The Sequim Planning Commission voted to recommend that the city council find the proposed 2026–2031 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) conforms to the city’s comprehensive plan and to schedule the plan for a city council public hearing.

The recommendation came after a presentation by Nick Doste, the city engineer and deputy director of public works, who reviewed recent work and projects programmed for 2026–27 and later funding-dependent years. The commission moved the TIP to council by motion and recorded a roll-call vote in which commissioners voted in favor.

The TIP presentation highlighted two completed projects from the previous year: an overlay of North Sequim Avenue and adjacent pedestrian and bicycle improvements that added ADA-compliant sidewalks and ramps, bike lanes and pedestrian-level lighting; and a signal project that installed cameras and new controllers to allow corridor coordination along the Washington corridor.

Doste told the commission the 2026–27 portion of the TIP focuses on projects with identified or secured funding; later-year projects (2028–31) are funding-dependent. He described two broad pavement-preservation tracks for the city going forward: an arterials-and-collectors program intended to pair with STBG (Surface Transportation Block Grant) match funding and a separate citywide program for local streets that would use lower-cost treatments such as chip seal or slurry seal.

Doste called attention to Project 15, North Third Avenue Complete Street (north of the state highway), which he said is estimated at about $4,700,000 for an initial phase. That project was developed from the city’s Local Road Safety Plan and the adopted Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (CSAP) to target pedestrian and bicycle safety along a route that serves schools and parks. He described the CSAP as a required document for some grant programs and a component that positions Sequim to apply for larger federal demonstration grants such as Safe Streets for All.

Doste noted other funding and match strategies: using about $155,000 in city funds to match more than $700,000 for reconstruction of 62 ADA ramps (Project 67); pursuing STBG funds through county allocation for arterial rehab; and pursuing federal RAISE grant funding for feasibility and design work on the Keeler Road multiuse path to connect to the Olympic Discovery Trail.

Public comment came from Theresa Miller of Sequim, who said she had read the TIP cover sheet and asked why the packet indicated both that a public hearing is required and that it is not required. Miller also asked who would make any motion to forward the TIP to council. Staff clarified the language in the packet represented recommended motion language and that the public hearing is not required at the planning commission meeting; council will schedule the hearing.

After questions from commissioners about funding timelines for STBG, the role of the CSAP in accessing Safe Streets for All funds, and the status of intersection and corridor studies (including a Sandy Williams grant for East Washington feasibility), a commissioner moved to approve the TIP’s conformity with the comprehensive plan and recommend council schedule a public hearing. The commission then took a roll-call vote: Commissioner Coates — yes; Commissioner Cummings — yes; Commissioner Fain — yes; Commissioner Hewitt — yes; Commissioner Lefebvre — yes; Commissioner Michalek — yes. The motion passed.

Next steps: the commission’s recommendation will be transmitted to Sequim City Council for its review and scheduling of the formal public hearing required by the city’s adoption timeline (staff noted a July 1 deadline for adoption to meet certain regional processes). Staff said city and county funding matches and grant applications will continue to be pursued for design and construction funding for the larger projects.