Title
Public Hearing on the 2016-2021 Six-year Transportation Improvement Program
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Hold a Public Hearing on the 2016-2021 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
Report
Issue:
Whether the City Council should approve the 2016-2021 Six-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
Staff Contact:
David Smith, Transportation Project Engineering, Public Works Department, 360.753.8496
Presenter(s):
David Smith, Transportation Project Engineering, Public Works Department
Background and Analysis:
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) requires local governments to outline their specific transportation needs in a six-year TIP. Projects need to be identified in the TIP before cities can receive state and federal funding. City staff updates the TIP annually to ensure that all projects identified in the Capital Facilities Plan (CFP) are reflected in the TIP.
In the past, these two documents had separate public hearings and approval processes. Each July, the TIP was submitted based on the CFP approved the prior December. These two approval processes created confusion for the public. The City is moving up the TIP approval process so that it can be done at the same time as the CFP since the list of projects in both programs are the same. The TIP will still be submitted in July of each year to WSDOT. By bringing these two adoption processes in sync with one another, the public can now comment on the same set of projects during the same time frame instead of several months apart.
It is important to note that City staff works closely with state and federal agencies to understand funding criteria. Every year, staff reviews projects and makes revisions to the TIP so that the City is in the best position to successfully secure funding. For example, the Eastside/22nd Avenue Sidewalk is split into two projects: the portion from...
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