State transportation commission to discuss land and sea autonomous vehicles next week

The Feb. 15 and 16 meeting of the Washington State Transportation Commission will include a discussion about autonomous vehicle developments, both on road and in the water, as well as programs for Washington’s clean transportation future.

The meeting starts at 9 a.m. both Wednesday, Feb. 15, and Thursday, Feb. 16. The meeting will be virtual using Zoom. Those interested in attending can register on the commission’s website. TVW will broadcast the meeting live.

Transportation is the biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the state. During the Feb. 15, Wednesday morning meeting, the commission will hear from officials from the state departments of ecology, commerce and transportation about programs underway to ensure a clean transportation future for Washington state.

On Wednesday, the commission also will hear several updates about autonomous vehicles. Commissioners will learn about collaborative efforts by the cities of Seattle and Bellevue to advance autonomous vehicle testing, and from the ACES Network about approaches to connecting vehicles to transportation infrastructure to increase safety and real-time communications. The commission also will be briefed about the Washington Autonomous Vehicle Cluster, a Kitsap County-based effort to accelerate autonomous vehicle innovations in the marine sector.

Other highlights of the commission’s two-day meeting include:

Tolling equity: The Washington State Transportation Center at the University of Washington and Washington State Department of Transportation staff will update the commission on Wednesday about their study of tolling equity.

Puget Sound Gateway Program update: On Thursday, Feb. 16, the commission will hear about progress on the SR 509 Completion Project in King County and the SR 167 Completion Project in Pierce County, both part of WSDOT’s Puget Sound Gateway Program.

Washington Traffic Safety Commission projects: Traffic safety officials will discuss new programs for delivering traffic safety messages to multicultural audiences and safety improvements in low-income neighborhoods.

The commission will take public comment at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16. Those wishing to speak can sign up during the meeting by posting their name in the Q&A box on-screen. Written comments can also be submitted via email to transc@wstc.wa.gov.

For more information about the commission and a complete meeting agenda, visit the commission’s website: wstc.wa.gov

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Real first and last names — as well as city of residence — are required for all commenters.
This is so we can verify your identity before approving your comment.