Bellevue Transportation Commission Meeting - March 16, 2026

The Bellevue Transportation Commission met on March 16, 2026, at 7:00 PM. The meeting included introductions of new Deputy Mayor Dave Hamilton, public comments on bike safety and Sound Transit noise, a report from the Deputy Mayor on council priorities and board-commission relations, staff updates on the comprehensive plan and commission elections, and a unanimous vote to adopt amendments to the commission's bylaws.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda was approved by motion and second, with no amendments.
• The minutes from the February 12, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Steve Fantle (30+ year Bellevue resident, bicyclist) expressed frustration that low-cost, high-impact bike safety improvement projects he proposed seven years ago remain unaddressed. He cited staff's lack of interest and absence of a small discretionary budget, and urged the commission to advocate for such a mechanism. He provided three specific project locations needing only pavement markings or signage.
• Alex Zimmerman (40-year resident, self-identified as president of Stand Up America) delivered a rambling testimony accusing the commission of being "Nazi busters" for not showing faces during online meetings, claimed violations of his First Amendment rights regarding speaking time limits, and made derogatory statements about Deputy Mayor Mo Muhammad. He also alleged harassment (20 traffic tickets over two years, seven prosecutions) and questioned why his rights as a Jewish Trump supporter are not protected.
• John Tiscornia (in-person) asked for help mitigating the low rumbling noise from Sound Transit trains crossing the East Channel Bridge and noted trains running at 3 AM, which is disruptive to neighbors. The Chair noted that Sound Transit is providing a briefing to the City Council the following week and that the comment would be forwarded to transportation staff.

Discussion Items

• Deputy Mayor's Report: Deputy Mayor Dave Hamilton shared updates from the February council retreat, including a focus on transportation, the opening of Fire Station 10, the It's Your City newsletter, Sound Transit updates coming to council, and the March 28 opening of the Cross Lake Connection. He outlined his role as a conduit between the commission and council, emphasized board-commission purpose (to advise council and represent diverse public perspectives), and noted upcoming standardized board-commission communication templates. He encouraged regular quarterly reports from the commission to council.
• Staff Reports:
  • Kevin noted that the agenda packet is now provided as a single scrollable PDF in response to a request.
  • Commissioner elections for chair/vice chair: nominations in May, vote in June. Commissioner Rapun submitted a nomination by email for the May meeting since he will be absent.
  • 2026 Comprehensive Plan amendments: The council unanimously directed staff and commissions to reconcile minor inconsistencies between the recently adopted Transportation Facilities Plan (now a 20-year plan instead of 12) and Mobility Implementation Plan (which replaces the Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Plan). The changes will be brought back for commission approval in May before transmittal to the Planning Commission. Kevin clarified that the MIP is an implementation tool and contains no policies itself; amendments to the MIP can be directed by council and do not require a comp plan amendment. The commission discussed the relationship between the comp plan and modal plans.
• Bylaws Amendments (Study Session): Assistant City Attorney Heather presented three substantive changes: limiting board/commission members to two terms with a two-year gap before serving on any other board/commission; extending the period of exclusion from 60 to 180 days; and clarifying the appeal process related to exclusion. These had been presented at the previous meeting. A motion to approve passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Bylaws Amendments: Approved unanimously (all members present voted in favor).
• Minutes Approval: Minutes from February 12, 2026 approved unanimously.
• Next Steps: The commission will not meet in April. The May meeting will address Comprehensive Plan amendments, nominations for chair/vice chair, and a public hearing on the Transportation Improvement Program.
• Public Comments Referred: The noise complaint regarding Sound Transit will be forwarded to the transportation department and may be raised during the council's Sound Transit update the following week.