### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council's Public Works and Natural Resources Committee met on Monday, December 8, 2025, to discuss transportation infrastructure projects and utility franchises. The main focus was on the Community Streets Program's first-year results and planning for bike lane improvements on Holly Street. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Community Streets Program (CSP):** A resident-driven initiative that addresses traffic safety concerns on residential (non-arterial) streets through data collection and targeted improvements like speed humps and traffic circles. **Level of Traffic Stress (LTS):** A measurement system that rates how comfortable cyclists and pedestrians feel on a street, ranging from LTS-1 (suitable for all ages and abilities) to LTS-4 (stressful conditions). **Arterial vs. Residential Streets:** Arterial streets are major roads designed for higher traffic volumes, while residential streets are local roads primarily serving neighborhood access. **Point-to-Cost (P/C) Ratio:** A calculation used in the Community Streets Program that compares safety improvement scores to project costs, helping prioritize which projects offer the best value. **Traffic Calming Measures:** Physical changes to streets designed to slow vehicle speeds and improve safety, including speed humps, traffic circles, and enhanced signage. **Right-of-Way Franchise:** A legal agreement allowing private companies to install and maintain infrastructure (like fiber optic cables) in city-owned public rights-of-way. **Performance Bond:** A financial guarantee that contractors will complete their work properly, protecting the city from potential damages or incomplete projects. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hannah Stone | Committee Chair, City Council First Ward | | Lisa Anderson | Committee Member, City Council Fifth Ward | | Jace Cotton | Committee Member, City Council At-Large | | Tim Hohmann | Assistant Director of Public Works - Transportation | | Shane Sullivan | City Transportation Engineer | | Mike Wilson | Assistant Director of Public Works - Engineering | | Matt Stamps | Senior Assistant City Attorney | | Carol Rofkar | Assistant Director of Internal Services | ### Background Context The Community Streets Program represents Bellingham's first systematic approach to addressing neighborhood traffic safety concerns through resident input and data-driven solutions. The program operates on a four-year rotation through different city areas, with Group A (northern neighborhoods including Cordata, Meridian, King Mountain, Irongate, Barkley, and Silver Beach) receiving attention in 2025. This reflects broader municipal trends toward community-engaged transportation planning. The Holly Street bike facility discussion connects to Bellingham's comprehensive bike and pedestrian master plan, addressing the critical challenge of creating safe cycling infrastructure on a key downtown corridor that connects to existing bike routes on Eldridge Avenue. The project highlights the ongoing tension between accommodating different transportation modes while balancing business parking needs and community accessibility. ### What Happened — The Short Version The committee received an update on the Community Streets Program's successful first year, which collected over 400 resident responses and identified four specific projects for construction in summer 2026, including speed humps on Tremont Avenue and improvements near Northern Heights Elementary on Magrath Road. Staff presented progress on the Holly Street bike lane study, revealing plans to potentially extend one-way traffic and remove some parking to create safer cycling conditions. The committee approved a ten-year franchise agreement with Forged Fiber 37 (an AT&T subsidiary) to operate fiber optic cables in city rights-of-way and authorized a $1.5 million contract for exterior repairs to the police department building. ### What to Watch Next • Construction of the four Community Streets Program projects scheduled for summer 2026 • Release of the Holly Street bike facility alternatives analysis in spring 2026, which may include controversial parking removal proposals • Beginning of the Community Streets Program's second year focusing on Group B neighborhoods (Birchwood, Columbia, Sunnyland areas) ---

**Q:** What was the total budget for the 2025 Community Streets Program? **A:** $200,000 from the Street Fund, used to address traffic safety concerns on residential streets through resident-driven projects. **Q:** How many survey responses did the Community Streets Program receive in its first year? **A:** Over 400 responses, though 68% were on arterial streets and therefore ineligible for the program. **Q:** Which four projects were approved for the 2025 Community Streets Program? **A:** Tremont Avenue (Corona Court to Meridian Street), Magrath Road (near Northern Heights Elementary), combined Silver Beach Avenue/Sylvan Street, and Peters Street near Maryland Street. **Q:** What is the main difference between arterial and residential streets for Community Streets Program purposes? **A:** The program only addresses residential streets, while arterial streets handle higher traffic volumes and require different solutions through other city programs. **Q:** How does the Community Streets Program prioritize which projects to fund? **A:** Using a point-to-cost (P/C) ratio that compares safety improvement scores to estimated project costs, maximizing impact per dollar spent. **Q:** What area will the Community Streets Program focus on in 2026? **A:** Group B, which includes the Birchwood, Columbia, and Sunnyland neighborhoods in the western part of the city. **Q:** Why might Holly Street's one-way section be extended from Bay to Champion Street? **A:** To address operational challenges in transitioning bike lanes from one-way to two-way traffic and potentially add parking stalls. **Q:** What is the performance bond amount for Forged Fiber 37's franchise agreement? **A:** $100,000, which is double the city's normal bond rate due to the company being new to Washington State operations. **Q:** How much will the police department exterior repairs cost? **A:** $1,504,200, awarded to Summit Construction Group as the lowest responsive bidder for facade and hallway flooring repairs. **Q:** When is construction expected to begin for the Holly Street bike facility improvements? **A:** Summer 2027, following completion of the alternatives analysis in spring 2026 and subsequent design work. **Q:** Who has final approval authority for Community Streets Program project selections? **A:** The Bellingham Transportation Commission, which approved staff recommendations at their October 14, 2025 meeting. **Q:** What was unique about the McGrath Road traffic study results? **A:** Traffic volumes tripled and speeds increased by 25% when school was in session, leading to follow-up counts in September. **Q:** How long is the franchise agreement term for Forged Fiber 37? **A:** Ten years, which reflects recent trends toward shorter franchise durations compared to historical 20-25 year terms. **Q:** What percentage of Holly Street parking stalls showed high utilization rates? **A:** The downtown core and Walkom Creek areas showed really high usage, while Old Town and West End areas had significantly lower utilization rates. **Q:** What happens to survey responses that aren't eligible for the Community Streets Program? **A:** All responses are retained as valuable information to inform other programs, including potential future arterial street traffic calming initiatives. ---