July News: How We Keep People Safe

The TCC team at a bus stop in Bellingham.

Dear friends,

There are so many important stories to tell about transportation — and how it intersects with people’s lives.

Last Tuesday, on a staff retreat in Bellingham, our team heard some of these stories on a tour with Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA). We heard how life-changing it can be for people to find out they qualify for paratransit service — how one rider was able to take her first solo trip in years to enjoy some ice cream. We heard about WTA’s innovative plans to help build affordable housing that’s connected to transit. And we heard how the agency’s good work is enabled by Transit Support Grants that Initiative 2117 puts at risk.

The next day, as we talked together as a staff about long-term initiatives, one prominent theme was street safety. Below, you can read a personal reflection from Deputy Director Kelsey Mesher about Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown’s new executive order for street safety, and the tragedies that define this work. And be sure to read our new blog post to learn about the historic investments in sidewalks and safe infrastructure in the Seattle Transportation Levy. We’re also thinking about this issue statewide: What will it take to transform our most dangerous roads to protect people walking, biking, and taking transit? How can we make real progress in the next legislative session?

Read on for more of what we’ve been up to, events, ways to take action, and more.

Keep moving,

– Transportation Choices Coalition

STAFF PICK

Reflecting on Safety in the Wake of Tragedy

This month, I want to shout out Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown for showing real leadership on street safety and to ask other elected leaders to do the same. The Mayor issued an executive order to prioritize strategies like no right turns on red, slower speeds, and complementary engineering improvements. These are a good start, and so much more is needed.

Unfortunately, actions like these often come on the heels of tragedy — and in Spokane this was also the case. Janet Mann, a foster care advocate, was killed by a driver while in a crosswalk in June. And just a day before Mayor Brown’s announcement, 23-year-old Danielle Littrell was killed by a driver while riding a scooter.

It’s easy to become numb or complacent, given how common death by traffic violence has become — in Washington, we lost 810 of our community members in this way in 2023 alone, a 33-year high. But every sudden, violent fatality on our streets tears a huge hole in our communities.

At Transportation Choices Coalition, we always take street safety seriously; yet this issue recently became extremely personal, when we got the shocking news that Jessica Blinebry, our bookkeeper, was killed by a drunk driver over Memorial Day weekend. No amount of advocacy or issue awareness can prepare you for this type of loss.

Jessica Blinebry and her husband, Casey.

It’s been a lot to process — the loss of a colleague, mentor, friend. She was a vital part of our operations at TCC, but also just a downright good person. Though our weekly meetings often focused on the nuts and bolts of nonprofit accounting, our conversations often turned to our children. She was a mother of four, and it was clear she loved her kids more than anything. If you feel moved to, you can support Jessica’s family here.

In the wake of these preventable deaths in Spokane, deaths in Seattle, and the loss of our colleague Jessica, I want to say thank you to Mayor Brown for using her power to take action, and call on every leader with the means to make our streets safer to do the same.

Kelsey Mesher
Deputy Director

WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO

The Seattle Transportation Levy is Headed to the Ballot!

Mayor Harrell signs legislation for the Seattle Transportation Levy. Photo by Linda Lam courtesy of SDOT.

After months of public process (and more than a year of advocacy), the Seattle City Council voted Tuesday to send the $1.55 billion Seattle Transportation Levy to the ballot. On November 5, voters will have the opportunity to support the City’s most historic investment in sidewalk infrastructure; funding for transit improvements and new bike lanes; neighborhood-identified safety projects; and basic maintenance for our transportation infrastructure.

Read our full blog post to learn about what this levy will make possible and how we’re helping it get passed in November.

We’re Hiring Our Next Policy Director

After 12 years with TCC, our Policy Director, Hester Serebrin, is on the move. Hester has positioned us as a policy leader in the state and across the country. If you ride a bus or train today in our state, Hester’s work has made your trip better.

We have an important role to fill as we hire a new Policy Director. If you’re interested in helping to set the tone on transportation policy in Washington State, click here to learn more and read the full job listing. Applications are due August 5.

Please also help us spread the word by sharing this opportunity with your networks!

We Refreshed Our Priorities for 2024-2025

In the Spring of 2023, we posted about our top priorities for the upcoming year. As many people know, there are endless opportunities and challenges in the transportation world, and we believe that we can have the greatest impact by ensuring we remain focused and coordinated on a select number of policy priorities.

Now, it’s that time of year again, and we’re pleased to share our focus areas for the next twelve months:

Defeating I-2117
Passing a transportation levy in Seattle that delivers transit reliability & connections to light rail
Passing a transformational transportation package with robust funding and complementary policies around safety, sustainability, and equity
Developing and strengthening our mobility justice platform
Developing recommendations for transit safety & workforce shortage issues
Supporting Sound Transit’s implementation of the Technical Advisory Group recommendations & celebrating light rail openings

Read our full blog post to learn more about what each of these priorities entails.

Thanks for a Great Ride Transit Month!

TCC staff and friends at Ride Transit Night at the Ballpark.

All throughout June we celebrated Ride Transit Month. Thank you to all the transit riders, operators, agency staff, and advocates for your support, enthusiasm, and energy! More than 325 people pledged to ride transit, and 18 jurisdictions issued official proclamations declaring June Ride Transit Month. TCC and our partners hosted several fun events, and we had a lot of great engagement from across the state.

