Hazel Dell Hollow Neighborhood Association

New Road County Comments Jan. #2

30. Why weren't arterials part of the planning of housing developments?
As indicated in the public record for the developments along NE 117th Street, the use of this street as a secondary or minor arterial has been known and planned in the subdivision process since 1977.

31. When was section of 117th between 2nd and 3rd built? If after 1980, why wasn't it made wide enough for the current planned minor arterial?
Portions of NE 117th Street have been constructed by developments occurring from 1963 through 1994. The additional width requirements for the minor arterial to supply bicycle lanes were made part of the County Road Standards in Fall 1994.

32. Why have building permits been allowed in the designated area? (Assume question refers to study zone)
If a person owns a legal lot and can comply with the applicable County codes, the County cannot refuse to issue a building permit.

33. Why are building permits issued beyond what the current roads can handle?
Building permits cannot be issued beyond what the current roads can handle. The analysis of the short term traffic impacts under the County's regulation would prevent the creation of additional legal lots without adequate intersection capacity being maintained.

34. Is there a comprehensive plan that takes into account the entire flow of traffic from home to freeway? According to the current plan, the road would start out as a two-lane, broaden into a minor arterial then return to a two-lane road that still does not have freeway access - this accomplishes nothing.
The County's Comprehensive Plan and its supporting documents including the Arterial Atlas (20-Yr Plan) show how the entire flow of traffic at the horizon of the plan will be handled. Eventually within the life of the comprehensive plan, NW 119th - NE 117th would be a continuous three-lane minor arterial from NW Lakeshore/NW 36th Ave. to Highway 99. Copies of the Arterial Atlas (20-yr plan are available for purchase from Clark County Community Development ($90 plus sales tax) and can be reviewed at the Fort Vancouver Public Library.

35. There appear to be errors in the 1999-2000 TIP document provided at the meeting. Real property cost is listed at $629k, but common sense says that land acquisition will be a vastly higher number, especially if you will need to purchase and destroy new homes. Secondly, the Plan's photograph clearly shows a two-lane road, which is no more than 34 feet wide, while the proposed link is 80 feet wide. Were these clerical errors or an attempt to mislead?
The costs for right-of-way acquisition identified in the 1999-2004 TIP are based on estimates provided by the Clark County Real Property Services division. These estimates are based on the real market value of the property, the designated zoning and comprehensive plan for the area and the potential for partial sellback of the unused portions of acquired parcels. The photograph in the 1999-2004 TIP is intended to show the existing roadway conditions. The diagram directly below the photograph identifies the proposed roadway section showing two 11-foot travel lanes, a 12-foot center/left-turn/median, two 6-foot bike lanes and two 6-foot sidewalks all contained within an 80-foot right of way.

36. It is still unclear why this interconnect is required. Is there documentation, which led to the initiation of this project and is it available to the public?
The information on the initiation of this arterial link in the 1979 comprehensive plan is not readily available.

37. The "Six year plan" was mentioned several times during the meeting. If this is truly the case why were the residential developments on NE 117th Street and Bassel Road allowed to proceed?
The 6-year Transportation Improvement Plan identifies the County's proposed transportation improvements for the ensuing six years. Per state regulations, the TIP is updated every year. This project has been identified in at least the last two 6-year TIP documents and has been associated with the County's Comprehensive Plan since the early 1980's. Up until this time, there has never been an exact roadway alignment identified. The selection of a roadway alignment is generally a part of the pre-design process that is now being conducted. Since there was not a definitive alignment, the County was not able to deny property development rights to those who have established the residential developments along NE 117th Street and Bassel Road.

38. There are projects slated for 99th Street and 134th Street. Once these projects are completed will this new road be needed? What will the projected travel be after the other projects are done?
Traffic projections from the transportation model indicate the need for this facility even when all other planned road improvements are completed. The most recent analysis, which is being conducted for the update to the traffic impact fee program, indicates that NW 119th-NW 117th Street would carry between 470 present trips and 970 future trips in the p.m. peak hour, depending upon the treatment of connections with NW 7th Avenue and NW 114th Street.

39. Where is the county's research to justify additional east/west routes, why not north/south?
The County's capital facilities plan and Arterial Atlas (20-Yr Plan) are based on the transportation modeling conducted for the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan in 1994. That analysis indicated the need for both east-west and north-south roadways.

