Please find attached STA's letter regarding the PlanSpokane 2046 Preferred Alternative. We appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback about specific aspects of the preferred alternative and how they relate to transit and our 10-year strategic plan. Please let me know if you need anything additional.
Best Regards,
Brian
Brian Jennings
Director of Community Development
[Professional contact details omitted from the reading text.]
Spokane Transit Authority (STA) appreciates the work of City of Spokane staff in developing the preferred alternative for PlanSpokane 2046, the periodic update to the City's comprehensive plan. As requested, our specific observations are listed below by geographic area. We have evaluated the preferred alternatives with an eye on how transit and the alternative, when implemented, would be mutually beneficial.
Specific observations:
1) Future Growth — The plan is very transit forward in the preferred alternative. Growth (commercial and residential) and the associated increase in land use intensity is concentrated along many of STA's High-Performance Transit (HPT) corridors. This includes the City Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and the planned Division Street BRT.
2) Northwest Spokane — increasing mixed-use and commercial uses on land throughout the city in areas such as Indian Trail and the VA Hospital which are currently low on land use options. In addition, focusing on key intersections, like Wellesley and Monroe, that have the transportation network to support greater land use intensity, serves this area of the city well.
3) Northeast Spokane — The planning effort underway for Transit-oriented Development along Division, has revealed five separate nodes where allowing for concentrated commercial and residential uses will significantly increase ridership and other modes of travel in these areas. Future HPT Improvements that will traverse the neighborhood via Route 3 along Wellesley (currently in planning phase), also bode well for commercial and residential development at increased densities. Riders, including college students from SCC and SFCC, via the west and southeast areas of Spokane will have significantly improved access to the employment center in Northeast Spokane. An increase in proposed intensity along these corridors will benefit our planned improvements along Wellesley.
4) South Spokane — Route 4 routinely carries the highest ridership levels in our network. As such, increasing development intensities along the southern branch of this corridor makes sense. Transit-oriented Development can help deliver increased ridership almost immediately given the high-quality transit infrastructure that exists in these South Spokane areas right now. Going forward, our 10-year strategic plan, Connect 2035, shows us making investments throughout most of the geographic areas of the Preferred Alternative. It's also important to note that STA's presence in downtown Spokane will continue to grow. We are currently working to bring more employees downtown, as we begin to implement our Facilities Master Plan. Spokane Transit supports exploring a
[PDF page 3 of 3]
preferred alternative that is aimed at sustainable growth with a focus on improving mobility. Growing jobs and households in neighborhood centers, especially downtown Spokane, is complemented and enabled by providing residents with a variety of options when it comes to moving around the city. Those residents and employees who walk, cycle, or utilize fixed-route bus service will benefit from a growth alternative that focuses on increasing residential development and economic growth along the high-frequency and high-performance transit lines identified in Spokane Transit's Comprehensive Plan—Connect Spokane.
Brian Jennings - Spokane Transit Authority (STA)
Apr 14, 2026
Government / Technical
[PDF page 1 of 3]
Dear Planning Commission,
Please find attached STA's letter regarding the PlanSpokane 2046 Preferred Alternative. We appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback about specific aspects of the preferred alternative and how they relate to transit and our 10-year strategic plan. Please let me know if you need anything additional.
Best Regards,
Brian
Brian Jennings
Director of Community Development
[Professional contact details omitted from the reading text.]
spokanetransit.com
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ATTACHMENT / ADDITIONAL PAGES
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[PDF page 2 of 3]
Spokane Transit
April 13, 2026
Department of Planning Services
Attn: Tirrell Black, Assistant Planning Director
808 West Spokane Falls Boulevard
Spokane, WA 99201-3333
RE: PLANSpokane 2046 Preferred Alternative
Dear Planning Commissioners:
Spokane Transit Authority (STA) appreciates the work of City of Spokane staff in developing the preferred alternative for PlanSpokane 2046, the periodic update to the City's comprehensive plan. As requested, our specific observations are listed below by geographic area. We have evaluated the preferred alternatives with an eye on how transit and the alternative, when implemented, would be mutually beneficial.
Specific observations:
1) Future Growth — The plan is very transit forward in the preferred alternative. Growth (commercial and residential) and the associated increase in land use intensity is concentrated along many of STA's High-Performance Transit (HPT) corridors. This includes the City Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and the planned Division Street BRT.
2) Northwest Spokane — increasing mixed-use and commercial uses on land throughout the city in areas such as Indian Trail and the VA Hospital which are currently low on land use options. In addition, focusing on key intersections, like Wellesley and Monroe, that have the transportation network to support greater land use intensity, serves this area of the city well.
3) Northeast Spokane — The planning effort underway for Transit-oriented Development along Division, has revealed five separate nodes where allowing for concentrated commercial and residential uses will significantly increase ridership and other modes of travel in these areas. Future HPT Improvements that will traverse the neighborhood via Route 3 along Wellesley (currently in planning phase), also bode well for commercial and residential development at increased densities. Riders, including college students from SCC and SFCC, via the west and southeast areas of Spokane will have significantly improved access to the employment center in Northeast Spokane. An increase in proposed intensity along these corridors will benefit our planned improvements along Wellesley.
4) South Spokane — Route 4 routinely carries the highest ridership levels in our network. As such, increasing development intensities along the southern branch of this corridor makes sense. Transit-oriented Development can help deliver increased ridership almost immediately given the high-quality transit infrastructure that exists in these South Spokane areas right now. Going forward, our 10-year strategic plan, Connect 2035, shows us making investments throughout most of the geographic areas of the Preferred Alternative. It's also important to note that STA's presence in downtown Spokane will continue to grow. We are currently working to bring more employees downtown, as we begin to implement our Facilities Master Plan. Spokane Transit supports exploring a
[PDF page 3 of 3]
preferred alternative that is aimed at sustainable growth with a focus on improving mobility. Growing jobs and households in neighborhood centers, especially downtown Spokane, is complemented and enabled by providing residents with a variety of options when it comes to moving around the city. Those residents and employees who walk, cycle, or utilize fixed-route bus service will benefit from a growth alternative that focuses on increasing residential development and economic growth along the high-frequency and high-performance transit lines identified in Spokane Transit's Comprehensive Plan—Connect Spokane.
Sincerely,
Brian Jennings
Director for Community Development
Spokane Transit Authority