Context Sensitive Solutions Technical Assistance: Washington State Department of Transportation
Lessons Learned
There were several shared moments of realization, consensus, and clarity throughout the day. Some of these included:
- For WSDOT, it is important to coordinate with the Comprehensive Planners – early and continuously.
- There are likely multiple metrics that go along with each guiding question – but knowing which metric to use is an aspect of understanding the context.
- CSS is an iterative process. Throughout the design and planning process, it should be applied repeatedly, and especially when large project changes are occurring.
- The dominant issue brought out in the discussions of process was the need for enhanced resources and staffing to help the public understand the issues during planning and scoping. The second dominant issue was the identification of the need to find a way to minimize the state legislature from pressing WSDOT to implement projects that didn’t meet the new WSDOT philosophy regarding multi-modal uses and livability.
- After discussion, it became apparent that the two dominant issues were related. If the public comes to “see what WSDOT staff sees” in terms of the better value of the right project up front, the legislature will follow.
- Being flexible and exerting engineering judgement to take alternative approaches, when warranted, is good! Ensure that decisions are supported and warranted with quantitative, evidence-based reasoning, and are well documented.