Commission hears draft transportation and comprehensive plan: growth forecast, housing gap and multi‑million dollar infrastructure needs

The Planning and Zoning Commission received an update on the draft Transportation and Comprehensive Master Plan on Sept. 10 from consultant KLJ and subconsultant Apex Engineering. Wade Klein, KLJ project manager, summarized a multi-year planning effort that used a 1.4% population growth projection to 2050, public engagement including stakeholder meetings and two public phases, and an assessment of available infrastructure and developable land within the city’s urban service area. KLJ and Apex estimated the city will need roughly 2,600 acres of new growth land through 2050; about 25% of that can be served with existing infrastructure, roughly 50% requires moderate investment, and the remaining 25% would require major infrastructure extension. The consultants identified housing demand over the planning horizon including an estimated shortfall of about 1,500 owner-occupied units and about 600 rental units, concentrated in workforce/entry-level segments. Transportation modeling produced prioritized projects: 13 “planned” projects (already funded or programmed) and additional short-, medium- and long-range projects (11 short, 20 medium, 23 long), with estimated planning‑level costs totaling tens of millions of dollars per phase (planned projects ~ $28 million; additional bands ~ $53M, $72M and $100M respectively, adjusted for inflation). Klein said much of the city’s capacity needs relate to maintenance, preservation and targeted investments rather than wholesale new capacity because of prior infrastructure investments. Commissioners asked about quiet (whistle-free) railroad crossings; Klein said quiet crossings have not been recently studied and noted they are operationally complex and expensive, citing typical capital costs per crossing in the millions. Staff said the final draft is in the commission packet and that the plan will move toward formal adoption steps after final revisions; KLJ noted an appendix with methodologies and an infrastructure master plan component prepared by Apex. Commissioners thanked the consultant team for the work and raised no substantive objections during the session.