Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) officials said the agency is seeking public review and comment regarding the agency’s 2021-2024 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
The STIP incorporates more than 1,100 statewide transportation projects using $3.7 billion in federal funds. The comment period represents the final step in the community engagement process that began during the development of individual transportation improvement programs.
WSDOT will accept comments until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16, with all input received by WSDOT being sent to the local agency, metropolitan, or regional planning organization for consideration.
WSDOT described the STIP as a four-year, fiscally constrained, prioritized multimodal transportation program of state, local, tribal and public transportation (transit) projects.
The initiative includes highways, streets, roads, railroads, transit-hubs, park-and-ride lots, bridges, sidewalks, bike lanes, ferry terminals, trails, and safety projects.
WSDOT indicated some county projects are not included in the draft STIP because state law requires counties to complete their transportation improvement programs by the end of the year – and those projects are then amended into the final STIP in January.
Written comments can be forwarded to Nancy Huntley, WSDOT, P.O. Box 47390, Olympia WA 98504-7390, while e-mail comments can be sent via Hqlpstip@wsdot.wa.gov. Faxed responses can be sent via dialing 360-705-6822. Officials indicated any mailed or faxed comments will be reviewed weekly during the public comment period in the wake of COVID-19 restrictions.