40. What research has been done to indicate where those cars from 119th are headed?
There has not been a specific origin-destination study performed for this design project. Such a survey is more appropriate when an arterial alternatives analysis is being performed. Clark County's current regional transportation model is calibrated to observed traffic counts for a known base year using information regarding transportation behavior obtained in a major survey conducted by METRO in 1994. The model is considered to reasonably capture the travel behavior of the community when traffic counts on key links can be matched within 10 percent.

41. I hope you do not just connect points on the map, as you said in the meeting. What kind of planning is that?
Where no engineered centerline exists, the alignments shown in the Arterial Atlas (20-Yr Plan) are generalized representations of possible locations of the proposed road. As generalized alignments, they are essentially lines that "just connect points on the map." Engineered alignments can vary significantly from the generalized alignments shown in the Arterial Atlas (20-Yr Plan). For a long range plan, the generalized alignment approach is the most appropriate technique given the uncertainty that exists towards the end of the 20-year planning horizon.

42. Staff indicated that future plans call for NW 117th being widened to get traffic to Highway 99….Why? Certainly no one believes that the incoming population buying $250,000 + new homes are working at the many fast food places or used car lots on Highway 99, but headed to jobs in Portland and Vancouver.
During the p.m. peak hour, travel occurs for a variety of trip purposes - work, shopping, social activities, and recreational activities. The travel model seeks to capture all of these purposes and predict the resulting pattern of traffic volumes. While the higher income residents may not be working at fast-food restaurants, they often eat there. The Highway 99 principal arterial also serves the WSU/Mount Vista area which is a designated urban center of the comprehensive plan. As indicated in the comprehensive plan and confirmed with the recent Salmon Creek/Fairgrounds Regional Road Plan, considerable employment growth is expected in that urban center which may be the source of many of the trips assigned to the proposed NW 119th - NE 117th minor arterial link.

43. What will be done to slow traffic on 119th when it is extended to Hazel Dell Avenue?
There are no plans for traffic calming on NW 119th Street. As a Minor Arterial it would not qualify for traffic calming devices. The road will be designed with a 40-MPH Design Speed, and posted speed limit will be similar to speeds presently posted on 119th west of NW 7Th Ave.

44. Does the county really expect that people living on or south of 119th will use the new extension if they are heading south on Hazel Dell Avenue, instead of using 7th and 114th?
By using the new alignment motorists will avoid the 90 degree turn onto NW 7th from NW 119th, a stop sign at NW 7th and NW 114th, and an unprotected left turn from Hazel Dell to 114th. The new alignment will provide an intersection with a traffic light, giving the northbound traffic a safe and easy left turn onto the new alignment.

45. How can you add much extra traffic without improving 119th Street and Hazel Dell Ave. before you put in this new alignment?
In the short term, no "extra" traffic will be added to NW 119th Street and Hazel Dell Ave. The traffic will be shifted from NW 7th Ave. and NW 114th Street to the new alignment. In the long-term, improvements to all County arterials are needed to keep pace with growth in traffic volumes.

46. What is the origin and magnitude of the anticipated traffic and what is the destination?
Between 470 present trips and 970 future trips in the p.m. peak are expected on this roadway at the planning horizon of the comprehensive plan. A link-specific origin and destination survey is not usually conducted because of the cost and time required.

47. What direction is the traffic going on Hazel Dell (after it leaves/before it enters - 114th) during the morning commute?
A link-specific origin and destination survey is not usually conducted because of the cost and time required. The p.m. peak hour travel provides the best data. During the 5-6 p.m. peak hour, travel occurs for a variety of trip purposes - work, shopping, social activities, and recreational activities. The travel model seeks to capture all of these purposes and predict the resulting pattern of traffic volumes. The a.m. peak hour does not give an accurate count on traffic because citizens that work in high traffic areas may leave for work anywhere from 5:00am to 9:00am to avoid the morning rush.

48. How are Hazel Dell and NE 117th going to handle the huge influx of traffic that will surely result from the proposed alignment?
No "extra" traffic will be added to either Hazel Dell or NE 117th Street. The traffic would be traveling on 114th to get to these streets if it was not using the new alignment. The design will include intersections for these facilities to accommodate the projected traffic volumes.

49. What is the current traffic count on 119th and 7th and are traffic counts on 114th more than road standards allow?
The traffic counts for NE 114Th have substantially exceeded the capacity allowed for that roadway. Current counts for p.m. peak hour are: NW 119th St - westbound 170 and eastbound 110, NW 7th Ave. - northbound 238 and southbound 143.

