31.04.115 Transportation policies

31.04.115 Transportation policies.

(a) [Policy No. 1] Preserve and enhance the Highway 101 corridor for regional mobility to improve its functionality for business, area residents, tourists, nonmotorized transportation, freight and services.

(i) Clallam County should study and plan to construct a new east-west route to be located south of and paralleling Highway 101 on the east side of the Port Angeles urban growth area. This new roadway would be primarily located within the urban growth area and provides an alternate east-west entrance into the urban area for local residents as well as an emergency access route in case the sole access point at Morse Creek should become impassable due to an emergency.

(ii) Encourage the Washington State Department of Transportation to retain all of their properties adjoining Highway 101 and Highway 112 for future use as rest stops, scenic pullouts, roadside parks and future transit pullouts.

(iii) Work with the Washington State Department of Transportation and other agencies to ensure that Highway 101 meets the goal that the corridor function regionally for the mobility of goods, services and passengers. Included in this goal would be review of State access policy to ensure the direct access to the highway from individual properties is minimized.

(iv) Improve Highway 112 and 101 in conjunction with casino development plans of the Elwha S’Klallam Tribe to ensure that safety and level of service are maintained at current levels.

(v) Adopt regulations prohibiting access to Highway 101 when access to County/City roads is available or when shared access points are available.

(vi) Highway 101 should have adequate shoulders for bicyclists. Current deficiencies in the eastern portion of the urban growth area should be corrected to encourage bicycle commuting. Storage facilities for bicycles should be available in conjunction with transit shelters along the corridor.

(vii) Pedestrian facilities (sidewalks or paths) should be planned along the Highway 101 corridor through the urban growth area of Port Angeles.

(viii) Park-and-ride lots and transit shelters should be conveniently located along the Highway 101 corridor in the urban growth area of Port Angeles and at the intersections of County arterials and Highway 101.

(ix) Passing lanes should be planned along the highway corridor in rural areas.

(x) The proliferation of stoplights on Highway 101 should be discouraged. New development should be encouraged to locate at existing intersections where stoplights are already in place.

(xi) Left-turn access to Highway 101 should be controlled with raised landscaped medians for Highway 101 center median turn lanes to prevent the potential for head on collisions caused by drivers using center median turn lanes as a left turn acceleration lanes.

(xii) The Warren-truss Elwha River Bridge should be studied for the parameters of: (1) retaining multi-use circulation; (2) rehabilitating for historic purposes and nonmotorized circulation only; (3) removing and re-establishing an improved circulation pattern; or (4) removing and replacement in the same location. New funding opportunities should accompany each transportation study option.

(b) Policy 2. Enhance the roadway aesthetics and improve the facades and landscaping of businesses fronting on the Scenic Highway 101 corridor in the urban growth area in order to enhance business opportunities and general appearance to local residents and the traveling public.

(i) The Port Angeles Highway 101 urban corridor should develop as a tree lined, landscaped boulevard. Deciduous street trees, landscaped medians, roadside landscaping and improved pedestrian amenities should be included in all future urban Highway 101 upgrades and as development standards for new development along the corridor. Assist corridor business owners in obtaining the funding needed to upgrade building facades, landscaping and pedestrian amenities.

(ii) The east entrance to Port Angeles urban growth area at Deer Park should be enhanced with landscaped medians, street trees and streetscape landscaping in accordance with the Port Angeles Gateway Plan.

(iii) Clallam County should work with the Washington State Department of Transportation to obtain funding for ADA accessible restrooms at the Deer Park Scenic Gateway Center, a popular access point to the Olympic Discovery Trail.

(iv) Work with the Washington State Department of Transportation and Clallam Transit to ensure a safe drop-off point for transit riders accessing businesses near the Deer Park Cinema.

(v) Increase traveler information and services at the Deer Park Scenic Gateway Center. Inform vehicle and bicycle travelers about the Olympic Discovery Trail, its route and connections, and access to city services.

(vi) Adopt regulations prohibiting access to Highway 101 when access to County/City roads is available or when shared access points are available.

(i) Highway 101 capacity should be improved in the urban growth area through development of shared parking regulations, required interconnection of parking lots on adjoining lots and an associated reduction of individual access points directly onto Highway 101.

(ii) New and expanded commercial or industrial development should make appropriate provisions for transit connections in the urban area.

