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Council adopts 2027–2032 six‑year Transportation Improvement Plan; engineer explains WSDOT ‘roundabout‑first’ policy
Summary
The council adopted Resolution 26‑07 approving the 2027–2032 TIP; city engineer explained that listing projects on the TIP makes them eligible for state funding and that WSDOT’s recent roundabout‑first policy favors roundabouts over signals for funding and safety prioritization.
The Buckley City Council unanimously adopted Resolution 26‑07, approving the city’s 2027–2032 six‑year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP), after a public hearing and a presentation by city engineer Miller.
Engineer Miller explained the purpose of the TIP: adoption places city projects on the state’s project list and makes them eligible for state funding programs, including regional programs such as PSRC and statewide boards. Miller said project years in the TIP are placeholders that can change; project order does not prevent the city from pursuing grants and moving projects earlier if funding becomes available.
Miller also described a recent Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) memorandum (July 2025) establishing a 'roundabout‑first' interpretation, which prioritizes roundabouts over signalized intersections in many funding and design evaluations. He said including roundabout layouts in projects can improve the likelihood of securing state funding, but that the council retains final say on whether and how projects are implemented and that WSDOT will not build projects directly for the city.
During public testimony, resident Marv Sandstrom said he supported a roundabout at Ryan Road and SR‑165 but opposed spending $5 million for roundabouts at Park Avenue and Maine, saying he did not see the benefit at those locations. After brief additional questions for Miller, the council moved, seconded and voted to adopt the TIP; the motion carried.
The adopted TIP makes the listed projects eligible for state funding and will be used to prioritize city grant applications and project planning. Staff indicated the city will continue to pursue grant opportunities and coordinate with WSDOT and regional funding boards.
