Issaquah council adopts 2027'032 six-year transportation improvement program

The Issaquah City Council on June 15 unanimously approved a resolution adopting the city's 2027'032 six-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and directed staff to file the plan with the state secretary of transportation.

Transportation Engineering Manager John Mortonson told the council the update emphasizes smaller, easier-to-implement projects, prioritizes maintenance over new construction, and relies in part on debt tied to a transportation benefit district sales tax. "The purpose of tonight's item is to review the updates to the 2027 to 2032 transportation improvement program," Mortonson said during his presentation.

Why it matters: Adoption places projects on the city's official TIP, a necessary step for many state grant programs and for coordinating the city's multi-year capital priorities. Mortonson said projects must be on the approved six-year TIP to be eligible for a Transportation Improvement Board grant program; staff said grant award decisions for projects on this TIP are expected in early November if applications are submitted.

What the TIP includes: Mortonson highlighted several walking, bicycling and intersection projects that are included in the six-year plan. Notable items called out in the presentation and subsequent discussion include the Northwest Seamish Road non-motorized shared-use path to Lake Samish State Park; phases of TR22A (Newport Way) that add painted and shared-use facilities; the Newport Way Maple-to-Sunset protected bike lane phase; an extension of the Juniper Trail shared-use path; and the TR12 intersection improvement at Front and Sunset, a project intended to reduce an inefficient signal configuration and improve options for pedestrians and buses.

Public comments and neighborhood concerns: Residents who spoke during the continued public hearing urged attention to pedestrian safety and sidewalk preservation. John Gert of South Cove said he was disappointed the council chose what he described as a more expensive TR28 option that routes bicyclists and pedestrians onto the same pathway and urged extending pedestrian connections toward Sunset Elementary. Oldtown resident Landon Halverson told the council "congestion remains top of mind for folks here in Oldtown" and urged preservation of sidewalk space and consideration of a pedestrian scramble at Front and Sunset during peak times.

Council questions and next steps: Council members pressed staff on funding sources, how projects align with revenue streams and whether including projects like the I-90 crossing in the TIP would immediately change near-term traffic impact fees. Mortonson said including a project in the TIP does not automatically bind the council to include it in the traffic-impact-fee calculation and that the city has not done a rate study since 2019; staff indicated a fee-rate study is expected in the coming 1— years and that fee changes would be set during that later process. The council was reminded that the TIP is a planning document, not a construction authorization: design, grant agreements and construction contracts will come back to council for separate approvals and budget allocations.

The vote and technical note: Council President Marks moved to approve the resolution adopting the six-year TIP and directing staff to file it with the state; the motion was seconded and passed by unanimous voice vote. (Staff presentation referred to resolution number 2026-15; the motion recorded in the meeting minutes identified the resolution as 2026-16.)

What happens now: Staff will file the adopted TIP with the state by the stated deadline and pursue listed grant opportunities; if grants are awarded, the administration expects to return to council for grant-authorizing signatures and later for construction contract approvals and project acceptance.