{"id":5023,"date":"2013-09-05T07:00:03","date_gmt":"2013-09-05T14:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wabikes.org\/?p=5023"},"modified":"2013-10-08T11:10:40","modified_gmt":"2013-10-08T18:10:40","slug":"make-your-voice-heard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2013\/09\/05\/make-your-voice-heard\/","title":{"rendered":"Make Your Voice Heard At the Washington State Senate Listening Sessions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated to add three more sessions announced Sept. 12 and with change of location for Oct. 2 Spokane event, Oct. 7 Vancouver event, and Oct. 14 Seattle event. See also What to Tell the State Senate About Bike Transportation<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Washington State Senate transportation leaders recently announced<\/a> their schedule to hold bipartisan listening sessions to gather input on what Washingtonians want in a transportation revenue package.<\/p>\n

\"pedbikeimages.org\/Carl<\/a>

pedbikeimages.org\/Carl Sundstrom<\/p><\/div>\n

Now is our time to let them know that Washingtonians want a balanced transportation package that invests in safer streets for our schools, and that investments in walking and biking provide cost-effective and common sense solutions to congestion, improving safety for people who drive, walk, bike, and take transit.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bicycling is here to stay. We need the Washington state legislature to craft a transportation package that looks forward\u2014not one that keeps us looking in the rearview mirror. Investments in biking and walking infrastructure make streets safer for drivers too, while providing a healthy workforce and children who are ready to concentrate and learn when they get to school. Everyone benefits.<\/p>\n

But the state legislature needs to hear from you.<\/strong> They need to hear the message that Washingtonians want the freedom to get around safely and efficiently.<\/a><\/p>\n

The legislature needs to hear that every community in the state will lose out on the chance to make their streets more inviting, increase their real estate values and thus their local government revenues, make their school zones safer, and support the local businesses that benefit from increased commercial activity when people can walk or bike in a welcoming environment. That\u2019s the real bottom line for the taxpayers.<\/p>\n

Join us at one or more of these transportation listening sessions to tell the Washington state legislature you value smart transportation investments in biking, walking and school safety.<\/strong> Each meeting will begin at 6 p.m. and last until 9 p.m. and will include presentations from regional transportation officials, and public comment.<\/p>\n

Sept. 17 \u2013 Bellevue.<\/strong>\u00a0Stevenson Elementary School, 14220 NE 8th St., Bellevue, WA 98007<\/p>\n

Sept. 18 \u2013 Everett.<\/strong>\u00a0Snohomish County, Robert Drewel Building, 3000 Rockefeller Ave., 1st floor, Everett, WA 98201<\/p>\n

Sept. 23 \u2013 Wenatchee.<\/strong>\u00a0Chelan County PUD Auditorium, 327 N Wenatchee Ave, Wenatchee, WA 98801<\/p>\n

Sept. 24 \u2013 Yakima.\u00a0<\/strong>Yakima Area Arboretum, Garden View Rm., 1401 Arboretum Dr., Yakima, WA 98901<\/p>\n

Sept. 26 \u2013 Tri-Cities.<\/strong> Columbia Basin College, 2600 N 20th<\/sup> Ave., Pasco\u00a0added<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Oct. 2 \u2013 Spokane.\u00a0New location!<\/strong><\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>Central Valley High School theater, 821 S Sullivan Rd., Spokane Valley<\/p>\n

Oct. 7 \u2013 Vancouver.<\/strong>\u00a0New location!<\/strong><\/span><\/em>\u00a0Department of Transportation Southwest Region Office, 11018 Northeast 51st Circle, Vancouver 98682<\/p>\n

Oct. 9 \u2013 Tacoma.<\/strong>\u00a0Evergreen Tacoma Campus, Lyceum Hall, 1210 6th Ave., Tacoma, WA 98405<\/p>\n

Oct. 14 \u2013 Seattle.\u00a0\u00a0New location!<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>First Presbyterian Church at 1013 8th Avenue (8th and Spring)\u00a0added<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Oct. 15 \u2013 Bellingham. <\/strong>Port of Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 355 Harris Ave.\u00a0added<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Sign up for our email alerts<\/a> <\/strong>for continuing updates and stay up-to-date on the hearings via Twitter\u00a0@BikeWA<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

You can also submit comments at senatetranspofeedbackforum.org<\/a>. You\u2019ll need to enter Biking\/Walking in the \u201cOther\u201d field where they ask for your primary transportation concern. (Perhaps your first concern is that it’s an “Other” instead of being on the list!)<\/p>\n