Clark County’s transportation plan largely familiar

Clark County’s updated transportation capital projects plan looks very similar to the prior plan update completed in 2022. The revised large-projects list is part of the county’s ongoing effort to update its 20-year growth plan under the state’s Growth Management Act.

“From the existing (capital facilities plan) project list, we are proposing to remove three large capital road projects and 11 intersection projects,” Harrison Husting, transportation planner for the county, told the county council during a work session last week.

Husting said the large road projects were removed from the list because they had finished construction during the past five years, and the intersection projects were either constructed, improved or annexed into other jurisdictions.

The state Growth Management Act requires the county to assess its transportation system for current and future needs and identify actions to address those needs, Husting said.

“At first glance, this seems like a really long list. While we call it our 20-year transportation CFP, we are not necessarily required to complete every project on this list within a 20-year time frame,” he said.

Husting said the biggest change between the prior plan and this revised one is the inclusion of standalone active transportation projects — efforts that create opportunities for walking, biking and rolling — as a result of Growth Management Act requirements. The plan includes 143 projects to add missing bike lanes or sidewalks. Most are less than a mile long.

The plan also includes six road safety projects, which will add pedestrian crossings, curbed medians, upgraded signs and new striping along sections of Northeast Hazel Dell Avenue, Northeast Garner Road, Highway 99, Lucia Falls Road, Washougal River Road and others.

Husting said these projects will need close coordination with other jurisdictions and agencies, as well as the state Department of Transportation.

“These projects really reflect corridors that have been identified as needing additional improvements for active transportation users,” he said. “With the proposed multimodal level service standards, we’re proposing that facilities would be provided that would be low stress and comfortable for most adults. That’s kind of the standard that we’re aiming for.”

Also included in the revised plan are 25 intersection projects and 23 road projects covering a wide range of residential and commercial areas — from east Vancouver to Vancouver Lake, Felida, Salmon Creek, Pleasant Valley and other locations. At least six road projects are slated for Northeast and Northwest 179th Street and its intersection with Interstate 5.

Other projects include realigning Northeast Salmon Creek Avenue between Washington State University and Northeast 50th Avenue and widening Northeast 72nd Avenue between Northeast 119th and 219th streets to five lanes. Sections of Northwest 11th Avenue, Northeast 137th Avenue, Northeast 99th Street and Northeast 152nd Avenue are planned to be widened to three lanes, with sidewalks and shared-use or bike lanes. Traffic signals on Northeast 99th Street from Highway 99 to the Interstate 5 on/offramps will be upgraded to improve signal timing and improve traffic flow.

Council Chair Sue Marshall said there are concerns about whether funding still is available for the state Department of Transportation’s planned I-5 upgrades at that interchange.

“I was just wondering if we are on track with the timing from the county’s side of implementing projects,” she said. “Because I know it’s tied directly to when the WSDOT will be doing their projects on I-5.”

County engineer Jeremy Provenzola said Clark County is not aware of any changes to the I-5 work schedule; the project is set to begin construction in 2029.