Here’s a look back at some highlights from Ride Transit Month 2024.

WHAT’S COMING UP

Mark Your Calendars for Lynnwood Link Opening Day Celebrations on Aug. 30

On Friday, August 30, from 4 – 8 PM, celebrate the opening of the 1 Line Extension from Northgate to Lynnwood! Four new stations will open: Shoreline South/148th, Shoreline North/185th, Mountlake Terrace, and Lynnwood City Center. Our friends at Snotrac are partnering with the Lynnwood Chamber of Commerce and Sound Transit to hold a community celebration at the Lynnwood City Center Station.

Learn more about the project and stay tuned for more details about celebratory events!

Join Us at the 2024 Bike Walk Roll Summit

Cascade Bicycle Club and Washington Bikes are hosting the 2024 Bike Walk Roll Summit in-person in Tacoma, WA on September 12 – 13.

This year’s summit “Safe Streets for Everybody” invites planners and engineers, community advocates, and elected officials to explore how to embed safety in every aspect of designing our streets and communities. Come learn how to turn your ideas into action from expert speakers and panels, experiential learning forums, and collaborative spaces.

TCC’s Advocacy Director, Matthew Sutherland, will be speaking on a panel with TCC contract researcher Ethan Campbell about our work with the Free to Walk Coalition to reform Washington’s jaywalking laws.

Early bird registration for the Bike Walk Roll Summit ends July 31! Register now to take advantage of discounted rates and secure your spot.

Save the Date for Tuxes & Trains 2024

Please mark your calendars for Tuxes & Trains 2024 on Friday, October 4, at 7 PM. We’re hosting this year’s reception-style fundraiser at the gorgeous Seattle Art Museum, and we couldn’t be more excited.

Gather with transit agency leaders, elected officials, planners, engineers, workers, and advocates from across the state as we celebrate a year of major transit project openings in Washington. This year, our gala theme celebrates “The Art of Mobility,” acknowledging the vision, skill, creativity, passion, and perseverance it takes to make these transformational projects come to bear.

Ticket registration is coming soon!

GET INVOLVED

Volunteer with the No on 2117 Campaign

The No on 2117 campaign is bringing together Washingtonians from across the state to fight pollution and protect our air and water, forests and farmlands, jobs and transportation investments. It’s an unprecedented coalition of over 250 environmental and business leaders, Tribal nations, labor unions, and community organizations. This campaign needs all of us to pitch in however we can.

Join a No on 2117 Volunteer Kick-Off event TODAY, July 16, at 5:30 PM. Register here.

You can also sign up to volunteer to get notified about future opportunities!

Give Your Input on Projects and Proposals

Intercity Bus Service: WSDOT is exploring how to improve intercity bus service to better meet the needs of rural communities across Washington State. Take their survey.

Pierce Transit’s Long-Range Plan: Help shape the next 20 years of transit service in Pierce County. Take a survey.

A South Downtown Hub in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District: Sound Transit, the City of Seattle, and King County are planning for transit connections in the CID. Join a workshop on Wednesday, July 17, from 4 to 7 PM at Union Station. Learn more.

Sound Transit’s Graham Street Station Project: Join an in-person open house TDOAY, July 16, from 4:30 to 7 PM at the Van Asselt Community Center. You can also take a survey by July 28.

Sound Transit’s Boeing Access Road Station Project: Join an in-person open house on Wednesday, July 17, from 4:30 to 7 PM at the Tukwila Community Center. You can also take a survey by July 28.

WHAT WE’RE READING

WA’s next governor faces rocky road when it comes to transportation — The Seattle Times

“Washington’s next governor will face a simple yet vexing quandary in funding transportation: a vast backlog of increasingly costly projects — and nowhere near the money to pay for them all.”

In Washington, new policies and tools ensure climate action starts where environmental harm is greatest. — Office of Gov Inslee

“Environmental justice is a commitment to deliver the benefits of climate action where environmental harm is greatest. The principle is fundamental to the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) and Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act, two of the state’s marquee environmental policies.”

Seattleites are driving less — Axios

“Contributors to the state and city’s success, according to the Frontier Group’s analysis, include the 1991 Commute Trip Reduction law, which requires large employers to incentivize alternative commuting methods, and expanded investments in light rail and bus service.”

Walla Walla Valley Transit bus operator Leanna Rubio makes a difference as she drives — Union-Bulletin

“Rubio, 60, has worked with Walla Walla Valley Transit since October 2008. Through this job, Rubio has seen the seasonal changes and beauty within Walla Walla, met new people and witnessed the impact she has had on people’s lives.”

Expanded service ahoy! Vashon community celebrates upcoming launch of midday water taxi trips — King County Metro

“Starting July 1, the King County Water Taxi will have four new roundtrip midday sailings to the island.”

Sounder’s South Line Could Get Frequency Boost Sooner in Program Reset — The Urbanist

“Sound Transit staff are recommending largely postponing pre-pandemic priorities for longer platforms and trains to handle peak loads, in favor of investments in more trips and extended span of service that could meet rider demand sooner.”