People who are 65 and older, people with disabilities, and people identified as low income may face challenges to getting around the Thurston region.
To better understand those needs, Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) is seeking feedback through a community survey, a news release from the TRPC stated.
The Transportation Services Survey is open through March 23. TRPC welcomes feedback from all who live, work, or travel in Thurston County.
To access the survey, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WBGLZNT.
Feedback obtained through the Transportation Services Survey will be used to inform the Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan (HSTP).
“The HSTP is an important tool for making sure everyone can get around in Thurston County,” said Elissa Gertler, executive director at TRPC. “Community feedback is so valuable in helping us understand and address the wide range of transportation needs in our region.”
The HSTP serves as a blueprint for identifying and addressing the transportation needs of people who are 65 and older, people with disabilities, people who are identified as low-income, and others who experience mobility challenges. The plan focuses on transportation services designed to connect these groups to the social assistance services and programs available to them.
TRPC updates the HSTP every four years. When published, the plan will detail community outreach, the demographics and travel patterns of the Thurston region, an assessment of existing transportation services, strategies and activities identified to address transportation gaps, and regional priorities for implementation, the release stated.
Developing and updating the HSTP also fulfills state and federal requirements. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) uses these plans as input for its Statewide Human Services Transportation Plan, according to the release. The HSTP also helps determine if projects are eligible for funding from WSDOT’s Consolidated Grant Program.
TRPC is asking questions about four key topics:
People can respond to the survey in English, Spanish, Korean, and Vietnamese. It takes approximately 15–20 minutes to complete.
Paper copies of the survey are available by contacting info@tprc.org or 360-956-7575.
TRPC is a 23-member council of governments that offers broad representation to decision-making on regional priorities including
transportation, growth management, and environmental quality. TRPC is comprised of representatives from Thurston County city and county governments, tribal nations, school districts, colleges, and a variety of local special districts.
