Transportation Commission

**Eldridge Avenue Pilot Results:** Jessica Bennett presented comprehensive data showing the pilot project has achieved its safety and mobility goals. Pre-construction average speeds were 29 mph with 85th percentile at 33 mph, which remained essentially unchanged post-construction at 29 mph average and 32 mph 85th percentile. The significant finding was a 30% increase in combined bicycle and pedestrian usage when comparing June 2023 to June 2024 data. Safety analysis showed the corridor performs better than predicted for similar roadways, with 5.13 actual crashes per year versus 7.36 predicted. Public feedback remains mixed, with strong support for enhanced crossings and bicycle improvements but continued concerns from some residents about parking loss. **Parking Minimum Requirements Discussion:** Commissioner Jamin Agosti…

**Aaron Miller (prospective commissioner):** Attended meeting expressing interest in applying for Transportation Commission position. **Sarah Burch (new commissioner):** Participated in first meeting, asked practical questions about bike lane maintenance and expressed support for coordinated approach to mobility and planning issues. **Jessica Bennett (City Staff):** Provided detailed technical data on Eldridge pilot showing positive results for bicycle/pedestrian usage with maintained vehicle speeds. Acknowledged mixed public feedback but emphasized safety improvements. **Commissioner Jamin Agosti:** Advocate…

**Jessica Bennett, on Eldridge Avenue pilot results:** "We saw about a 30% increase pre project to post project. So about a 30% increase after the project which you know, which was great to see, because that's what we expected." **Jessica Bennett, on public feedback:** "The public input has been mixed. I've gotten a lot of positive comments back about the bike lanes with still some neighbors, you know, who most affected by the parking? Certainly not... I have still gotten some negative feedba…

**New Commissioner:** Sarah Burch officially joined as newest Transportation Commission member, participating virtually in her first meeting. **2025 Leadership Confirmed:** Addie Candib and Tim Wilder re-elected for second consecutive year as Chair and Vice Chair respectively. **Accelerated Bellingham Plan Timeline:** Schedule compressed from September completion to May completion to coordinate with Planning Commission and avoid budget cycle conflicts. **Co…

### Meeting Overview The City of Bellingham Transportation Commission met on December 10, 2024, at the Pacific Street Operations Center to review the Eldridge Avenue pilot project results, discuss the 2025 annual work plan, and elect officers for the upcoming year. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Pilot Project:** A temporary implementation to test the effectiveness of a proposed change before making it permanent. **Buffered Bike Lane:** A bicycle lane separated from vehicle traffic by painted buffers and vertical delineators (flex posts). **85th Percentile Speed:** The speed at or below which 85% of vehicles travel, used as a key metric for traffic engineering decisions. **TIP (Transportation Improvement Program):** A six-year planning document that identifies priority transportation projects and their funding sources. **RRFB (Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon):** Yellow LED lights that flash in a rapid pattern to alert drivers of pedestrian crossings. **Mode Split/Mode Shift:** The percentage of trips taken by different transportation methods (car, bike, walking, transit). **Tool Cat:** A small utility vehicle with attachments used by the city for maintenance tasks like blowing debris from bike lanes. **Work Plan:** An annual schedule outlining the topics and projects a commission will review and act on during the year. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Addie Candib | Transportation Commission Chair | | Tim Wilder | Transportation Commission Vice Chair | | Jessica Bennett | Project Engineer, Public Works Capital Projects | | Joel Pfundt | Interim Public Works Co-Director | | Mike Wilson | Assistant Public Works Co-Director - Engineering | | Sarah Burch | Newly appointed Transportation Commissioner | | Jamin Agosti | Transportation Commissioner | ### Background Context The Eldridge Avenue pilot project stems from the city's 2014 Bicycle Master Plan, which called for bike lanes along this corridor. When the Transportation Commission recommended parking removal on several arterial streets in 2022, City Council approved most but made Eldridge Avenue a one-year pilot due to neighborhood conc…