Title
Olympia 2045 - Transportation Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan Update
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to recommend changes to the Transportation Chapter and forward it to a City Council study session for discussion.
Report
Issue:
Whether to recommend changes to the Transportation Chapter and forward it to a City Council study session for discussion.
Staff Contact:
Michelle Swanson, AICP, Senior Planner, Public Works Transportation, 360.753.8575
Presenter(s):
Michelle Swanson, AICP, Senior Planner
Background and Analysis:
Since the Comprehensive Plan’s last full update in 2014, Olympia adopted its first-ever Transportation Master Plan in 2021. The focus of this update to the Transportation Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan has been to integrate the master plan and incorporate recent changes the state legislature made to the Growth Management Act (GMA).
Legislative changes
One recent change to the GMA is that cities must measure the level of service of their transportation system for all users of it: pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and drivers. Previously, cities only had to measure how well it worked for drivers. Additionally, cities must estimate future demand on the transportation system for all users and not just drivers.
Olympia is among the first cohort of cities to plan under these requirements. Because of the work done in developing the master plan, we are well-positioned to meet these requirements in a meaningful way.
Integrating climate and equity
Additional changes the legislature required with this update was to integrate climate and equity. Both have a clear nexus with transportation, and the draft chapter reflects this.
Also, goals and policies to address climate resilience and mitigation are being developed and reviewed as part of the Climate Chapter. These goals and policies will be integrated into all chapters of the Comprehensive Plan, including the Transportation Chapter, after the Climate Chapter is reviewed and accepted by the City Council.
Community input and changes
The public outreach for this chapter began in 2023 with a survey and discussion with the Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) on the transportation values and vision of the plan.
In 2024, staff held two rounds of public outreach online, summaries of which are posted on Engage Olympia, link attached. We also held an in-person open house during the summer in 2024.
Throughout 2024 and early 2025, staff briefed the BPAC five times and the Planning Commission four times, including a work session dedicated solely to this chapter. We also briefed the Social Justice and Equity Commission (SJEC) and Youth Council. The SJEC has submitted a comment letter, attached.
Staff has appreciated the thoughtful feedback people have given us at each step along the way and worked to incorporate it in each draft.
Consistency
The Transportation Chapter is required to be consistent with the Thurston Regional Transportation Plan. The Thurston Regional Planning Council has reviewed the draft chapter and issued a provisional certification, attached. Final certification will depend on review of the Land Use and Urban Design Chapter to ensure it is consistent with the Transportation Chapter, as well as the final Transportation Chapter to ensure it has not changed significantly.
Planning Commission’s recommendation
On February 3rd, the Planning Commission held a public hearing. It has made a recommendation to accept the chapter, contingent on some changes that are outlined in its letter, attached. Staff has written a response to the issues raised in the letter, also attached. In general, we support the Planning Commission’s recommendations, with a few suggested changes.
Possible approach for review
Because this chapter has gone through three public drafts and may be the longest chapter to review, the attached tracked changes version may be difficult to read. With each draft, staff has also published a list of significant changes for the public to review. We have compiled those lists in the attached “list of changes.” Reading this list and the “clean” version of the chapter might be a more accessible way to review the chapter.
Please note the attached draft chapter is the Planning Commission’s public hearing draft, so it does not reflect the changes the Planning Commission or staff recommend.
Climate Analysis:
The transportation sector is the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Thurston County. The policies in the Transportation Chapter are designed to result in more walking or rolling, biking, and transit use and less driving, which will help Olympia decrease vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions.
Transportation and climate staff have worked together closely to ensure that the goals and policies in both chapters will be consistent. For example, transportation staff have updated the vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas reduction goals in the Transportation Chapter to reflect the Youth Climate Inheritance Resolution of becoming a net-zero emissions city by 2040.
Equity Analysis:
The transportation system we have inherited makes it difficult for people to get their needs met without having to own a vehicle. Also, because many of the costs of owning a vehicle are fixed, lower-income people pay a much higher percentage of their incomes to own and maintain one.
For the people in Olympia with disabilities that prevent them from driving, investing in sidewalks, crosswalks, curb ramps, and bike infrastructure is vital to helping them get to transit or their destinations.
Additionally, the focus in the plan on rebalancing the transportation system to make it easier for people to walk, roll, bike, and ride transit relative to driving will make the transportation system more equitable than it currently is.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Members of the community have consistently said in a variety of public outreach methods over several years that they want to live in a city in which it is easier to walk or roll, bike, or take transit. The Transportation Chapter reflects this vision.
Financial Impact:
Updating the Comprehensive Plan is a multi-year effort, and a major investment in staff resources. A grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce for $175,000 helped cover some costs, including vehicle traffic modeling.
Options:
1. Move to recommend changes to the Transportation Chapter and forward it to a City Council study session for discussion.
2. Recommend further changes to the Transportation Chapter and request that staff return to this Committee with the changes for further discussion. This would compress the timeline for a City Council discussion. The deadline for adoption of the plan is December 31, 2025.
3. Forward to the City Council study session without any changes. The City Council would not benefit from any recommended changes made by the Land Use and Environment Committee, potentially increasing the scope of the Council’s review.
Attachments:
Transportation chapter - clean version
Transportation chapter - tracked changes
List of changes
Planning Commission Recommendation Letter
Staff Response to Planning Commission
Social Justice and Equity Commission recommendation letter
TRPC Provisional Acceptance Letter
Link to Engage Olympia Transportation page