### Meeting Overview The City of Bellingham Transportation Commission met on December 10, 2024, at the Pacific Street Operations Center to review the Eldridge Avenue pilot project results, discuss the 2025 annual work plan, and elect officers for the upcoming year. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Pilot Project:** A temporary implementation to test the effectiveness of a proposed change before making it permanent. **Buffered Bike Lane:** A bicycle lane separated from vehicle traffic by painted buffers and vertical delineators (flex posts). **85th Percentile Speed:** The speed at or below which 85% of vehicles travel, used as a key metric for traffic engineering decisions. **TIP (Transportation Improvement Program):** A six-year planning document that identifies priority transportation projects and their funding sources. **RRFB (Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon):** Yellow LED lights that flash in a rapid pattern to alert drivers of pedestrian crossings. **Mode Split/Mode Shift:** The percentage of trips taken by different transportation methods (car, bike, walking, transit). **Tool Cat:** A small utility vehicle with attachments used by the city for maintenance tasks like blowing debris from bike lanes. **Work Plan:** An annual schedule outlining the topics and projects a commission will review and act on during the year. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Addie Candib | Transportation Commission Chair | | Tim Wilder | Transportation Commission Vice Chair | | Jessica Bennett | Project Engineer, Public Works Capital Projects | | Joel Pfundt | Interim Public Works Co-Director | | Mike Wilson | Assistant Public Works Co-Director - Engineering | | Sarah Burch | Newly appointed Transportation Commissioner | | Jamin Agosti | Transportation Commissioner | ### Background Context The Eldridge Avenue pilot project stems from the city's 2014 Bicycle Master Plan, which called for bike lanes along this corridor. When the Transportation Commission recommended parking removal on several arterial streets in 2022, City Council approved most but made Eldridge Avenue a one-year pilot due to neighborhood concerns about potential speed increases. The project was completed in April 2024, installing buffered bike lanes where parking previously existed, plus enhanced crossings with flashing beacons. This pilot represents the city's cautious approach to implementing bicycle infrastructure while addressing community concerns about unintended consequences. The 2025 work plan discussion reflects the commission's evolving role as Bellingham grapples with growth, climate goals, and transportation choices. With new state and local policies around parking minimums and density, the commission is positioning itself to weigh in on how transportation and land use decisions intersect. The packed early-year schedule shows the urgency of several major planning processes happening simultaneously. ### What Happened — The Short Version Jessica Bennett reported that the Eldridge Avenue pilot project has been successful so far. Traffic speeds remained stable (around 29 mph average) despite fears they would increase, while bike and pedestrian usage jumped 30% comparing June 2023 to June 2024. The enhanced crossings have been widely popular, though some neighbors remain unhappy about lost parking. Staff will continue monitoring through spring 2025 before making final recommendations. The commission approved an ambitious 2025 work plan covering everything from the comprehensive plan update to community streets program implementation. Due to compressed timelines, several major items are front-loaded into early months, particularly April which may be overpacked. Staff will explore moving some items to later in the year. The commission re-elected Addie Candib as chair and Tim Wilder as vice chair for 2025. They also learned about new mayor's office requirements for commissioners seeking reappointment - they'll need to go through a recruitment process including reapplying and a brief interview. ### What to Watch Next - Spring 2025: Final Eldridge pilot results and staff recommendations to City Council - April 2025: Potential overpacked meeting with multiple major agenda items requiring attention - Early 2025: Discussion of mayor's executive order on parking minimums and density ---