(a) [Policy No. 4] With the completion of a new east-west route on the east side of the Port Angeles urban growth area, the circulation system of County roads in rural and resource land areas should be considered completed for this planning area. The County should not pursue new County roads except in those circumstances where roads are built within subdivisions with private funds and then turned over to the County for maintenance.

(b) [Policy No. 5] Road systems in rural and resource areas should be at rural and resource land standards which preserve the essential character of the land use.

(i) County gravel roads in forested resource lands should remain at gravel standards or be returned to another agency or vacated to adjacent property owners in order to lessen development conversion pressures which occur when paved roads provide access to resource areas. Examples of roads that should remain gravel include Little River Road (between Lake Dawn and Black Diamond Road), Upper Monroe Road, and Upper Mount Pleasant.

(ii) Improve Siebert Creek curve on Old Olympic Highway for all modes of transportation including bikes.

(c) [Policy No. 6] The following road improvements have been identified based on LOS standards, improved circulation, and road width and safety standards. The roads are listed in approximate order of importance:

•Old Olympic Highway (finish widening, straighten alignment)

•Larch Avenue (realignment of intersection with Highway 101)

•Edgewood Drive/Airport Road (intersection)

•Gales Street (widen)

•McNutt Street intersection with Highway 101 (eliminate intersection)

•Old Mill Road/Simmons Road (school bus pullout)

•North Lee’s Creek Road (guardrails)

•Black Diamond (widen)

•O’Brien Road (realign, widen)

•Lower Elwha Road (curves, shoulders, guardrails)

•Lake Farm Road (widen north of school)

•Monroe Road (widen between Arnette and Draper)

•Mt. Pleasant Road (widen road north of Draper and near Gravel Pit)

•Draper (widen)

•Gasman Road (realign at old rail crossing)

•Deer Park (install guardrail)

•Dan Kelly Road at intersection of Colville Road (intersection improvements)

•Mt. Pleasant Road at Dietz Road (intersection improvements)

•Henry Boyd Road (intersections and shoulder widening)

•Little River Road (curves)

•Place Road (guardrail)

•Township Line (widen).

(a) [Policy No. 7] Improvements to County roads should consider the rural character of the Port Angeles region. Needed safety improvements should be the minimum necessary to address the safety problem, particularly in rural areas where country roads enhance the character of the area, as well as being a deterrent to speeding. In rural areas, limit the number of access points to County roads in order to limit impediments to traffic and to maintain open space qualities. Please see County-wide Comprehensive Plan for adopted County road standards.

(b) [Policy No. 8] When County roads are rebuilt in this area, forecasts of future traffic should be based on the following principles:

(i) If the County road is on the regional transportation network (see Peninsula Regional Transportation Planning Organization – PRTPO), the road should be designed to accommodate transportation growth rates within the PRTPO plan.

(ii) If the County road is not on the regional transportation network, the road should be designed based on 50 percent of potential build-out as indicated in the land use plan.

(c) [Policy No. 9] Private road standards should allow for flexibility while meeting minimum safety requirements for emergency vehicles, except in those circumstances where it is in the best public interest to develop a public road. Right-of-way standards, improved widths, and surfacing of private roads should not be required at the same standard as public roads. The use of road improvement districts (RIDs) should be encouraged to equitably share the cost of upgrading private roads to land division and fire protection minimum standards.

(a) [Policy No. 10] The safety and quality of travel experience for the nonmotorized traveler shall be improved with a greater role in the transportation system. Nonmotorized travel should be promoted within the Port Angeles area for multipurpose commuter, recreation and transportation trails for users of all abilities.

(b) Policy 11. The Olympic Discovery Trail should be a priority transportation and recreational facility providing easy access to affordable physical activity, a safe off-road non-motorized alternative for commuters, and a scenic route for touring bicyclists. The Olympic Discovery Trail at full development will connect Port Townsend to Forks with trail extensions accessing LaPush on the Pacific Ocean, a total distance of 145 miles.

(c) Policy 12. A system of lateral/feeder trails should connect US 101 to the Waterfront Trail adjacent to Lee’s, Ennis, Peabody and Tumwater Creeks.

(d) Policy 13. Utilizing City-owned former railroad grade, complete and sign the westerly extension of the Olympic Discovery Trail from the base of Ediz Hook to the City’s western boundary and the Elwha River including construction of a bridge over Dry Creek by the City.

