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Bellingham Transportation Commission

BEL-TRC-2026-01-13 January 13, 2026 Transportation Commission City of Bellingham 41 min
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The Bellingham Transportation Commission welcomed new member Brad Johnson and unanimously approved two significant policy measures that will reshape how the city approaches commute trip reduction and speed limit setting. The commission approved an interlocal agreement with the Whatcom Council of Governments (WCOG) for commute trip reduction administration and endorsed a new speed limit setting methodology that moves away from the traditional 85th percentile approach to a context-based system prioritizing safety for vulnerable road users. The meeting featured substantial presentations on climate action goals and electric vehicle infrastructure, with Climate Energy Manager Seth Vidana updating commissioners on the city's EV charging network expansion and new cooperative vehicle sharing programs. Technical difficulties with Zoom access prevented some public participation, though one community member voiced opposition to WTA fare increases during public comment. The speed limit discussion generated the most detailed technical dialogue, with commissioners questioning how the new NACTO-based methodology would handle urban villages, sidewalk infrastructure gaps, and the relationship between speed limits and multimodal transportation goals. Staff emphasized that the new approach considers roadway context and safety history rather than simply following vehicle speeds.

**Commute Trip Reduction Interlocal Agreement:** - Motion approved unanimously - Agreement runs 2026-2029, with $25,000 annual payment to WCOG - Combines previous standalone SmartTrips agreement into single framework - City retains regulatory authority while WCOG handles day-to-day program administration - Implements 57% drive-alone rate target as previously recommended by commission **Speed Limit Se…

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**Speed Limit Methodology:** Staff presented a comprehensive analysis of three potential methodologies for setting speed limits, ultimately recommending the NACTO City Limits approach as most aligned with city values and safety goals. The methodology uses a matrix combining roadway context (downtown core to edge of city) with multimodal activity and safety indices. Key features include consideration of pedestrian and bicycle master plan designations, collision history, and local engineering knowledge. The approach moves away from the race-to-the-top mentality of 85th percentile speed setting, where engineers study actual speeds and set limits accordingly, leading to progressively higher speeds over time. The discussion revealed ongoing tensions between different approaches to transportation planning. Commission members quest…
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**Commission Members:** Jamin Agosti raised detailed questions about the speed limit methodology's decision tree, particularly why downtown designation was geographic rather than contextual. He advocated for examples to help understand the tool's application. Michelle questioned how sidewalk presence affects speed limit calculations, especially in residential areas near parks lacking pedestrian infrastructure. Brad Johnson asked about regular auditing of speed limits as contexts change over time. **Staff:** Tim Hohmann emphasized the need for objective, defensible speed limit methodology that can withstand legal challenges in bo…
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**Tim Hohmann, on speed methodology rationale:** "Since, oh, forever, probably the 40s, we have set speed limits on what engineers like to call the 85th percentile. So we go out, study a street, find the speed that 85% of the cars are going and say, that's the speed limit. And then we design the street to be safe at that speed limit. And then people drive faster. So it becomes what we call the race to the top." **Tim Hohmann, on legal defensibility:** "That is why we want it to be defensible f…
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**March 2026:** City Council will consider ordinance implementing specific speed limit changes on arterials and collectors based on approved methodology. Transportation Commission will review Local Road Safety Plan and Traffic Impact Fee rate study. **February 2026:** Staff will return with draft maps showing specific speed limit recommendations and implementation policy discussion, including focus group stakeholder input. **2026-2029:** Commute Trip Red…

