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Council reviews transportation element update; staff to refine congestion and active‑transportation gaps
Summary
Public works presented a first read of the updated comprehensive plan transportation element, noting a generally sound network but targeted congestion hotspots and sidewalk gaps that the city’s planning and TIP work will address next.
City public works staff presented the first read of a refreshed transportation element for the comprehensive plan, summarizing system inventories, traffic demand forecasting and safety analysis.
Why it matters: The transportation element guides capital planning, grant eligibility and multimodal investments for the next planning cycle. It also drives the six‑year transportation improvement program that funds specific projects.
What staff reported: Public Works Director Bill Bullock said existing congestion is concentrated at a few intersections and that the system’s general condition is sound overall. He reviewed functional classifications, counts and a traffic model calibrated to dwelling‑unit growth and traffic counts. Identified hotspots included parts of Highway 20 at Metcalfe and Reed, and the Cook Road/Trail Road corridor approaching level‑of‑service thresholds.
Active transportation and concurrency: Staff noted new Growth Management Act guidance emphasizes addressing sidewalk and bike lane gaps; future development may be required to fill shorter missing links rather than only build frontage improvements. The element proposes multimodal performance measures, and staff will integrate active‑transportation concurrency into the TIP and capital planning.
Next steps: Staff will continue revisions, incorporating feedback from SCOG, WSDOT and Skagit Transit, finalize the future‑conditions modeling and return the element and the six‑year TIP for public hearings and adoption procedures with planning commission coordination.
Ending: Council received the update and encouraged staff to return with a refined draft and continued coordination with regional partners.
