Transportation Commission Office – PO Box 47308 – Olympia, WA 98504-7308
(360) 705-7070
Contact: Reema Griffith, Transportation Commission Executive Director, 360-705-7070
Public can participate virtually, Sept. 15 and 16
OLYMPIA – Community leaders and local officials from Pullman and Whitman County will meet virtually with the Washington State Transportation Commission in September to share their perspectives on transportation issues, challenges, and successes, as well as impacts to transportation from COVID-19.
The meeting will take place over two days, starting Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 1 – 4:45 p.m., and reconvening Wednesday, Sept. 16, from 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Due to limitations on the size of gatherings in response to COVID-19, this meeting will be conducted using GoToWebinar. People interested in attending can find participation instructions and a link to register on the commission website.
On Tuesday, the commission will hear from Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport leadership on the airport’s regional significance, its effect on the area’s economy, and anticipated additional expansion. Then, the City of Pullman will provide an overview of its transportation system and various efforts underway, including a review of the downtown master plan, its partnership with businesses to find creative transportation solutions, and the city’s investment in transit.
Washington State University staff will brief the commission on the programs in place to address transportation and parking issues on campus. This will include a discussion of innovative ways the university is promoting walking, bicycling, sharing rides, and the school’s connection to Pullman Transit.
The Palouse Regional Transportation Planning Organization will provide an overview of “Palouse 2040,” setting forth the priorities and long-term transportation plans and investments for the regional area, which includes Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, and Whitman counties. Topics will include plans for addressing safety, preservation, quality of life, and economic vitality long-term for both the urban and rural areas in the region.
The Nez Perce Tribe will inform the commission about the tribe’s transportation issues and its transit services, which connect citizens from the reservation to the regional area.
Wednesday’s session will begin with the commission taking action on naming a stretch of State Route 902 in Spokane County the “Gold Star Memorial Highway” to honor U.S. service members. The Washington State Veterans Cemetery located in Medical Lake, serves as the final resting place for more than 6,000 veterans who have traveled SR 902 on their last mile.
Next, the commission will hear from Whitman County staff who will provide a briefing on the strategies and approaches employed across Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, and Whitman counties as they address challenges to maintain functional roads for farmers, businesses, and residents. Port of Whitman staff will provide an overview of its foundational role in the area, which includes water industrial and recreation sites, an airport, and its involvement with rail, and fiber optic infrastructure used by 17 telecommunication companies to deliver broadband in eastern Washington.
The meeting will conclude with a series of presentations on freight mobility and its importance for local agricultural products to access national and international markets.
People attending the meeting may submit questions during the meeting. Written public comment can also be submitted via email to transc@wstc.wa.gov, in advance of the meeting. For more detail, please refer to the meeting agenda.
The Washington State Transportation Commission holds meetings across the state each year to gain insight from local government, industry, and citizens about transportation issues that affect their communities and region. This information helps the commission to develop transportation policy recommendations to the State Legislature and Governor that reflect priorities throughout the state of Washington.
All presentations will be available on the commission’s website before the meeting.