How We Can Help
In January 2010, WSDOT created a new Community Transportation Planning Office to more effectively coordinate local, regional, and state land use and transportation planning. The creation of this office recognized the growing importance of transportation efficient land use as a strategy to improve safety and mobility; address climate change; and support economic development and healthy communities.
The Community Transportation Planning Office will:
Identify opportunities to increase state, regional, and local effectiveness in assessing and avoiding or mitigating the impacts of development and land use decisions on the state transportation system;
Identify and share new planning techniques and technologies to coordinate land use and transportation planning;
Identify national and private funding opportunities to support local, regional and state efforts to better integrate sustainable land use and transportation decisions;
Increase the knowledge and effectiveness of WSDOT planning staff in sustainable land use and transportation planning principles;
Foster close and effective working relationships within WSDOT to better integrate sustainable land use and transportation principles in agency policies and practices; and
Develop effective working relationships with other state and federal agencies to support local, regional, and state efforts to coordinate land use and transportation planning.
Programs and Partnerships
The staff of the Community Transportation Planning Office looks forward to the challenge of pioneering new programs in partnerships with communities, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Regional Transportation Planning Organizations, and federal, state, and local agencies. Potential partners include:
WSDOT—Bicycle and Pedestrian Program
WSDOT prepares a statewide bicycle facilities and pedestrian walkways plan and Washington is one of only a few states that provide dedicated pedestrian and bicycle safety grants.
WSDOT—Growth and Transportation Efficiency Centers (GTECs) Programs
GTECs provide comprehensive programs to smaller employers, residents, and students in targeted areas.
WSDOT—Sustainable Transportation
WSDOT is making transportation more sustainable in a multitude of ways—from long-range plans to our day-to-day operations. This includes designing highways that work best for communities and that integrate transit, bicycling, and walking into projects and employ techniques that reduce storm water pollutants.
WSDOT—Context Sensitive Solutions Program
Context sensitive solutions involve local people in planning and constructing transportation projects that are safe, efficient, fit into the community, and reflect community aesthetic, social, economic, and environmental values.
WSDOT—Access Control on State Highways
Access management can reduce collisions by as much as 55% and increase the capacity of the transportation system by as much as 30%, reducing the need for bigger highways that may not be compatible with the local surroundings.
WSDOT—Safe Routes to School Program
Safe Routes to School provides technical assistance and resources to cities, counties, schools, school districts, and state agencies to get more children walking and bicycling to school.
Washington State Department of Commerce—Growth Management Services
Growth Management Services guides local governments, state agencies, and others in planning and achieving effective solutions to manage growth and development, consistent with the Growth Management Act (GMA).
Washington State Department of Health—Active Community Environments
Active Community Environments are places where people of all ages and abilities can easily make physical activity part of their daily lives. Includes a virtual backpack with resources for increasing physical activity through land use, community design, transportation design, schools, recreation, parks and trails, and safety and crime prevention.
Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPOs)
MPOs and RTPOs involve cities, counties,
transit agencies, ports, private employers, and the state in producing regional transportation plans and improvement programs.
Local Governments
Most cities and counties plan under the Growth Management Act (GMA) [RCW 36.70A]. The GMA is a state policy framework for local comprehensive planning and land use regulation. The GMA identifies 14 statewide planning goals [RCW 36.70A.020] and prescribes a process and certain minimum requirements for the adoption and update of land use plans and development regulations by local governments.
WSDOT communicates with local governments on Growth Management Act actions in accordance with the "Principles Governing State Agency Correspondence Under the Growth Management Act." (pdf 28 kb) WSDOT is one of seven state agencies that have adopted the Principles, along with the Washington State Association of Counties and the Association of Washington Cities. WSDOT coordinates its review of local plans and regulations with the Department of Commerce's Growth Management Services Office and other state agencies.