Events

Welcome Reception—Sunday

Join us at the world-famous Space Needle on Sunday evening from 6 – 9 p.m. for an Opening Reception and a 360° panoramic view of Seattle. Enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and beverages 100 feet up in the air in the Skyline Banquet Room, reserved exclusively for WASHTO delegates. Take the elevator up even higher to the Space Needle’s 520-foot Observation Deck. If the Pacific Northwest hors d’oeuvres make you hungry for more, enjoy dinner on your own at one of Seattle’s many fine restaurants.

Technical Tours—Tuesday

I-90 Mountain Pass and Project Tour

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will improve approximately five miles of I-90 between Hyak and Keechelus Dam. This project is the first step toward improving safety, reducing congestion and preserving the natural environment along the I-90 corridor. Improvements include adding an additional lane in each direction, extending chain on and off areas, expanding the snowshed, building new bridges over Rocky Run, Gold Creek, and Resort Creek, and adding oversized culverts at Wolfe, Resort and Townsend Creeks. WSDOT will also improve safety along I-90 by reducing sharp curves, repairing deteriorated pavement, stabilizing unstable slopes, installing avalanche fences, and connecting wildlife habitats over and under the highway. Join the Region Administrator, Don Whitehouse, and travel along I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass to learn more about this project. Pre-registration and a 25$ fee is required.

Ferry Tour and Program Presentation

Washington State Ferries operates the largest ferry fleet in the United States. Twenty-eight ferries cross Puget Sound and its inland waterways, carrying over 26 million passengers to 20 different ports of call. From Tacoma, Washington, to Sidney, British Columbia, we travel up and down the Sound, acting as a marine highway for commercial users, tourists and daily commuters alike.

Join the Chief of Ferries, David Mosely, on the ferry Wenatchee for a sailing to Bainbridge Island and back. Learn what it takes to operate the largest ferry system in the nation while enjoying the beauty of the Puget Sound. Pre-registration and a 25$ fee is required.

Washington State Night Dinner—Monday

Experience the thrill of flight without leaving the ground at the Washington State Night Dinner on Monday evening from 6:30 – 10 p.m. at the Museum of Flight. Enjoy a catered dinner in the museum’s six-story Great Gallery where aircraft are hovering overhead or landing at your feet. WASHTO delegates will have exclusive use of the museum for the night. Get in the “action” with an impressive collection of World War I and II fighters and interactive exhibits in the Personal Courage Wing or take a simulated flight. Visit the museum’s outdoor gallery to see prototypes of the Boeing 737 and 747, a British Airways Concorde, and America’s first jet Air Force One.

Closing Banquet—Wednesday

The WASHTO closing banquet festivities will be held on Wednesday evening in the beautiful Waterfront Marriott Grand Ballroom. Visit with other attendees, hear about plans WASHTO 2010 in North Dakota, witness the passing of the gavel from one president to another.

Other Events:

Cocktail and Dessert Party

Join us in the Olympic Ballroom at the Edgewaer hotel on Monday, July 13th, from 8 pm to 11 pm for a Cocktail and Dessert Party hosted by PBS&J.

Chocolate Lover's Night

Join us in the Libray/Patio at the Marriott Waterfront hotel on Tuesday, July 14th, from
7 pm to 10pm for a Chocolate Lover's reception hosted by Parsons Brinkerhoff.

Dress Code

All events and conference sessions will be Business Casual dress code: for women: tailored capris or long shorts (usually not denim or heavy cotton), a tennis shirt or other tailored shirt. for men, a combination of a collared shirt, and cotton trousers, and appropriate shoes.