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City adopts six-year transportation plan; council and WSDOT discuss SR 503 improvements and speed limits
Summary
Battle Ground council adopted a six‑year Transportation Improvement Program for 2026–2031 and heard WSDOT and city staff describe near‑term roundabouts and long‑term cross sections on SR 503 that could support lower speeds.
The Battle Ground City Council unanimously approved Resolution 25-066 on June 16, adopting the city’s six-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for 2026–2031, after a public hearing and brief public comment about a long-delayed Old Town/Grace Avenue project.
Council heard a staff presentation and representatives from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) about planned and proposed projects on State Route 503. WSDOT and city staff said two roundabouts — a developer-funded roundabout at Rasmussen and a planned roundabout at Onstorff — would act as context changes that could justify future lower posted speeds in the corridor once built and studied.
WSDOT Southwest Region Administrator Carly Francis told the council that the department expects the two roundabouts to be catalysts for a future speed reduction study: "Those brackets will really help us analyze and expect to be able to reset speed limits," she said. City staff described corridor cross sections from Eaton to Main Street that show narrower travel lanes, medians and continuous pedestrian/bike facilities; staff said those elements reduce vehicle operating speeds and support a 40 mph target for the central corridor when implemented.
Public testimony during the TIP hearing included a request from Philip Johnson, a property owner on Grace Avenue, who said the city has been planning right-of-way acquisition there for 13 years and asked the council to provide a clear plan and timeline for the businesses and two residences affected by the proposed project.
During council discussion, staff reported that the Parkway/Main signal and other design work are in progress and that right-of-way phases would follow required federal approvals. Council members pressed WSDOT staff about funding and jurisdictional responsibilities on state highways that create local concurrency failures. Francis and WSDOT staff explained that improvement funds for state facilities are largely designated by the Legislature and that WSDOT has limited discretion to reallocate those funds; she recommended coordinated legislative outreach and grant‑seeking with the city for priority projects.
Deputy Mayor Bowman and other council members expressed safety concerns about current operating speeds on SR 503 and asked staff and WSDOT to examine longer speed-management zones, engineering countermeasures and enforcement options while the longer-term capital projects proceed.
Votes at a glance - Motion to approve meeting agenda as presented: mover Council Member Overholzer; second Council Member Kuipers; outcome: approved unanimously. - Motion to excuse Council Member Ferrer: mover Deputy Mayor Bowman; second Council Member DeRozier; outcome: approved unanimously. - Motion to approve the consent agenda as presented: mover Deputy Mayor Bowman; second Council Member Overholzer; outcome: approved unanimously. - Resolution 25-066, adopting the six-year Transportation Improvement Program 2026–2031: mover not specified in transcript; second not specified; outcome: approved unanimously.
