CHENEY – The Spokane Transit Authority is gearing up for a transformative decade with the launch of its comprehensive 2035 Strategic Plan, aimed at enhancing the public transportation experience, improving quality of life, fostering community collaboration and bolstering service capacity, announced Chief Planning and Development Officer Karl Otterstrom.
In an exclusive interview, Otterstrom gave insights on the key pillars of the 2035 Strategic Plan, emphasizing its commitment to elevating the customer experience, strengthening community ties, and enhancing operational efficiency.
“Our 10-year strategic plan, Connect 2035, is a visionary roadmap designed to elevate the customer’s experience with public transportation, improve overall quality of life, foster collaboration within the community, and fortify our capacity to better serve our employees and patrons,” Otterstrom said.
Discussing the planning process, Otterstrom highlighted the importance of soliciting feedback from various stakeholders, including the STA’s board, city and county plan commissions and the general public.
“Our approach involves extensive engagement with stakeholders, including our board, city and county plan commissions, and the wider public,” Otterstrom said. “We are actively soliciting feedback to inform the development of our capital facilities plans and ascertain community priorities for the future.”
Otterstrom outlined several initiatives slated for consideration, including the implementation of bus rapid transit projects, transitioning to zero-emission vehicles, and expanfding maintenance infrastructure.
“We are currently compiling an initiatives list, which will undergo an evaluation process to determine its potential impact.
Key projects include the introduction of bus rapid transit, transitioning to more zero-emission vehicles, and expanding our maintenance capacity with additional garage and maintenance space,” elaborated Otterstrom.
Otterstrom said STA has existing reserves of $90 million that could be allocated toward the plan’s implementation.
In a concerted effort to engage the community, the STA has conducted a series of open houses and launched a public survey to gather feedback on the proposed initiatives.
Clare is an Eastern Washington University graduate and a reporter at Free Press Publishing.
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