The scope and perspective of regional transportation planning is different than that conducted by local governments, the state, tribes, transit providers, and other entities. This section of Way to Go, Whatcom 2045 describes the Regionally Significant (transportation) System (RSS), including existing and future facilities, services, and programs that are of common interest and impact in the Whatcom region. Implicit in the presentation of these components as a system is the importance of optimizing connections between these components and continuously improving multimodal and intermodal transportation for people and freight.
The RSS includes both publicly and privately-owned and operated components, including roads, portions of roads, and other dedicated facilities for bicycle and pedestrian travel, railroads, marine terminals, transit stations, and airports. Physical assets such as border inspection stations, parking lots, and electric vehicle charging stations are also included in the RSS.
Roads classified as principal or minor arterials per the Federal Highway Administration functional classification system
All state roads
Roads serving intermodal facilities, including:
Amtrak stations
airports
ferry terminals
intercity bus terminals
multipurpose passenger facilities
port terminals
public transit stations
truck/pipeline terminals
truck/rail facilities
Roads serving major activity centers including:
regional hospitals
schools
emergency management centers
shopping centers
industrial centers
employment centers
recreation and tourism centers
Washington State Freight and Goods Transportation System (FGTS) routes T-1 through T-4
Roads that support facilities generating or attracting significant freight-truck shipments and/or deliveries (Note: Most routes between concentrations of freight trip-ends are served by roads included in the RSS by virtue of the criteria listed above. This criterion allows inclusion of some roads that do not meet the other criteria, but because of the type and/or volume of traffic they serve, they advance regional transportation goals.)
Active transportation routes and facilities (trails, etc.), existing and proposed, serving regional connections (connecting urban centers) :
Columbia Valley / Kendall Trail
The Bay-to-Baker Trail
The Coast Millennium Trail
The Nooksack Loop
Regional sections of the U.S. Bicycle Route System
Active transportation routes and facilities that serve RSS multimodal connections:
Park & ride/transit hubs
bike-sharing stations co-located with a transit facility
Bike share services
Publicly owned parking for private vehicles (no-charge and priced), including:
On-street parking
Publicly owned parking lots and structures
Passenger vehicle parking facilities located at:
Employment centers
Institutional uses (schools, hospitals, etc.)
Retail and service providers
Intermodal (rail, ferry, transit, park-and-rides, etc.)
Park and rides
Truck parking facilities (public and private facilities where large freight trucks can park for legally required driver rest)
Privately owned public parking garages
Facilities for secure parking of bikes and other wheeled mobility devices
Railroads (right-of-way, tracks, and related facilities)
Passenger rail stations
Passenger rail service (Amtrak Cascades)
Freight-rail carrier services (e.g., BNSF, CN)
Alaska Marine Highway System
Public ferry boats and auto and passenger ferry terminals
Marine cargo and passenger terminals and services
U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) Marine Highway System route
Public transit routes, built amenities (pullouts, shelters, etc.), services from:
Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) and its partners for fixed-route, paratransit, on-demand, and inter-county routes
Lummi Transit
Private scheduled-route operators (Greyhound, Flix, Bellair Airporter, Quik, etc.)
Bus stations (WTA, Port of Bellingham, and private scheduled-route operators)
Bus maintenance facilities
Bellingham International Airport
Lynden Airport
Passenger airlines (Alaska, Allegiant, Horizon, San Juan, Southwest, others)
Air freight carriers (Alaska Air Cargo, FedEx)
Intermodal
U.S. and Canadian federal border inspection stations
Electric vehicle charging stations, fuel stations, other vehicle-service centers
School district bus storage and maintenance facilities
School district bus transportation
Ride services (taxis, Lyft, Uber, etc.)
Car share services (e.g., ZipCar, peer-to-peer, etc.)
Vehicle rental
Shared mobility (bikes, scooters, etc