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City staff review 2023 traffic model and 2044 projections; council discusses targeted improvements
Summary
City traffic staff presented 2023 peak‑hour intersection analyses and 2044 projections under a 1.5% growth scenario. Recommended projects in the six‑year TIP include lane additions and a proposed roundabout; council asked for targeted solutions at the Safeway/40th & Bridgeport bottleneck and confirmed projects will be prioritized when funding is available.
City traffic staff and consultant PH Traffic presented University Place’s 2023 intersection peak‑hour analysis and modeled 2044 conditions on July 20, outlining candidate improvements included in the city’s six‑year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).
Senior Project Engineer Jordan Martin summarized level‑of‑service (LOS) results from 2023 counts and explained a medium growth projection of 1.5% annual traffic growth used for 2044 forecasts. Staff showed example mitigation scenarios (synchronization, added through lanes) that reduced intersection delay in models — for example, adding an extra through lane on 40th Street West at Bridgeport lowered modeled delay from failing levels to LOS C in the example.
Councilmembers focused on recurring local bottlenecks: the Safeway/40th & Bridgeport area where multiple entries create conflicts and constrained pedestrian space; Drexler Roundabout connection plans and incomplete grid links; and the multimodal implications of added lanes for pedestrian safety. Staff said the TIP includes candidate projects (some with conceptual designs such as curb modifications, through/turn lanes and a potential roundabout at 67th & Regents). Many projects are tied to grant opportunities; staff said they monitor intersection delays and pursue funding before LOS thresholds are breached.
City Engineer Nury Avilar and staff said some corridor improvements are already in the six‑year TIP and the city is actively seeking grants to implement projects sooner. For intersections that would require large mitigation (e.g., multi‑leg intersections or developer‑triggered improvements), staff noted complex interjurisdictional and funding constraints.
Quote: "With the projects we added to the comp plan, I think we've established that we are maintaining our level of service D minimum," Jordan Martin told the council, while several councilmembers urged more proactive steps to complete bypass links and pursue funding to avoid worsening congestion.
Next steps: staff will follow up on targeted site‑specific options for the Safeway/Bridgeport area, continue grant pursuit for TIP projects, and maintain monitoring of LOS and traffic counts.