(e) Policy 14. A path, trail, or sidewalk accommodating non-motorized travel shall be required along US 101, County arterials, major collectors within urban growth areas, and within walking distance of school facilities.

(5) Policy 15. The following are the designated bicycle routes. All roads on a designated bicycle route should have a minimum improved shoulder width of three to five feet, depending on the speed limit of the road. Several of these routes are within the City of Port Angeles. The City should be encouraged to designate these routes and provide safe bicycle shoulders.

•US 101 from Siebert Creek to Lake Crescent

•Old Olympic Highway from Siebert Creek to Highway 101

•Olympic Discovery Trail/Waterfront Trail from Old Olympic to Ediz Hook

•Marine Drive

•Front Street from College Plaza to the Waterfront Trail

•First Street from College Plaza to the Waterfront Trail

•Race Street from Front Street to the Hurricane Ridge Road

•Hill Street

•M Street from Hill Street to 18th Street

•L Street from 18th Street to Lauridsen

•Lauridsen from L Street to Airport Drive

•Airport Drive from Edgewood Drive to Lauridsen Boulevard

•Edgewood Drive from Airport Road to Laird Road

•Laird Road from Edgewood Drive to Highway 101

•Highway 112 from Freshwater Bay to Highway 101.

(6) Multimodal:

(a) Policy 16. First priority for transit service and facility improvements should be for designated urban growth areas and routes along the regional transportation system.

(b) Policy 17. Park-and-ride lots and transit shelters should be conveniently located along the Highway 101 corridor in the urban growth areas of Port Angeles and at the intersections of County arterials or collectors and Highway 101. Design park-and-ride lots with transit shelters and bicycle storage facilities on-site.

(c) Policy 18. Encourage reduced reliance on single occupant vehicles (SOV) and reduce vehicle trips generated while encouraging the use of other transportation modes as cost effective or time saving travel alternatives.

(i) In the Port Angeles urban area, foster employer and retail business partnerships with the assistance of local service organizations to implement programs encouraging employees to use alternate transportation modes by exchanging coupons as proof of HOV or non-motorized trips to work for retail service or merchandise.

(ii) Encourage transportation shuttle services and parking strategies for regional attractions such as Hurricane Ridge, the Elwha Valley, and Lake Crescent with private charter services and public/private partnerships.

(iii) Encourage ridership and support transit expansion to reduce single occupant vehicles (SOVs).

(iv) Develop neighborhood scale park-and-ride lots at Highway 101 junction of collectors in the Port Angeles urban area. Design lots with bicycle storage facilities on-site. Proposed locations: Gales Addition (Stock Market Foods), Mt. Pleasant Road, Strait View Drive, and Deer Park Road.

(v) Pursue the Port Angeles Multimodal Transportation Center for most efficient usage as a regional and local facility.

(a) Policy 19. Ensure that land uses adjacent to the Port Angeles International Airport are compatible with the continued use of the airport for the air transportation needs of the region.

(b) Policy 20. Provide adequate roadway connections between the Port Angeles International Airport and the existing major arterial streets, roads and highways serving the airport. Ensure that there are adequate public transportation connections to the Port Angeles International Airport.

(a) Policy 21. Ensure adequate access to the Port Angeles Marine Terminals providing ferry access to Canada.

(b) Policy 22. Monitor efforts to establish a high speed passenger/package freight vessel transportation system (i.e., mosquito fleet) in the Puget Sound region, and support the inclusion of Port Angeles in such a system if it is established.

(a) Policy 23. The minimum acceptable level of service (LOS) standard for County roads in both rural and urban areas shall be LOS “C,” using standard rating methodology.

(b) Policy 24. New development, such as land divisions and non-resource uses (e.g., forestry, agriculture, fisheries) should not be allowed unless served by a County road meeting a surface width standard of 18 feet and having a maximum grade of 12 percent.

(a) Policy 25. Place a high priority on investment and expenditure of limited public funds in the transportation system in urban growth areas and limit investment and expenditure in rural areas to arterial development connecting communities and neighborhoods.

(b) Policy 26. The existing transportation system should be maintained before expenditure of limited public funds on expanded facilities.

(c) Policy 27. Traditional funding sources should continue to be the primary funding source pay for improvements to County roads in the region.

(d) Policy 28. The County shall require new development to rectify and/or compensate for impacts to transportation facilities not meeting minimum safety standards or for developments expected to increase demand, such as significantly higher average daily traffic (ADT).