If you’re reading this, you are probably already at least a little into transportation, so you already know about the upcoming WSDOT Placemaking and Children of the Sun Trail charrettes, a series of during 2018 that examine potential planning, design and management opportunities within the Whitman, Bemiss, Minnehaha and Hillyard neighborhoods. These workshops will also help to determine the type, size and location of the future Children of the Sun Trail segments from Columbia Avenue south to I-90.
What’s cool about this effort is that WSDOT staff has put an all-court press on involving EVERYONE in this effort. The outreach effort on this project has been huge on WSDOT’s part and they have recently expanded to working with schools in the affected neighborhoods to reach parents directly through kids as it is often difficult to reach people who are so busy working and raising kids that they don’t necessarily have time to read the newspaper, watch the news or play around on social media. There are also language barriers that make it difficult to engage people who speak English as a second language. Or maybe not at all.
WSDOT staff has translated a flyer for the upcoming charrettes into four languages- Spanish, Russian, Hmong and Marshallese to expand their reach. Interpreters can be available at the workshops as well. It is important that all opinions are considered for these projects and all comments will be considered. Attached to this post are five flyers for the workshops, in English and the other languages mentioned above. Please pass them on to any contacts you may have who speak those languages and let them know there are people interested in hearing their thoughts.
