Phone:
Phone: 1-509-493-1133
Hours:
Hours: Tues-Fri 8:30am-5pm
Address:
White Salmon City Hall
100 N Main St.
White Salmon, WA 98672
NEW White Salmon "Lite" Transportation System Plan
White Salmon "Lite" Transportation System Plan
Adopted by the City Council on August 31, 2023, by Ordinance 2023-08-1148 for incorporation into the City's Comprehensive Plan.
In addition to being a professional master plan to assist with State and Federal funding opportunities, the “Lite” Transportation System Plan (TSP) is a guiding document that identifies projects, programs, and policies to meet a city’s transportation needs. It sets design guidelines for new developments within White Salmon and future expansion into the Urban Exempt Area, to account for anticipated demands on transportation infrastructure.
The TSP is designed to complement White Salmon’s Comprehensive Plan, charting a roadmap for integrating transportation improvements with the city’s land use, local economy, and surrounding environment. It is important to reinforce that one of the primary purposes of a transportation master plan is it will allow the city to explore and utilize different funding mechanisms and strategies for implementing the recommended projects, programs, and policies.
See attached for the NEW White Salmon "Lite" Transportation System Plan!
Why Now? The population in White Salmon and the Urban Exempt Area is growing at 2.2% per year. However, developable land within White Salmon remains limited. To accommodate the expected population growth over the next 20 to 30 years, further annexation of the Urban Exempt Area may be necessary. This expansion into new areas will add to the existing burdens on the transportation system, highlighting the need for more sustainable infrastructure that serves multiple modes of travel.
The City of White Salmon is part of a regional economy and recreation or tourism network along the Columbia River Gorge and has seen an increase in visitors. This influx of people, combined with population growth, presents a unique challenge to the City’s transportation system and demands proactive, intentional planning for the future.
Past and current policies, such as the lack of sidewalk requirements for new developments, mean that additional City resources will be needed to meet residents’ expectations for safety and walkability on City streets.
A community-driven approach is a key component to the TSP. The TSP relied heavily on public engagement, which was conducted in three phases throughout the project. White Salmon residents, local business owners and workers, Planning Commission appointees from the community, and professional staff were invited to identify and prioritize projects, programs, policies, and partnerships to improve multimodal access and walkability; and influence proposed design standards and guidelines for new developments and expansion into the Urban Exempt Area, as well as funding mechanisms and strategies.
August 31, 2023, Special City Council Meeting Links:
