Transportation Commission

Transportation Commission — June 9, 2026

This was a regular meeting of the Bellingham Transportation Commission, held in hybrid format at the Pacific Street Operations Center and via Zoom. Nine commissioners were present along with several city staff members. The meeting ran from 6:00 PM to approximately 8:00 PM.

Public Comment

Two residents spoke during public comment. Miles Silverman of the Cordata Neighborhood urged the commission to prioritize bicycle connectivity, specifically calling for safe links between the Holly Street bicycle improvements and downtown, the waterfront, Fairhaven, and Harris Avenue. He argued that more residents would choose cycling if those connections existed. Alex McClain, President of the Happy Valley Neighborhood Association, raised concerns about the lack of critical infrastructure needed to reduce car dependence in his neighborhood and support alternative transportation options.

Approval of May 12, 2026 Meeting Minutes

The minutes from the previous meeting were approved without discussion.

Vote: Moved by Brad Johnson, seconded by Aaron Miller. Passed unanimously.

Permanent Automobile and Bicycle Parking Regulations

City staff member Tim Hohmann introduced the agenda item, and Anya Gedrath presented the proposed permanent parking regulations covering both automobile and bicycle parking. The minutes do not detail the specific content of the regulations, but commissioners asked questions and staff responded. This appears to be an informational and advisory discussion; no formal vote or recommendation is recorded in the minutes.

Transportation Report on Annual Mobility (TRAM)

Dylan Casper presented a draft of the Transportation Report on Annual Mobility (TRAM), the city's recurring document tracking mobility trends and transportation system performance. Commissioners provided questions and feedback to staff. As with the parking item, this was an advisory discussion — no binding action was taken. The TRAM document itself spans roughly 32 pages of the meeting packet (pages 8–40), suggesting it is a substantial report, though specific findings or data points were not captured in the minutes.

Staff Report

Several staff members provided updates:

Mike Wilson delivered a mid-year review of the 2026 work plan and reminded commissioners of their obligations under the Open Public Meetings Act and Records Management Act training requirements. He highlighted two City Council developments: a speed limit ordinance passed on May 18th, and a bid opening for an unspecified multimodal project expected to go before the Council on July 13th. He also noted that construction on James Street phases 3 and 4 is currently underway, and shared a funding update on the Pine Street project (details not specified in the minutes).

Tim Hohmann updated the commission on the Downtown Connections Plan and discussed automated traffic safety cameras, specifically school zone safety cameras — though no further detail on their status or timeline was captured in the minutes.

Chair Tim Wilder reported that as of the coming Sunday, Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) will implement service changes, including route adjustments around Western Washington University and modifications to three additional major routes. He also noted that 15 WTA vehicles now accept open payments, meaning riders can pay directly with a credit card rather than requiring a transit card. Wilder also mentioned that an announcement about a possible occupant of the public marketplace is coming soon.

Commissioner Cindy Dennis shared that the Bellingham School District has proposed closing Columbia Elementary and Carl Cozier Elementary schools due to declining enrollment and budget challenges — raising this as a matter of community interest, though it is outside the commission's direct purview.

Key Takeaways