GCDE News
Information sharing: Washington State Active Transportation Plan Draft open for comments by Feb. 15, 2021
Forward this email to your contact lists and your family, friends and neighbors so they know about the plan and can share their views.
State active transportation plan is rolling
Washingtonians invited to comment by Feb. 15, 2021
Every Washingtonian uses active transportation connections at some point in a trip, whether crossing the street from their parking spot to their destination, walking to a bus stop, or bicycling to school or work. People who are interested in the future of active transportation in Washington are invited to comment on a draft of the new State Active Transportation Plan, 2020 and Beyond. The plan serves as the needs assessment for accessible pedestrian and bicyclist facilities. Deadline for comments is Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021.
WSDOT has established an online open house to provide plan information for review with an accessible PDF of the draft document and a SurveyMonkey form for feedback.
The new plan comes during a time when more people than ever are walking and bicycling, both as alternatives to transit use and to maintain physical and mental health during the pandemic. WSDOT’s multimodal transportation dashboard shows dramatic increases in usage at locations around the state where permanent counters provide a comparison from 2019 to 2020.
At the same time, a preliminary assessment reported in the annual active transportation safety report found that fatal crashes involving those vulnerable road users appear to be occurring this year at higher rates than the averages for 2010-2019. The draft plan’s emphasis on safety and complete, comfortable connections addresses the types of issues these numbers serve to highlight.
WSDOT will host virtual events during which staff will provide an orientation to the draft plan document and share information on the safety, mobility, and accessibility issues the plan is intended to address. Register at the links below.
Webinar 1: 6 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021
Webinar 2: Noon 1 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021
Webinar 3: 4 to 5 p.m., Friday, Jan. 22, 2021 (subject to cancellation based on registration numbers)
Free, temporary internet access is available to those who do not have broadband service in locations throughout the state. To find the nearest Wi-Fi hot spot visit the list maintained by the state Department of Commerce.
The draft plan is Part 1 of a two-part plan, with Part 2 coming out in 2021. Part 1 covers the purpose and need of the statewide active transportation plan; benefits of active transportation; current state of active transportation in Washington; concerns and priorities gathered through public engagement for the plan’s development; methodology, data sources, and results of a statewide needs assessment focused on state right-of-way; and broad cost estimates for changes to state right-of-way and local systems to improve conditions for active transportation.
Part 2 will come out in 2021 and will cover policy topics relevant to the plan’s analysis and implementation, performance measures associated with the plan’s goals, and next steps in developing an implementation and action plan. WSDOT staff will use comments received on Part 1, as well as past community and partner input, to help identify policy topics to address in Part 2.
Thank you for your interest in safer and more accessible connections for walking and rolling. Your comments are critical to the final plan and future implementation steps.
Barb Chamberlain
Director – Active Transportation Division
WA State Dept. of Transportation
Cell/text: 509-869-2949
ChambBa@wsdot.wa.gov
Pronouns: She/her/hers
WSDOT Walk + Roll E-News: Subscribe at http://bit.ly/WSDOTactive-enews for trainings, research, resources, news round-up and more.
In keeping with Gov. Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order I am teleworking 5 days a week. Email is the best way to reach me. I will periodically check voice mails and return calls. I may occasionally send emails outside regular work hours if I’m flexing work time due to other obligations. I do not expect quick responses if I send an email at an odd time.
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