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The commission formally endorsed moving from 85th percentile speed limit methodology to context-based approach prioritizing vulnerable road user safety over vehicle throughput. This represents a fundamental shift in transportation philosophy from speed accommodation to speed management for safety. The city consolidated two separate agreements (CTR administration and SmartTrips programming) into a single interlocal framework, streamlining trans…
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# Bellingham Transportation Commission Charts Course for Safer Streets On a cold January evening, the Bellingham Transportation Commission convened for its first meeting of 2026, marking a pivotal moment in the city's ongoing effort to transform its approach to traffic safety. What began as a routine business meeting evolved into something more significant—a unified endorsement of new policies that could fundamentally change how residents experience city streets. ## Meeting Overview The January 13, 2026 meeting at the Pacific Street Operations Center brought together the full nine-member Transportation Commission, a milestone achievement after years of incomplete membership. Chair Tim Wilder welcomed new commissioner Brad Johnson, who introduced himself as Burlington's community development director and a Bellingham resident of over 10 years. "I'm here voluntarily tonight," Johnson quipped, drawing laughter. "So something must be wrong with me." The meeting's agenda centered on two major policy items: approval of an interlocal agreement for the commute trip reduction program and, more controversially, adoption of a comprehensive speed limit setting methodology that represents a dramatic departure from decades-old practices. Both items would advance to city council with unanimous commission support. ## A Quick Voice Against Transit Fare Increases Before diving into the formal agenda, the commission heard brief public comment from Selina K., a York neighborhood resident calling in via Zoom. Her message was direct: oppose the Whatcom Transportation Authority's fare increases and ask the commission to recommend against implementing them. Chair Wilder later clarified that WTA's board had already approved the increases in December 2025, with implementation planned for September 2026, making the commission's intervention moot. The brief exchange highlighted the ongoing tension between transit affordability and operational sustainability—a challenge facing transit agencies nationwide as they recover from pandemic-era ridership losses. ## Streamlining the Commute Trip Reduction Program Transportation Planner Dylan Casper presented the proposed interlocal agreement with the Whatcom Council of Governments (WCOG) for administering the city's commute trip reduction program. The agreement consolidates what …
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A structured study guide helping readers understand the meeting's content and context. ### Meeting Overview The Bellingham Transportation Commission met on January 13, 2026, to discuss several key transportation policies and programs. The meeting focused primarily on approving new speed limit setting methodology and a commute trip reduction interlocal agreement, along with updates on the city's climate action goals and electric vehicle initiatives. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Commute Trip Reduction (CTR):** A state-mandated program requiring cities to work with major employers to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips during peak hours. Bellingham's program aims for a 57% drive-alone rate by targeting affected employers. **NACTO City Limits Methodology:** A speed limit setting approach developed by the National Association of City Transportation Officials that considers roadway context (land use, density) and multimodal activity/safety rather than just the traditional 85th percentile speed method. **85th Percentile Method:** The traditional way of setting speed limits based on the speed at which 85% of drivers are traveling. The city is moving away from this method because it can lead to a "race to the top" where speeds continuously increase. **Interlocal Agreement:** A contract between government entities to share responsibilities and costs. In this case, Bellingham contracts with WCOG (Whatcom Council of Governments) to administer the CTR program and Smart Trips. **Smart Trips Program:** A regional transportation demand management program that provides incentives, trip logging tools, and education to reduce drive-alone trips. **Roadway Context:** In speed limit setting, this considers the surrounding land use, density, intersection spacing, and urban development patterns to determine appropriate speeds. **Multimodal Activity and Safety Index:** A scoring system that looks at pedestrian and bicycle activity levels plus collision history to inform speed limit decisions. **EV Cooperative:** An electric vehicle sharing program where organizations like the Bellingham Food Co-op will have electric vehicles available for both business use and community members to rent. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Tim Wilder | Transportation Commission Chair | | Cindy Dennis | Transportation Commission Vice Chair | | Brad Johnson | New Transportation Commission member, Community Development Director for Burlington | | Dylan Casper | City Transportation Planner | | Tim Hohmann | Assistant Director of Public Works-Transportation | | Shane | City Transportation staff |…
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Government Operations Bellingham Food Coop Chargepoint City Council Nacto Opportunity Council Puget Sound Energy Wcog Wsdot Wta Brad Johnson Cindy Dennis Dylan Casper Jamin Agosti Michelle Ray Selina K Seth Vidana Shane Tim Hohmann Tim Wilder Arterial Streets Bicycle Infrastructure Climate Action Climate Emissions Commute Trip Reduction Downtown Core Electric Vehicles Ev Infrastructure Fare Increases Multimodal Transportation Pedestrian Safety Roadway Context Safety Data Shared Streets Speed Limits Speed Methodology Transportation Demand Management Transportation Methodology Urban Villages Vehicle Charging Vulnerable Road Users