Council adopts 2026 six-year Transportation Improvement Program and mitigation list

The Lacey City Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1170 on July 15 to approve the city’s 2026 six-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the transportation mitigation list. Martin Hoppe, Lacey transportation manager, told council the TIP is an annual requirement to track state and federal grants and regionally significant projects and that all projects must be consistent with the comprehensive transportation plan. "This year there are several changes…we applied for two grants this year, and we just bumped up the construction cost to correlate with those grant requests," Hoppe said. Hoppe outlined program changes including one modification to the College Street Corridor Phase 3, and three new roundabout projects at intersections Hoppe described as likely to fail before 2050 depending on development. He said the city removed Rainier Road from SR 66 to Yelm Highway from the list because that project is fully funded and construction will start soon. Hoppe also said the construction cost index produced a new residential cap of $2,454; he explained the residential cap limits the mitigation fee charged per single-family residence on new projects and that commercial projects receive a 50% trip credit consistent with the ordinance or state RCW the city uses. A council member asked whether the cap applies to existing projects; Hoppe replied it would apply to new projects and only to projects larger than a duplex. The motion to adopt Resolution 1170 and the mitigation list passed unanimously.