need to make sure they are being used for their intended purposes,” said Tom. “Washington has been a leader in preparing for the deployment of electric-charging technology and this bill will help make sure that those who want to use them can do so.”

The bill is Senate Bill 5849.

They were cited for buying the least hazardous products, avoiding the use of pesticides, using Green Seal cleaning products, monitoring contract work to prevent pollution, protective storage, posting spill procedures and cleanup materials, and carefully managing waste.

Each terminal facility provided documentation of its practices, procedures and policies, and on-site visits were conducted for verification.

“The certification process was rigorous and thorough, and we learned some new things for our facilities, and for the vessels, too,” said Sheila Helgath, WSF environmental program manager.

EnviroStars was created in King County in 1995 and has expanded to include seven counties.

County Commissioner Charlotte Garrido said that’s the only way some of the board’s questions will be answered. A business plan would determine if offering POF service is feasible, and if so, who should do it. It wouldn’t necessarily be Kitsap Transit. “I think we’re losing an opportunity if we don’t do the business plan,” she said. “We had a dilemma in Kitsap County for a number of years with wake damage and we’ve come a long way in addressing that dilemma. We have an obligation to finish that off.” A business plan “makes total sense,” she said. She knows there’s a lot of community support for it and a need to get people timely across the water.

Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent: We know there’s not a wake problem, that this design works. Now we need to close that by having a business plan, whether Kitsap Transit operates it or not. This cannot be ignored.

Port Orchard City Councilman Rob Putaansuu: I think it’s imperative to develop a business plan before we take the next big step.”

County Commissioner Josh Brown: I think it’s really important that we highlight having improved servcie on the south end of the county. Look at it holistically, at the whole county.” Brown was also quoted in the story, as was Poulsbo Mayor Becky Erickson and Port Orchard Mayor Tim Matthes.

Ann Blair, Bainbridge Island City Councilwoman: “This is  research project and we’ve only done part of it. I do not hear a foregone conclusion what we will find out. We may not learn it’s a sound decision. This is another piece of the research project.”

John Witte, nonvoting, labor-representing board member: He said his wallet is only so deep and the middle class is feeling a pinch. “Having said that, I also understand this community must diversity or it will die. … We need this. We need to take care of our own, and the only way to do that is to diversity.”

Nine of 10 members of the public spoke for conducting the business plan. Roger Gay of rural South Kitsap was the only one opposed. He often calls the agency “Kitsap Commuter Transit” because it mostly goes to the ferries and shipyard and not in the country where he lives. He asked whether it’s Kitsap commuter transit or Kitsap public transit. It takes 3 to 5 hours to get around the county. A requirement to shift buses to alternative fuels and the agency’s bus replacement plan will cost a lot and that’s where its attention should be. The Port of Bremerton, Bremerton and Port Orchard are paying for Sunday ferry service because the agency doesn’t operate on Sunday. “You’re not serving the public,” he said.

Walt Draper of the Marine Transportation Association of Kitsap, which was set up to support passenger ferries: The next hurdle is to get over how to pay for it. It seems there’s no shortage of possible ways. You’ve got the funding to develop a business plan and it’d be a good expenditure to study it in detail and see which one will work best. Lets see if we can solve the last big problem between us and reliable fast ferry service.”

Developer Mark Goldberg: “This is the greatest opportunity this town has seen. Vote for it.”

Kitsap Economic Development Alliance executive director John Powers: He said Kitsap is part of the Central Puget Sound regional economy. Goods and workers migrate every day. Any way you can enhance that connectivity is a positive to employees and the community. “Sometimes you have to build it before they come,” he said, using South Lake Union trolley cars as an example. “Sometimes you have to prime the pump to get people to see it.”

Dino Davis of Kitsap County Association of Realtors: He said each fast ferry venture turned people away. “Why is this? it’s a quality of life issue. A grater base of transportation options benefits you, me and this community, and I hope you see a big groundswell of support for it.”

Jaime Forsyth: She said its bigger than a transportation issue, it’s an economic development opportunity. A chance to balance the economy, to reduce traffic on Highway 305. A lot of people being pushed out of Seattle would move here, and the key is where they live, not where they work.

Grant Griffin of MKAT: “The most important thing we can do now is have a sound business plan so we can move forward.

Holly James of MKAT and Kitsap Entrepreneurial Center: She said one of her customers has 20 people coming from Seattle to work in Bremerton, and the number could grow to 100. They are bringing money to our community.”

Beverly Kincaid of MKAT: “Economic vitality is what I believe the proposed fast ferry service is all about.” If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there. Commuters wouldn’t be the only ones to benefit. People would move here, improve their properties and increase the tax base. “Starting with a business plan is imperative.”

You might think the populous, westside counties are subsidizing the farmers on the other side of the mountains, but Taylor found a mixed bag. At the extremes are southeastern counties Garfield and Franklin. Garfield receives $3.60 for every $1 and Franklin gets 59 cents of transportation investment for every dollar it gives.

The big counties of Pierce (99 cents), Snohomish (96) and King (95) are right in the middle, just below Kitsap.

There’s a cool graphic. Check it out.

Maintenance costs were the biggest driver, increasing by 11.3 percent to 5 cents per mile because of significant increases in labor and part costs and a major increase in the price of extended warranties.

Fuel costs increased 1.9 percent to 14.5 centers per mile. The average price of regular fuel rose 3.8 percent, from $3.36 to $3.49 per gallon.

Insurance costs rose 2.8 percent ($28) to $1,029 a year. Tire costs remained unchanged at one cent per mile.

AAA has published “Your Driving Costs” since 1950, when driving a car cost 9 cents per mile and gas sold for 27 cents per gallon. You can determine your won cost by going to the brochure and plugging in your particular area, driver and vehicle.

I’m sure my costs have gone up way more than average, trying to keep my 17-year-old Honda running. It has been a reliable car and I’ve kept it pretty well maintained, but there comes a time when we all wear out. I’ve just been too lazy and cheap to find something else.

State Department of Transportation crews began clearing the highway on March 25, a day earlier than last year. Generally it takes four to six weeks to clear the highway, but they did it in three weeks. The snow was as deep as 35 feet, about half as much as last year.

The highway was closed on Nov. 20.

The latest reopening was on June 14, 1974. In 1980 it remained open all winter because of a drought.