I’m trying to understand a situation, accurately and more comprehensively, after listening to what Welch Comer presented to the #PullmanCityCouncil, last night about the @City_of_Pullman’s Main Street Redesign aka Project Downtown Pullman.
These comments were a bit worse than expected with the just expand from 3 to 5 car-centric lanes, now, and completely devoid of any discussion on #CompleteStreets & how to safely move people walking/cycling/rolling!:
-Is Level of Service (LOS) defined in the RCW? I’m not finding the definition.
-Why is the consultant (paid >1.1 M for current project phase), stating that LOS is a @wsdot/@WSDOT_East “requirement?” It is or it isn’t. A reqmnt & standard are different words w/different affects!
-When LOS is mentioned in the RCW, what is it LOS of? Does it cover LOS for #WSDOTactive modes? Does the RCW need updating on this? @BarbChamberlain
-What is this “degradation application waiver” stuff? @WSDOT_East
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#WSDOTactive) are going to have to decide how far they’re going to exert their power to bring the @City_of_Pullman, the #PullmanCityCouncil, & the out-of-state consultant, in line with where the state DOT & #waleg have stated multimodal goals!
If I had the power & sway, things would be sounding very different re: active transportation infrastructure in the Main St Redesign.
I support @wsdot, b/c I believe their 💕/intent/goals are in the right place.
I hope they can please help my city get this project right!
@dongho_chang or anybody else that knows, Is there a LOS requirement for 🚗 on the NHS (e.g., Grand Avenue/State Route 27, within the Pullman city limits in Washington state)? If yes, is there an LOS requirement for people walking/cycling/rolling? Is LOS desire-based or required?
Thanks anyways! Think I found my answer in the linked @USDOTFHWA Memorandum:
“Although States may adopt LOS standards in their design manuals, FHWA does not have regulations or policies that require specific minimum LOS values for projects on the NHS.”
At tomorrow’s #PullmanCityCouncil mtg, Welch Comer will tell the Council that @WSDOT_East basically would prioritize LOS for cars & likely require the @City_if_Pullman removes parking on Grand to transition it into 4 lanes! (I doubt it!)
I observed/listened in on today’s @City_of_Pullman Hearing Examiner (Andy Kottkamp) meeting, which included two public hearings. I was very impressed with his written decision on a previous & contentious matter, so I want to learn more about his style, analysis, etc.
(1/x)
At one point, AK said he doesn’t believe he has the authority to waive requirements for the variance & then asked the @City_of_Pullman’s Assistant City Planner Jason Radtke for the basis of his support on the application.
(2/x)
Slight paraphrasing:
JR: It’s what the city has done in the past.
AK: Why hasn’t the code been changed?
JR: We’re working on it.
AK: I’m going to stick w/the code.
Hearing Examiner decisions will be made by 10 days.