Conference Announcements: Registrations Open for the 2026 ITE WA Safety Conference and APA WA Conference

Greetings!

APA WA Allied Professions and APA Transportation Planning Division (TPD) encourages planners from all specialties and jurisdictions to register for and attend two important conferences this autumn.

The 2026 APA Washington Planning Conference will occur from October 7th - 9th in Vancouver, WA. The theme is “Level Up Washington: Planning for What’s Next”.

Links for conference registration are available here 2026 Annual Conference Home

The schedule of conference sessions is here - 2026 APAWA_Conf_Schedule_Printable.pdf

The 2026 Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Washington Safety Conference will occur on November 19 in Kenmore, WA. The theme is “Safety and Systems Thinking” 

This year’s safety conference will be hosted at Kenmore City Hall, 18120 68th Avenue NE, Kenmore, WA 98028 from 9:00am to 3:00pm. In-person attendance is encouraged but online attendance will be available

Learn more about ITE WA here: ITE Washington - A link for registration will be available soon

Why Might You Be Interested in these conferences?

Both conferences will provide many opportunities for land use planners to learn how transportation, engineering, public health, emergency responders, and law enforcement professionals are working together to address safety issues using the Safe System Approach.

Attendees will also learn more about WSDOT’s incorporation of the Safe System Approach into the 2024 Strategic Highway Plan, also known as Target Zero. WSDOT has proactively added “Safer Land Use” as a sixth principle to the Safe System Approach and is a national leader in planning for safety on state highways. Safer land use planning enables reduced car use and shortens travel distances, both of which reduce crash exposure. To achieve optimal transportation safety for people using all modes, land use planning that prioritizes safety and equitable access to mobility is fundamental.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with planning and engineering professionals from all over the Pacific Northwest who are focused on working to make our communities safer.

I hope to see you in Vancouver, WA on October and in Kenmore in November!

Chris Comeau, FAICP-CTP, APAWA Allied Professions Liaison

[email protected]