Transportation Plans and Plan Elements
This page provides examples of local transportation plans in Washington State, including transportation elements of comprehensive plans, transportation improvement plans, and transportation studies.
Overview
The Washington State Growth Management Act requires that transportation planning and system development support the broader, long-range goals for community development. The Growth Management Act specifies transportation as a required element of a comprehensive plan (RCW 36.70A.070(6)).
The transportation element must implement and be consistent with the land use element. The transportation element includes the following statutory sub-elements: land use assumptions used in estimating travel; estimated traffic impacts to state-owned transportation facilities; facilities and services needs, including an inventory of transportation facilities and services, level of service standards, actions for bringing locally owned transportation facilities or services into compliance, forecasts of traffic for at least 10 years, and identification of state and local system needs to meet current and future demands; finance, including a multiyear financing plan; intergovernmental coordination efforts; demand management strategies; and a pedestrian and bicycle component.
Transportation Elements of Comprehensive Plans
The following are selected examples of transportation elements of comprehensive plans from Washington cities and counties. This section also includes separate transportation plans that have been adopted as elements of a comprehensive plan.
Cities
- Battle Ground 2015-2035 Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 9 - Transportation
- Bellevue 2021 Comprehensive Plan Transportation Element
- Cheney 2017-2037 Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 4 - Transportation
- Mukilteo 2015-2035 Comprehensive Plan Transportation Element
- Redmond Comprehensive Plan Transportation Element (2017)
Counties
- Benton County 2017 Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 7 - Transportation Element (Updated 2020)
- Appendix H: Transportation - Includes 2016-2021 Road Program
- King County 2016 Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 8 - Transportation (updated 2020)
- Skagit County 2016-2036 Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 8 - Transportation
- Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 6 - Transportation (2021)
Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs)
All cities, towns, and counties are required to develop and adopt a six-year transportation improvement program (TIP), also known as a transportation improvement plan. (See RCW 35.77.010 for cities and RCW 36.81.121 for counties.)
The TIP is a short-range planning document that is updated every year and shows the funding sources and amounts for transportation improvement projects planned for the next six years.
If the city or county has adopted a comprehensive plan, the TIP must be consistent with the comprehensive plan. Each jurisdiction must review and update its TIP every year, following one or more public hearings. For cities, the deadline for adoption is July 1; for counties, the deadline is prior to budget adoption. Within 30 days of adoption, the TIP must be filed with the state secretary of transportation; counties must also file their TIPs with the County Road Administration Board (CRAB).
The TIP may be revised at any time by a majority of the city or county legislative body, but only after a public hearing.
Below are selected examples.
Cities
- Arlington Transportation Improvement Plan – Includes both 6-year TIP and 20-year long-range TIP
- Bellingham Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program
- Redmond Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program
- Spokane Valley Six-Year Transportation Improvement Plan
- Vancouver Transportation Improvement Program
Counties
- Pierce County Transportation Improvement Program
- Yakima County 6-Year Transportation Improvement Program
Nonmotorized Transportation Plans
Cities
- Ellensburg Nonmotorized Transportation Plan (2008)
- Maple Valley Non-Motorized Transportation Plan (2013)
- Port Townsend Non-Motorized Transportation Plan (2011)
- Seattle Bicycle Master Plan (2021)
- Pasco Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan (2011)
- Shoreline Bike Plan Implementation (2017)
- Spokane Pedestrian Master Plan (2015)
Counties
- Clark County Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (2010)
- Island County Non-Motorized Trails Plan (2018)
- Jefferson County Non-Motorized Transportation & Recreational Trails Plan (2010)
Local Transportation Studies and Plans
Local governments conduct numerous transportation studies, and the following are a few selected examples of transportation studies and plans.
- Jefferson County Quimper Peninsula Transportation Study (2012)
- Redmond Local Transit Study (2010)
- Seattle Transportation Planning – Neighborhood and sub-area transportation planning
- Spokane Transportation Oriented Development Framework Study (2022)
