Notice is hereby given that the Whatcom Council of Governments (WCOG) has made the draft 2025-2029 Regional Commute Trip Reduction Plan (Plan) available for public comment.
The Plan is prepared and approved through a regional process and helps to facilitate alternatives to drive-alone commute trips in order to improve air quality, reduce congestion, and reduce petroleum fuel consumption.
The public comment period closes on March 7th, 2025 at 5:00 pm. Action on approval of the Plan is anticipated at a public hearing at the March 12th, 2025 Whatcom Transportation Policy Board meeting. All written comments received on or before March 7 will be distributed to the Transportation Policy Board before the meeting.
You may join the March 12th, 3:30 pm Transportation Policy Board meeting in-person, virtually, or by phone.
To attend virtually, use the following Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82335845427
Webinar ID: 823 3584 5427
Or to join by phone, dial: +1 (253) 215-8782 or +1 (346) 248-7799 (U.S.)
Attend in-person at 3:30 pm March 12th, 2025 at 314 East Champion Street, Bellingham, WA 98225.
Paper copies of the Plan are available by request at WCOG’s office, 314 East Champion Street, Bellingham, WA, 98225. Please contact Emily Moran at (360) 685-8392 or emily@wcog.org with any questions about the draft Plan. Written comments must be emailed to emily@wcog.org, mailed to the address above or hand delivered with prior arrangement.
In 1991, the Washington State Legislature passed the CTR Law (RCW 70A.15.4000-4110 and Chapter 468-63 WAC) to address air pollution, petroleum-fuel consumption, and traffic congestion. The CTR Program began as a response to the Exxon Valdez grounding and concerns of federal mandates through the federal Clean Air Act. The program was incorporated into the Washington Clean Air Act.
The CTR Law mandates four major actions to accomplish the program’s purposes:
Jurisdictions in affected areas must develop and implement a CTR ordinance and a CTR plan and engage major employers to provide CTR programs.
WSDOT must create and implement a statewide CTR plan.
Regional planning organizations must create and implement a CTR plan.
The state must provide support and leadership.
The CTR Program is codified in the Washington Clean Air Act, RCW Chapter 70A.15. Rules for the program are codified in WAC 468-63. In 2006, the Legislature amended the CTR law to make the program more efficient, effective, and responsive to the local context.
In Whatcom County, Whatcom Council of Governments is the regional planning organization responsible for creating and implementing our region’s plan. This current draft plan is an update to the previous plan and will take effect July 1, 2025 and remain in effect through June 30, 2029.
The CTR Plan includes a commute trip reduction performance target and strategies for achieving that target. Historically, the Smart Trips program has been and will continue to be the strategy for reducing air pollution, petroleum-fuel consumption, and traffic congestion in our region. Affected areas include the City of Bellingham and unincorporated Whatcom County.