Human Services Transportation Planning
In 2006, the Washington State Department of Transportation directed WCOG and the state’s other Regional Transportation Planning Organizations to convene stakeholder groups composed of local human services agencies, schools, transportation providers and others to develop consolidated human services transportation plans to ensure that the mobility needs of people who do not drive due to age, income or disability reasons, are being met.
The human services transportation (HST) planning process was reviewed and refined by WCOG’s Citizens’ Transportation Advisory Group and the Transportation Technical Advisory Group. This process results in a prioritized list of project proposals within Whatcom County based on the rankings of the HST Stakeholder Group. Project proposals included on the list become eligible for consideration for state and federal public transportation grant funding.
The current, 2016 Amended HST Plan is now being updated. A draft 2018 Whatcom HSTP is available for review.
The following four project proposals proposed to WSDOT for funding in the 2019-2021 biennium and included in the updated 2018 plan are:
- Lummi Nation Transit Operation: Sustains route-deviated service for the general public and special needs populations on the Lummi Tribal Reservation.
- Whatcom Council of Governments Mobility Management: Provides travel training, bus pass distribution and educational activities for seniors and youth.
- Whatcom Transportation Authority Mobility Training
- Whatcom Transportation Authority: Improving Rural Public Transit in Whatcom County
For more information on WCOG’s Human Services Transportation Plan, please contact WCOG Director of Planning, Hugh Conroy at hugh@wcog.org or (360) 685-8384.