Regional transportation service plan to be updated

ELLENSBURG – Work is beginning on an update of the Quad-County Human Services Transportation Plan.

The last update to the plan was 2018.

The Quad County Regional Transportation Planning Organization is made up of Adams, Grant, Kittitas and Lincoln Counties, and the state Department of Transportation.

The organization has contracted with People For People to help identify improvement opportunities for public transportation in the four-county region.

In a virtual meeting March 14, two-dozen representatives from transportation providers and stakeholders (such as school districts, health care and providers of social services and community resources) discussed mobility issues and transportation needs in their service areas.

To update the plan, organizers are studying public transportation needs and barriers in Adams County, as well as trying to assess the long-lasting impacts of COVID-19 on mobility here.

Another consideration for the plan is the rising cost of gasoline.

If price increases persist, ridership on public transportation is expected to increase, officials said.

Early improvements suggested in the plan include more compact and readable schedule information in the form of brochures, and studying the need for transportation between Adams and Lincoln County.

At present there are no scheduled routes between Ritzville and Davenport.

People For People will host a public meeting from 10:30 a.m. until noon, March 31, at the Washington State University Extension Office, 205 W. Main Ave., Ritzville, to gather local input.

The public can also participate digitally; email [email protected] for a meeting link.