Attached is the 2016 – 2021 Six-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), along with an explanation sheet that describes the information contained on the various columns of the Six-year TIP.  No new projects have been added.

Projects that that have been removed from the 2015 – 2020 TIP as they were completed or the funds were obligated include:

• #3     Tieton Drive and 64^th Avenue Intersection Improvements
• #10   E. Lincoln Avenue and 10^th Street Roundabout
• #16   West Valley Middle School Safety Improvements

Project #33, N. 1^st Street and ‘I’ Street Signal Upgrade, has been removed because this work is being included in the N. 1^st Street Revitalization, MLK to ‘N’ Street project, renumbered #3.

Council and the public are welcome to add other arterial system projects to the list.  The six-year TIP project listing will be finalized at the June 18^th hearing and sent to the Yakima Valley Conference of Governments (YVCOG) after approval.

A)       Each year the City is required by RCW 35.77.010 and RCW 36.81.121 to update its Six-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for submittal to the Washington State Department of Transportation.  This plan must include all transportation projects for which state gas tax revenue of federal revenue will be used. 

The current plan for 2016 – 2021 includes ten projects that are funded.  Funding for the remainder of the projects will continue to be sought.  The funded projects include:

#1 – Yakima Railroad Grade Separations, Phase 4
#2 – North 1^st Street Revitalization, ‘N’ Street to SR 12
#3 – North 1^st Street Revitalization, MLK to ‘N’ Street
#4 – East Nob Hill Boulevard and Fair Avenue Intersection Improvements
#6 – Powerhouse Road Sidewalk
#7 – Yakima Valley Transportation Company Preservation
#44 – Northside Alley Pavers
#45 – S. 80^th Avenue Bridge
#46 – Wide Hollow Bridge
#47 – Lincoln Avenue Corridor Safety Improvements.

Six-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Background

On August 10, 2005, the President signed into law the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).  This act is the next authorization after the prior Transportation Equity Act of 1998 for the 21^st Century (TEA-21) and previous Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991.   The current act again specifies the systems on which certain funds can be used and activities for which funds can be used and promotes the role of the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) in the planning and programming of projects.  SAFETEA-LU requires each designated MPO to develop a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and the state to develop a Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) as a condition to securing federal funds for the transportation projects.

Projects listed in the STIP are the only projects that can be approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to utilize federal fund of by the State of Washington for approved State funding agencies.  The STIP is a prioritized program of transportation projects, complied from local and regional plans, along with the Washington Transportation System Plan (WTP), which provides a backbone for developing projects for the intermodal transportation network in the State of Washington.

The STIP contains federally funded projects plus state and local projects that are regionally significant.  These projects have been identified through the planning process as the highest priority for the available funding to the state’s transportation program.  Planning activities of state and local governments are essential parts of integrated regional planning processes.  Long range transportation planning is a part of the comprehensive land use planning carried out by local governments.  Citizen participation is an integral part of the planning process at all levels.  Local Agencies are required to develop and adopt a six-year transportation program.  All local agencies are required to hold at least one public hearing during the development of the six-year transportation program.

Project ranking has been performed utilizing data supplied by the Street and Traffic Division.  The ranking will be integrated with other project needs and the total list will be reviewed and adjusted to the particular need of the City of Yakima.

B)  The City needs to amend the Yakima Urban Area Comprehensive Plan Capital Facilities Element to incorporate the adopted six-year TIP for 2014 to 2019.  This will ensure that we are in compliance with the Growth Management Act and that we are consistent with the Comprehensive Plan as required.  The amendment is limited to incorporate only those projects that adopted in the STIP and is not subject to the “once a year” change required under the laws of the Growth Management Act.