Richland amends Tripeppi Smith contract and outlines outreach for $20M downtown connectivity project

Richland staff said they amended the contract with communications firm Tripeppi Smith to provide public relations support for the Downtown Connectivity Project and outlined a phased public outreach plan on Jan. 28.

City staff and consultants described the project as a multimillion‑dollar effort to improve walkability, bicycle access, lighting, stormwater, on‑street parking and placemaking by repurposing right‑of‑way on George Washington Way and Jadwin. The selected design converts the two streets into a one‑way pair between the George Washington/Jadwin and Simons intersections, while aiming to preserve current traffic level‑of‑service where possible.

Carlo (city staff) and consultants reviewed the project history and funding. Ben Franklin Council of Governments, the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB), a federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant and other sources have provided design and construction funds. City staff stated committed funding from grants and city allocations totals nearly $20 million, excluding 2025 budget additions. Department of Ecology funding for construction was described as pending.

Consultants said they will apply lessons from the communications assessment to outreach for the downtown project. The outreach scope presented includes two immediate sub‑phases (phase 1a and 1b) and a construction phase (phase 2):

- Phase 1a (prep and business outreach, flexible January–August): project kickoff; a project sublogo and tagline; a dedicated project website; direct phone and email outreach to enumerated affected properties; two virtual focus groups with businesses; a mailing and toolkit for businesses and residents.

- Phase 1b (general community outreach, timing tied to procurement and construction schedule): a short animated explainer video, one in‑person and one virtual community meeting, a digital advertising campaign (boosted posts, YouTube/Google ads), press releases, active social monitoring, and targeted variable message boards.

- Phase 2 (construction communications, anticipated late 2025–mid‑2027): ongoing, flexible support on a time‑and‑materials basis for construction‑period messaging, signage, amplified outreach in response to timeline shifts and temporary economic impacts, and coordination on public safety and access concerns.

Staff emphasized targeted outreach to businesses as an early priority, including door‑to‑door and phone contact to ensure businesses know how to remain open and to collect contact information for real‑time updates. City leaders repeatedly referenced past examples elsewhere in the Tri‑Cities where businesses said they lacked adequate notice, and said the goal is to avoid that outcome.

Consultants emphasized multiple channels and recommended utility‑bill inserts, variable message signs, boosted social posts and geotargeted advertising to reach local drivers and customers. They also suggested metrics for measuring success (public awareness, business confidence that they were notified, and responsiveness to public feedback).

Council and staff discussed pacing outreach so the public is neither surprised nor prematurely alarmed, noting some project elements depend on outside funding and permitting schedules. City staff flagged potential external risks: recent federal executive orders and litigation briefly paused some federally funded projects elsewhere; staff said they are monitoring those developments and that timing could change based on federal actions.

The presentation closed with an outline of expected deliverables and flexible scheduling tied to the project's procurement and construction milestones. Staff said Tripeppi Smith will return to coordinate the project rollout and help the city implement the communications recommendations during design and construction.