Transportation Commission Office – PO Box 47308 – Olympia, WA 98504-7308
Contact: Reema Griffith, WSTC Executive Director, 360-705-7070 (Olympia)
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Transportation Commission has released an updated 20-year transportation policy plan providing a roadmap for the development of a safe, connected and resilient transportation system in all corners of the state by 2050.
The Washington Transportation Plan Vision 2050 was developed through two years of extensive engagement with the public, transportation agencies and operators, tribes and private-sector partners. That outreach culminated in July, with a three-week public comment period on the draft plan. Input received during that time helped shape the final plan, which was submitted to the governor and the Legislature on Monday, Aug. 11.
State law requires the plan to be updated every four years. It must prescribe policies and strategies that support the implementation of six overarching transportation policy goals set by the Legislature, including mobility, preservation and safety. To this end, the plan is organized around three priority areas that bring focus to the six transportation policy goals:
- Maintain critical transportation assets: Taking care of existing infrastructure and providing stable, long-term funding for upkeep.
- Develop safe and connected communities: Improving mobility, safety and accessibility for all people in all parts of the state.
- Establish resilient and reliable systems: Ensuring infrastructure and systems can withstand increasingly frequent and severe weather events.
Vision 2050 serves as the overarching blueprint designed to guide transportation decisions and investments at all levels of government. It will guide decisions as the state faces challenges related to population growth, aging infrastructure, climate impacts and increasing demands on public resources.
Some key features of the plan that address these challenges:
- Recommending game-changing strategies advancing clean transportation options, leveraging technology and expanding public-private partnerships.
- Urging expanded collaboration between governmental jurisdictions that harness and accelerate collective efforts to enhance and improve the statewide system.
- Encouraging the advancement of two foundational efforts. Strengthening the integration of housing, land use and transportation planning so people can avoid commuting and instead afford to live, play and work in place. And implementing a long-term, sustainable funding approach for transportation to replace the gas tax and remove the reliance on the consumption of fossil fuels.
To learn more about the development of the plan, visit the commission’s website, wstc.wa.gov.
Americans with Disabilities Act Information: Individuals requesting reasonable accommodations may request written materials in alternate formats, sign language interpreters, physical accessibility accommodations, or other reasonable accommodations by contacting the Commission Office at 360-705-7070 or by emailing transc@wstc.wa.gov. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may make a request by calling the Washington State Relay at 711.
Title VI Notice to Public
It is the Washington State Transportation Commission’s policy to assure that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise discriminated against under any of its programs and activities. Any person who believes his or her Title VI protection has been violated, may file a complaint with WSDOT’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights (OECR). For additional information regarding Title VI complaint procedures and/or information regarding our non-discrimination obligations, please contact OECR’s Title VI Coordinator at (360) 705-7090.