Council schedules public hearing July 14 for six-year transportation improvement plan

The Sunnyside City Council directed the city clerk to advertise a public hearing on the city's six-year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) for the regular council meeting on July 14.

Stephanie Ray, an engineer with HLA, summarized the draft TIP and the state's and MPOs' review process, saying the city should complete public hearing and adoption in July to meet regional and state submission windows. "Historically, YVCOG would like to have these before August, meaning that the public hearing and the city adoption happens, in the month of July," she said.

Ray described the draft TIP as containing nine projects, several already partially funded or awaiting obligation paperwork. Key projects listed in the packet included:

- Intersection improvements at Yakima Valley Highway and First (a roundabout partially funded last year by the Surface Transportation Block Grant). - Pedestrian-safety spot improvements at two locations identified in the city's safety plan, sites of fatal or serious injury collisions. - Two arterial-preservation projects on major northbound corridors that need resurfacing or crack-seal/preservation work. - A citywide ADA ramp program (the packet lists a notional $1 million multi-year project to address ramps and sidewalks, prioritized for school routes and downtown). - A downtown-street revitalization phase including sidewalks, trees and lighting. - A Highway 241 approach/roundabout concept tied to a required bridge widening. - A Midville–Alexander signal upgrade tied to economic-development demand. - A funded corridor study and 60% design for Yakima Valley Highway from First to Sixteenth, funded with a 100% grant for planning and design; Ray said the corridor has 89 parcels and has seen several hundred crashes over five years.

Ray explained funding constraints and competitive programs, noting Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) applications require a 15% cash match and state funding availability is limited during the current mid-biennium cycle; she listed likely future applications to Safe Routes to School, local bike/ped grants and Community Development Block Grants.

Council members asked whether the city was currently pursuing funding. Ray confirmed multiple programs are potential matches and that staff would continue to apply as calls for projects open; she said the spreadsheet priority column is only an identifier, not a ranking.

Council agreed that July 14 (regular meeting) would be an acceptable date for a public hearing and subsequent adoption process. The clerk was asked to publish notice and schedule the hearing. No formal vote was recorded beyond the scheduling direction.