Chapter 12.03
COMPLETE STREETS POLICY
Sections:
12.03.030 Complete streets infrastructure.
12.03.040 Implementation of complete streets principles.
12.03.050 Goal to foster partnerships.
12.03.060 Best practice criteria.
12.03.010 Purpose.
The city of West Richland shall, to the maximum extent practicable, scope, plan, design, construct, operate and maintain appropriate facilities for the safe accommodation of pedestrians, bicyclists, wheelchair users, public transportation users, motorists, emergency responders, freight and users of all ages and abilities in all new construction, retrofit, rehabilitation, or reconstruction projects. Through ongoing operations and maintenance, the city of West Richland shall identify cost-effective opportunities to include complete streets practices. [Ord. 19-21 § 1, 2021; Ord. 15-16 § 1, 2016].
12.03.020 Definitions.
“Complete street” means a road that is designed to be safe and accessible for motorists, bicyclists, transit vehicles and users, freight, emergency services providers, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities. The complete streets policy focuses not just on changing individual roads, but on changing the decision-making process so that all users are routinely considered during the planning, designing, constructing, and operation and maintenance of all roadways.
“Complete streets infrastructure” means design features that contribute to a safe, convenient, or comfortable travel experience for users, including but not limited to features such as: sidewalks; shared use paths; bicycle lanes; automobile lanes; paved shoulders; street trees and landscaping; planting strips; curbs; accessible curb ramps; bulb outs; crosswalks; refuge islands; pedestrian and traffic signals, including countdown and accessible signals; signage; street furniture; bicycle parking facilities; public transportation stops and facilities in coordination with Ben Franklin Transit; transit priority signalization; traffic calming devices such as rotary circles and surface treatments such as paving blocks, textured asphalt, and concrete; narrow vehicle lanes; and raised medians.
“Rehabilitation” means a structural repair to a roadway that does not alter the geometry, such as overlay, mill and fill, and mircrosurfacing.
“Surface treatment” means a nonstructural repair or preservation to a roadway to extend the surface life, such as crack seal, and slurry seal.
“Users” means individuals or vehicles that use public streets including pedestrians, motorists, bicyclists, freight, automobiles, public transportation vehicles and people of all ages and abilities, including children, youth, families, older adults and individuals with disabilities. [Ord. 19-21 § 1, 2021; Ord. 15-16 § 1, 2016].
12.03.030 Complete streets infrastructure.
West Richland shall incorporate complete streets infrastructure into existing public streets to create a comprehensive, integrated, connected transportation network that balances access, mobility, health, economy, and safety needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists, emergency responders, freight and users of all ages and abilities as feasible and appropriate. [Ord. 19-21 § 1, 2021; Ord. 15-16 § 1, 2016].
12.03.040 Implementation of complete streets principles.
West Richland shall incorporate complete streets principles into the transportation element of the city’s comprehensive plan, ADA transition plan, public works design standards, parks and recreation master plan, and other plans, manuals, rules, regulations, and programs as feasible and appropriate. Complete streets shall be achieved either through single projects or through a series of smaller improvement or maintenance activities over time. All sources of transportation funding shall be drawn upon to implement complete streets. Maximum financial flexibility is significant to implement complete streets principles. [Ord. 19-21 § 1, 2021; Ord. 15-16 § 1, 2016].
12.03.050 Goal to foster partnerships.
West Richland’s goal is to foster partnerships with all Washington State transportation funding agencies including the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB), the Federal Highway Administration, Benton County, Benton Franklin Council of Governments, Richland School District, Port of Kennewick, citizens, businesses, interest groups, neighborhoods, and any funding agency to implement West Richland’s complete streets policy. West Richland will coordinate with other transportation agencies to ensure the transportation network is well-joined between jurisdictions. [Ord. 19-21 § 1, 2021; Ord. 15-16 § 1, 2016].
12.03.060 Best practice criteria.
The public works director or his/her designee shall modify, develop and adopt policies, design criteria, standards and guidelines based upon recognized best practices in street design, construction and operations including but not limited to the latest editions of American Association of State Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), Washington State Department of Transportation Design Manual, Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines and standards, while reflecting the context and character of the surrounding built and natural environment and enhancing the appearance of such. [Ord. 19-21 § 1, 2021; Ord. 15-16 § 1, 2016].
12.03.070 Exceptions.
Complete streets infrastructure for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users and/or people of all ages and abilities is not required to be provided in new construction, retrofit, rehabilitation or reconstruction of projects, provided one of the following is documented by the city engineer and submitted to city council for approval prior to construction:
A. A documented absence of current or future need exists, as identified in city plans and future travel demand models; or
B. Nonmotorized uses are prohibited by law; or
C. Routine maintenance and repair of the transportation network is performed that does not change the roadway geometry or operations such as mowing, snowplowing, sweeping, spot repair, surface treatments, or interim measures on detour or haul routes; or
D. The cost would be disproportionate to the current need or probable future uses; or
E. Where there are significant adverse impacts on neighboring land uses, including impacts from right-of-way acquisition; or
F. Where the application of complete streets principles is unnecessary or inappropriate because it would be contrary to public safety; or
G. Where there are significant adverse impacts on environmental resources such as streams, wetlands, steep slopes, historic structures or sites above and beyond the impacts of currently existing infrastructure, or other critical areas; or
H. Where the establishment would be contrary to the transportation element of the comprehensive plan; or
I. Where their inclusion in a small, isolated project would create a very short section of improvements with problematic transitions on either end or that are in an isolated area unlikely to be followed by similar improvements at either end, resulting in little progress on implementing complete streets networks; or
J. Where an interim rural roadway extension or gap connection of an arterial or collector roadway is essential for mobility and said rural roadway will be widened to include complete street infrastructure as development occurs in the future. Any exemption for an interim rural roadway section shall include a minimum of four-foot paved shoulders and pedestrian crossings infrastructure. [Ord. 19-21 § 1, 2021; Ord. 15-16 § 1, 2016].