Burien council members met with the city's planning commission earlier this week to discuss a local transportation impact study.

Transportation impact fees are a major focus of the study. If imposed, they are expected to help Burien make road and traffic improvements that need funding as new development in the area occurs.

"I'd say that at least 50 percent of the cities in the Puget Sound area have transportation taxes," Transpo Group project manager Larry Toetdli told the council members and commissioners.

These cities include Des Moines, Tukwila and Renton.

The Transpo Group is the company retained to put the study together and work with city officials to implement its recommendations.

Transportation impact fees will provide a consistent framework for assessing developer mitigation, Toetdil noted.

"It's always fun to come back and help implement some of the plans you helped prepare."

When money paid by developers for local traffic improvements isn't enough, the impact fees will provide a reliable revenue source.

A problem with the fees, according to Toetdil, is that they can drive up the cost of a development and increase the price of homes.

"Some people are concerned that it's gong to price [home buyers] out of the market," he added.

The Transpo Group reported it is tailoring the study and suggested fees for Burien.

This was the first of 10 scheduled meetings on the impact of development on transportation in Burien and the use of impact fees. City lawmakers will adopt no transportation impact fees until the process is completed.