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Advocacy Director
8/26/2026 3:16 PM
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Hi VBC Buddies,
At the August 4th City of Vancouver Transportation and Mobility Commission meeting, Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council (RTC) Planners Judith Perez Keniston and Julia Cruz-Jones presented the draft Regional Active Transportation Plan (RATP) for Clark County. Thanks to the VBC members who joined and commented at the meeting.
In the coming weeks and months, I will be attending additional meetings to further review, discuss, and support the RATP on VBC's behalf. To that end, I'm asking for your written feedback on the RATP via email reply on or before September 15, 2026.
Below is some background info, links to relevant materials, and specific input needed from VBC members. In short, we're looking for any detailed insights or thoughts about the RATP from your perspective from the saddle. The best format to reply is in writing, though I'm happy to talk on the phone with any VBC members who aren't willing or able to provide written feedback. Feel free to email me to set up a time to talk on the phone.
Finally, I'll emphasize that the most useful information you can provide are accounts of your first-hand experiences from riding. The feedback we're especially looking for are qualitative impressions from your riding. While I know that many VBC riders are highly confident sport riders, please also consider that the RATP is intended for active transportation of users at all ability levels, so feedback tailored to that practical reality will be most useful.
Best regards, Joel ChristiansenAdvocacy Director (Volunteer), Vancouver Bicycle Club advocacy@vbc-usa.com | (503) 915-1094 (1) Why We Should Support RTC's RATP The Vancouver Bicycle Club is enthusiastic about RTC's initiative: our hope and plan is to fully support and actively assist RTC in the development and regional rollout of this 20-year plan. A unified regional approach is vital to ensure that safe, high-comfort bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure connects seamlessly across our entire region. (2) Who is RTC & How Do They Fit In?The Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council (RTC) is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Clark County and the state-designated Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO): - The Regional Coordinating Table: RTC brings together all local jurisdictions—the City of Vancouver, Clark County, Camas, Washougal, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, La Center, C-TRAN, and WSDOT—to plan transportation across municipal borders.
- Federal Grant Allocation: RTC selects and programs regional allocations of major federal transportation funding, including Surface Transportation Block Grants (STBG), Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality (CMAQ), and Transportation Alternatives (TA).
- Regional Vision vs. Local Delivery: RTC does not directly build or pave streets—local cities, the county, and WSDOT handle design, engineering, construction, and maintenance. Instead, RTC sets the overarching vision, regional data scoring, and funding priorities so local bike/ped projects connect into a unified, seamless system rather than stopping at city borders.
(3) What the Plan Is & Key HighlightsThe RATP serves as the 20-year active transportation blueprint for jurisdictions within Clark County, establishing a regional "backbone" network connecting our communities: - Four Prioritized Facility Types: Focuses on shared-use paths, protected bike lanes (with physical separation), buffered bike lanes, and sidewalks designed for people of All Ages and Abilities (AAA).
- Closing Critical Gaps: Identifies and resolves regional network gaps between local street systems, regional trails, and high-capacity transit corridors (C-TRAN Vine BRT).
- Direct Link to Funding: Prioritization in this plan gives projects top scoring for RTC-administered federal grants and strengthens local agency applications for state Complete Streets and WSDOT grant programs.
(4) Supporting Materials & Maps(5) Your Input Needed: Written Member FeedbackAs riders who know these roads and trails firsthand, your input is invaluable. We are gathering written feedback from VBC members to synthesize into formal club comments for RTC staff and advisory committees: - Critical Missing Links & Gaps: What specific corridor gaps, difficult crossings, or unsafe transitions do you experience when traveling between neighborhoods, cities, or trails?
- Priority Corridors: Which regional routes should RTC and local jurisdictions prioritize for early funding and construction?
- Facility Design: What specific treatments (e.g. concrete curb protection vs. painted buffers, intersection safety improvements, lighting) are most critical for your safety?
Please reply directly to this email with your written feedback by September 15, 2026. Thank you for helping us advocate for a safer, fully connected bicycling network across Southwest Washington!
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