Mayor Kent Keel has been asked by Washington’s Secretary of Transportation, Roger Millar, to join the Transportation Demand Management Executive Board.
The organization is tasked with shaping and determining policies for improving transportation efficiency from the project level to the statewide system. This community-based approach relies on collaboration, commuter information and incentives to influence travel patterns and commuter choices. The goal is to support successful, innovative transportation solutions that address issues related to public health, economic vitality and climate change.
In addition, Mayor Keel has also been appointed as one of two new vice chairs of Sound Transit, where he will contribute to oversight of all capital, operational and administrative functions for the three-county public transit agency. This includes continued progress toward opening light rail to the South Sound, including the Hilltop Tacoma Link in 2022.
Keel’s presence on these two key boards ensures that University Place and other South Sound communities have a voice at the table. “This is an opportunity to highlight our city as a player in transportation planning because these are truly legacy efforts that will have a lasting impact on communities across the state and, in the case of Sound Transit, our immediate three-county region,” Keel said.
“Since these are regional and state-wide committees, I have to be careful about balancing the needs of all stakeholders, but I want to make sure that all of U.P.’s citizens are connected and involved beneficiaries of this work. I’m a firm believer that all ships rise on a high tide.”