Leavenworth council adopts 2026–2031 six-year transportation improvement plan

The Leavenworth City Council voted June 10 to approve the city’s 2026–2031 Six-Year Transportation Improvement Plan, a project list the city must publish to pursue funding and schedule construction work.

The plan lays out prioritized projects including a mixed-use parking-structure consultant selection, a proposed roundabout gateway at Highway 2 and Bicycle Road, Sea Hill active-transportation phase 2 design and construction, multiple sidewalk extensions, and an annual street maintenance program; council members asked staff about sequencing and potential overlap between lot improvements and future parking-structure design.

Brandy, a city transportation staff member presenting the plan, told the council the packet included a reformatted chart that clarified timing by year and that the city was proceeding to select a consultant for the multi-level mixed-use parking structure. “That project is currently underway. We're actually in process of selecting that consultant to do the work next week,” Brandy said. The plan also lists a roundabout at Highway 2 and Bicycle Road described as a gateway feature; Brandy said the roundabout and gateway elements would be the subject of a future study session to get council direction.

Council discussion focused on coordination and sequencing. One councilmember raised whether the timing of parking-lot improvements should be altered if a lot is a likely site for a future parking garage. Brandy acknowledged that staff would consider sequencing to avoid spending funds on lots that might be redeveloped for a garage. For the Sea Hill active-transportation project, Brandy said design work is under way with construction planned for next summer.

The plan includes several pedestrian and bicycle facility projects across the city, stormwater and utility-related street reconstructions, a First Street roundabout tied to Pine Street Phase 2, and an annual street maintenance program. Brandy said the city is targeting $6,060,000 per year for annual street maintenance under the plan; she added the city would analyze pavement conditions to decide whether to repair a few locations fully or apply pavement-preservation treatments such as chip seal on longer stretches.

Councilmembers also asked about Armstrong extension (a developer-built road with a gated phase that would provide emergency access until the city accepts the road for public use) and about a Fort Steuser (?) intersection planning study to improve traffic flow near expanding apartment development.

The council moved and unanimously adopted the resolution accepting the 2026–2031 Transportation Improvement Plan. Brandy and staff said the plan can be modified over time as funding and needs change.

— End —