Whatcom Transport 2050
The 20-Year Regional & Metropolitan Transportation Plan for the
Whatcom Metropolitan Planning Area
The Whatcom Council of Governments (WCOG) is beginning the next five-year update of the long-range Regional & Metropolitan Transportation Plan (R/MTP) for the Whatcom Metropolitan Planning Area. This plan lays out our region’s transportation system goals, strategies, and investments for the next twenty years. The update is scheduled for adoption in June 2027.
What is a Regional / Metropolitan Transportation Plan?
As the region’s federally-designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO), WCOG is responsible for continuously updating a R/MTP that “provides for the development and integrated management and operation of transportation systems and facilities that will function as an intermodal transportation system for the metropolitan planning area and as an integral part of an intermodal transportation system for the state and the United States.” (23 USC 134)
Prioritized Transportation Goals
Can I look at the current plan?
The best way to familiarize yourself with the opportunities to improve the next plan update is to review the current R/MTP – Way to Go, Whatcom.
In a Nutshell…
If you don’t have time to review the current plan, the format and structure of WCOG’s current plan is as follows.
Identification of the regional transportation system.
Establishment of the region’s transportation system goals. There are currently seven.
Assessment of future needs (population, land-use, travel and transportation trends).
Identification of strategies to accomplish regional goals under expected conditions.
Identification of investments and policy options (a 20 year project list).
Assessment of financial capacity and resulting fiscal constraints.
