Active transportation plan, complete‑streets policy set for Oct. 21 council vote after committee review

Committee members reviewed the city's Active Transportation Plan and revisions to the Complete Streets policy ahead of a scheduled City Council vote. A staff presenter told the committee the plan and policy will appear on the City Council regular agenda on Oct. 21 for a decision.

Committee members emphasized safety for pedestrians, particularly near schools, as a top priority and discussed how the plan weights projects: staff said safety receives the highest priority in project scoring (about 30 percent weighting) so projects that improve pedestrian safety should score well for future funding. "Safety is the highest priority," a committee member said during discussion.

Staff said the plan is designed to align with regional grant rubrics and the comprehensive plan to improve competitiveness for outside funding; council adoption of the plan and policy will not itself commit the city to specific funding but will create a prioritized list for future grant applications and project selection. Staff emphasized the plan is intended to add transportation options rather than remove vehicular lanes, describing the work as "additive."

Committee members asked about thermal comfort and heat along pedestrian routes; staff said the plan addresses thermal comfort and recommends shading in hot months to make walking and biking more feasible. Committee members also noted discussions about who pays for projects and that adopting the plan does not obligate the council to fund projects immediately.

Ending: Staff said the plan builds on the recently adopted comprehensive plan and will help staff target grant applications. The plan and policy are scheduled for City Council consideration on Oct. 21. The committee did not take a formal vote during the meeting.