About: Transportation Plans
Human Services Transportation Plans
Local Human Services Transportation Plans
Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council (RTC) serves the counties of Clark, Skamania, and Klickitat. The current Human Services Transportation Plan can be found here: 2022 HSTP for Clark, Skamania, and Klickitat Counties.
Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments (CWCOG) is the lead agency for the Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Planning Organization (SWRTPO). The SWRTPO serves the counties of Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Pacific, Lewis, and Wahkiakum. The current HSTP can be found here: 2022 HSTP for Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Pacific, Lewis, and Wahkiakum Counties.
Background
Development of a Human Services Transportation Plan (HSTP) was first required by the 2005 federal transportation act, SAFETEA-LU, with the intent of identifying transportation needs and solutions and thereby improving transportation services for people with disabilities, seniors, youth, individuals with lower incomes, and those in rural locations who cannot provide transportation for themselves.
Development of an HSTP can help to ensure communities coordinate transportation resources provided through multiple federal and state programs. A coordinated plan can help to enhance transportation access, minimize duplication of services, and encourage the most cost-effective transportation possible.
The HSTP development process brings together service providers, agencies that distribute funds, service users, and the community at-large to improve special needs transportation throughout the region.
HSTP and Funding Programs
Development of a HSTP is a condition for receiving funding through a statewide competitive Consolidated Public Transportation Grant program. WSDOT’s Consolidated Grant application process combines applications for state and federal public transportation grants. Applicants for WSDOT’s public transportation grant program are required to participate in the HSTP planning process with their local Regional Transportation Planning Organization. Through the consolidated program, WSDOT distributes a variety of state and federal grants to support public transportation programs. These grant programs include:
- Federal Transit Administration:
- Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities,
- Section 5311 Rural,
- Section 5339 Capital Funding for Bus and Bus Facilities
- State Rural Mobility Competitive
- State Paratransit / Special Needs Competitive for non-profit agencies.
From the needs identified in the HSTP process, human services transportation providers develop projects to submit to WSDOT for funding consideration through the state’s consolidated grant program.