Carrie Wilhelm, staff liaison to the Transportation Commission, and co-chairs Bruce Morris and Matt Stevens briefed the IPS committee on Oct. 8 about a year of work to update the Transportation Mobility Plan (TMP) and the commission’s priorities to ensure the plan’s goals become built projects.

“Much of our focus for the past year and a half was working with the update to the transportation and mobility plan,” Bruce Morris said, noting the commission met 15 times over a year including three joint meetings with the Planning Commission and participation on a transit-oriented development (TOD) task force.

Commissioners said their near-term priorities are Streets Initiative 2 (funding and execution), Vision Zero and Safe Routes to School projects, the Pacific Avenue subarea planning effort, an I‑5 crossing study funded by grant, and the ADA transition plan. “The number one request in District 4 has to do with neighborhood traffic calming and safety,” a councilmember told the commission; commissioners said the priority intersects directly with Streets Initiative 2 and funding availability.

Commissioners also described work on outreach and review efforts: participation in Vision Zero walking audits, representation in neighborhood plan steering groups, and ongoing engagement during TMP public outreach. They said some commissioners attended every TMP public engagement session to hear community concerns.

On automated traffic enforcement, commissioners noted past participation in a task force and that policy direction on placement and program parameters had moved the topic forward toward Council consideration. The commission listed parking and sidewalk updates, automated enforcement expansion, and missing-link sidewalk programming as items they will continue to monitor.

Commissioners told IPS they want to help bridge gaps in public trust and transparency. “There’s a lot of feeling that the city isn't nearly as transparent as it should be,” Matt Stevens said, adding that one objective is ensuring residents know what’s happening, can give input, and understand how projects will be prioritized and funded.

No formal vote or policy action occurred at the Oct. 8 committee meeting; commissioners asked IPS and council to consider funding priorities that will enable the TMP’s priorities to be implemented.