Shaping what comes next: a look inside this week’s planning work

Even though things may have seemed quiet from the outside, our project team has been working hard behind the scenes over the past few weeks. At this point in the process, we are taking things slow and steady to make sure the Alliance starts on a solid foundation that will support collaboration and long‑term success.

This week, we made strong progress as we continued working on the design process. We focused on two key activities: pull planning and project proposal planning. Both sessions helped us clarify our priorities, align our timelines, and prepare for the next phase of the work.

The team working together during a pull planning session.

Pull planning: building our path together

We began the week with a pull planning session. This is a collaborative way to plan by starting with the end milestone and working backward. It helps us understand how each step connects and what needs to happen first.

During the session, we:

• Identified our goals for this design phase
• Talked through the steps needed to reach those goals
• Noted challenges that may come up and how to prepare for them
• Agreed on which early actions will set us up for success

Team members gathering around to share ideas during our proposal planning workshop.

Project proposal planning: refining what we will deliver

Later in the week, we shifted into project proposal planning. This part of the process helps us define what the project will include, how we will work with partners and community members, and what information we still need.

We discussed:

• What is in scope for this phase
• How we will gather and incorporate input
• What information or data we need
• How we will share updates as the project moves forward

This work helps make sure our approach is clear, achievable, and timely.

What comes next

Over the next few weeks, we will begin moving from planning into early design work. This includes reviewing what we learned, confirming our timelines, and preparing for upcoming engagement opportunities.

Thank you for your patience and interest during these early steps. We are building momentum and look forward to sharing more soon!