WSDOT News

Date:  Thursday, July 20, 2006

Contact:

Reema Griffith, Transportation Commission Executive Director, 360-705-7070

Judy Lorenzo, WTP Plan Manager, 360-705-7274

45-Day Public Comment Period Begins

OLYMPIA – Over the past year Washington’s business owners, elected officials, tribes, transportation planners and others have participated in helping to update the state’s 20-year transportation plan. Now the Washington State Transportation Commission wants to hear from the people who use the system.

The Commission today released the Draft Washington Transportation Plan (WTP) Update and begins a 45-day comment period to gather feedback on the plan. The Transportation Commission, along with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), Regional Transportation Planning Organizations and Scenic Byway leaders will host a series of outreach meetings around the state. Eleven open houses will be held to present information about the WTP and gather comments from participants. A list of dates, times and locations, is posted on WSDOT’s website at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/planning/wtp/. The comment period ends on September 1, 2006.

“We looked at more than 85 capital and operational transportation programs that were identified as potential areas for targeted investments,” said Commission Chair Dick Ford. “Transportation issues touch each of us every day and help support the quality of life in our communities – everything from preserving pavement to promoting safe behavior to enhancing freight movement. We encourage people to review the draft plan and let us know whether they agree with our recommendations and priorities or have other ideas about how the state should invest in Washington’s transportation future.”

The WTP guides transportation policy and investment decisions at all levels throughout the state and meets federal and state planning requirements. The Draft WTP update is the result of a two year process that involved reviewing data and meeting with transportation interest groups statewide to identify the state’s top investment priorities. It continues to be a collaborative effort that involves transportation interests from across the state to address Washington’s transportation challenges by making targeted, prioritized investments to achieve the greatest benefit with limited funding. The Commission developed five investment guidelines that set overall priorities and form the basis of the plan:

• Preservation – take care of past investments.
• Safety – reduce the societal costs due to collisions.
• Economic vitality – support our states growing economy.
• Mobility – improve travel time reliability and improve the movement of people and goods.
• Environmental quality – support investments that lead to healthier communities.
  

Those who are not able to attend the statewide open houses can go to the WSDOT’s website to view the plan: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/planning/wtp. If you wish to comment on the draft plan or obtain a copy of the plan, please call 1-800-606-3868 (includes information in Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, and Russian), email WTPUpdate@wsdot.wa.gov or write to: WSDOT HQ Planning Office, Attn: WTP Update, PO Box 47370, Olympia, WA 98504-7370.

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Washington Transportation Plan Update Public Outreach Schedule:

• Yakima – July 25, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
  Yakima Convention Center, 10 N. 8^th Street
• Colfax – July 27, 3 – 7 p.m. *
  Colfax Education and Training Center, 119 N. Main St.
• Olympia – July 31, 3 – 7 p.m. *
  Transportation Building, Commission Boardroom, 310 Maple Park Avenue SE
• Ephrata – August 1, 3 – 7 p.m. *
  Grant County Public Works, Large Conference Room, 124 Enterprise St. SE
• Wenatchee – August 2, 5:30 0 7:30 p.m.
  Wenatchee Valley Community Center, 504 S. Chelan St.
• Colville – August 3, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
  Stevens County Sheriff’s Ambulance Training Center, 425 N. Highway 395
• Spokane – August 10, 2 – 4 p.m.
  Spokane Transit Board Room, W. 1230 Boone Avenue
• Vancouver – August 22, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
  Southwest Regional Transportation Council, 1300 Franklin St.
• Seattle – August 23, 3 – 7 p.m. *
  Seattle Public Library, 1000 4^th Avenue, Seattle
• Mt. Vernon– August 24, 1 – 3 p.m.
  Farmhouse Restaurant, 13724 LaConner – Whitney Road
• Port Angeles – August 30, 5 – 7 p.m.
  Red Lion Hotel Crab House Restaurant, 221 N. Lincoln
  
  

* Locations with four hour events have repeat presentations.

Other Events with WTP information available:

• Ellensburg, July 26 – Transportation Commission Local Meeting
  Ellensburg Inn & Conference Center, 1700 Canyon Road
• Ocean Shores, August 8 – Tribal Transportation Planning Organization Meeting
  Quinault Beach Resort
• Bellevue, August 14 - 2006 WSDOT Public Transportation Conference & Expo
  Hilton Bellevue Hotel, 300 112^th Avenue SE

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