Public Involvement

The people who are most familiar or knowledgeable about the Fleshman Way – SR-129 interchange are those who drive, walk, bike, live and work by it. Participation by area residents, businesses, commuters and stakeholders will help produce a design influenced by their expertise.

Over the course of the project, the public will be asked through public meetings and small group presentations to provide input on recommended design and traffic elements and project alternatives. Public input will help develop a recommended alternative to be presented to the Asotin County Commissioners in 2008.

Additionally, a Community Advisory Committee (CAC), comprised of voluntary members, will provide a continuing forum for discussion of project issues, exploring options and helping select alternatives.

The CAC will meet approximately three times during the course of the project, beginning with a field trip of the project area.

Committee members will be asked to discuss their role in the CAC with their friends and neighbors and encourage others to participate in the public involvement process.
If you are interested in participating in the CAC or would like to schedule a presentation with your neighborhood association, business, school or any other group please contact Bryant Kuechle (Kee-klee) with The Langdon Group at (800) 252-8929 or email: bkuechle@langdongroupinc.com.

PARTNERING/KICKOFF MEETING

On Nov. 29, 2007 major stakeholders of the Fleshman Way/SR-129 Interchange Safety Improvements project met in a partnering meeting to identify the substantive issues involved in this project and collectively develop a clear understanding of where we have been and a process for how we move forward.

Prior to the meeting, stakeholder interviews were conducted by the project consultant to ensure all interested and impacted parties were invited to participate in the process.

Participating stakeholders, including representatives from all area municipalities, WSDOT, Valley Transit, Army Corps of Engineers, Lewis Clark Valley MPO, the local bicycling community and Congresswoman McMorris-Rodgers Office, committed to a partnership in the spirit of cooperation, with respect, integrity and candor to successfully and cooperatively complete the design of the Fleshman Way/SR-129 Interchange.

COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Through a selection process that included media advertising, interviews with interested parties, and review by the Asotin County Commissioners, a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) was formed that represents a diverse range of interests and perspectives.

Beginning with the first workshop on Nov. 17, 2008, the CAC has had a strong positive influence in identifying project goals, objectives, design evaluation and alternative preferences. The CAC has also been effective in encouraging the community to provide input and get involved in this important project.

Four workshops were conducted with the CAC, culminating in the selection of a preferred project alternative.

PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE

Turnout for the March 24, 2009 Public Open House was excellent. More than 110 members of the public signed in.

Brian Walsh from WSDOT conducted two roundabout presentation/Question and Answer sessions, both to packed houses.

PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS

Using the conceptual alternatives develop for the 2006 study as a starting point and relying on the local expertise of the CAC for guidance, the project team developed five alternatives to present to the public at the March 24, 2009 Open House. Additionally, comments received from the open house helped spur the development of a sixth alternative.

Public input provided the project team with the necessary feedback needed to narrow the focus to a range of “preferred” alternatives. Using a set of weighted criteria including safety improvements, environmental impacts, cost and bicycle/pedestrian use; the project team and CAC ranked the alternatives, the clear favorite being the new sixth alternative.

With the CAC’s support, the project team presented the preferred alternative for comment at two public presentations on Aug. 12, 2009. Sixty eight members of the public signed in and all comments received supported the preferred alternative. On Aug. 24, 2008 The Asotin County Commissioners voted unanimously to proceed with final design of the preferred alternative.