Committee requests adding Snoqualmie Falls parking access project to six-year transportation plan

At a meeting of the Parks and Public Works Committee, staff requested that the six‑year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) be amended to add a new project, ranked No. 25, described as a "Snoqualmie Falls parking lot access improvement" that would add an additional exit from the multi‑level parking area above the falls.

The request was presented by Ashley Gamble, Public Works staff, who said the proposal "would add a additional exit to the parking lot kind of superstructure" and that the department updated the TIP map and notes to indicate the project’s multiple locations. Gamble told the committee the city ‘‘owns the right way there, so we do have we can make those improvement,’’ but said the design would need further study to determine whether the new connection could allow two‑way traffic or would be limited to a one‑way exit onto Topol Road.

The change was described as a display correction and an add‑on to the TIP following a prior meeting and mapping review; staff also corrected how a separate railroad‑crossing improvements project was shown on the map. Gamble said the Snoqualmie Falls item will be the final entry on the list and that staff will present more detailed options after studying sight lines, the steep hillside at Total Renterm and proximity to the nearby roundabout.

Why it matters: the proposed exit is intended to reduce congestion and the number of left‑turn maneuvers onto the highway during busy visitation periods. Gamble said the additional exit could let visitors choose the roundabout and reach downtown Snoqualmie or Ridge destinations rather than traveling toward Fall City to avoid a difficult left turn.

Staff told the committee the project would require coordination with Puget Sound Energy (PSE), which owns the parking facilities at the falls, and with agencies that oversee licensing and environmental requirements. Gamble said PSE ‘‘would contribute to the cost’’ but that no financial commitment had been secured. She also noted the TIP item will go to a public hearing at the next council meeting and then to adoption at the following council meeting; "that is our requirement by state law," she said.

The committee did not adopt the change at the meeting. Gamble said adding the item to the TIP is an initial step and that the project will be studied further for alignment, right‑of‑way configuration and cost. Funding sources were listed in the draft as outside/regional agency coordination; Gamble said staff will explore options with PSE and other partners as the design and cost estimates are developed.

Next steps: staff will present the TIP at a public hearing next week and the agenda bill can be adopted at the subsequent council meeting; the TIP must also be forwarded to the state by the end of the month under the referenced state law requirement.

(Reporting note: direct quotes are from meeting transcript excerpts provided by staff.)