50. How many of these future cars will use 36th Ave. and 21st Ave. as preferred routes to the 99th Street interchange?
Not all of the vehicles assigned to NW 119th - NE 117th will prefer to use NW 36th Avenue or NW 21st Avenue as routes to NW 99th Street. The model assigns vehicles to routes based on the best possible route available considering travel time. The travel time for a given route is set by the capacity of the roadway, the length of the roadway and the competition from other vehicles seeking to use the same route. When this link is completed, it will serve as the primary route for between 470 present trips and 970 future trips in the p.m. peak.

51. What are the projected volumes for 99th St and Lakeshore Ave.?
Volumes projected for both NW 99th Street and NW Lakeshore Avenue vary depending on the location examined. For NW 99th Street, the projected daily volume immediately east of NW Lakeshore is 3,600 vehicles per day. This volume increases along NW 99th Street eastward to a volume 15,500 immediately west of Hazel Dell Avenue. For NW Lakeshore, the volume projected for immediately south of NW 119th Street is 6,700 daily trips. The volumes on NW Lakeshore increase southward with a high projected daily volume of 12,000 vehicles immediately north of NW 99th Street.

52. How much more traffic will take the path of least resistance, i.e. 99th once complete?
The traffic volume projections for all of the roadways in the transportation model assume that the planned improvements to arterials are completed. In the volume projections, NW 119th - NE 117th Street is competing with a fully-improved NW 99th Street. The model assigns traffic to roadways on the basis of the "path of least resistance" based on travel time. The 470 present trips and 970 future trips in the p.m. peak hour projected for NW 119th-NE 117th is already on their "path of least resistance."

53. How much traffic will take 99th once 21st Ave. is improved?
NW 21st Avenue, a collector, will carry a projected 1100 daily trips immediately north of NW 99th Street when fully improved. It is projected to carry more trips on the link immediately south of NW 119th Street (1800 daily trips) than on the link immediately north of NW 99th Street.

54. How is the county going to prevent the use of this proposed new arterial by large trucks, thus creating a safety hazard for school buses and damage to the pavement?
One of the primary purposes of arterial roadways is to provide a mechanism for commercial vehicular traffic as opposed to these vehicles being forced into the neighborhood collector system. The roadway geometrics and pavement thickness are designed to handle this type of traffic. However, given the proximity of this roadway corridor to the commercial centers, port districts and freeway interchanges, it is unlikely that there will be a large influx of commercial truck traffic other than those making local deliveries within this specific area.

55. Any of the proposals outlined in the red zone of the map would require Salmon Creek Landing residents turn left out of a steep cul-de-sac (2nd Ct) onto a busy road. Where is the "safety" in this?
With the more southerly route there appears to be room to "flatten" the approaching leg of the intersection so that you would not be entering the arterial from such a steep grade. The most northerly route would probably require the purchase of all of the homes in the cul-de-sac.

56. Have you considered the need for sidewalks?
The new alignment will include 6-foot sidewalks on both sides of the roadway.

57. Under any of the proposals it would be necessary to impose some steep inclines somewhere along the road (steep grade on 117th down to connection with Hazel Dell Avenue), even if it is on the side roads attempting to get onto the arterial. How would this improve safety?
The grades will be designed to meet the Clark County Road Standards and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) guidelines. However, grades are not the only things that affect safety. The intersection of NW 117th with Hazel Dell and Bassel Road will be on more of a tangent section as opposed to the current intersection which is located on a curve. This will improve the sight distance, which in turn improves safety.

58. What traffic controls are going to be in place to control speed? How are these compatible with minor arterial standards?
There are no plans for traffic calming on NW 119th Street. As a Minor Arterial it would not qualify for traffic calming devices. The road will be designed with a 40-MPH Design Speed, and posted speed limit will be similar to speeds presently posted on 119th west of NW 7Th Ave.

59. What is the proposed speed limit in the new corridor from 36th to Highway 99?
The Design Speed for a Minor Arterial is 40 MPH, and posted speed limit will be similar to speeds presently posted on 119th west of NW 7Th Ave.

60. This area already has problems when there is heavy rain, snow or ice and is subject to heavy fog. Trying to stop vehicles on this hill and deal with the intersections at Bassel and 114th will be very hazardous. How will you connect the new alignment to Hazel Dell Avenue in an area that already has a dangerous downhill corner?
The intersection will most likely be realigned to provide a through east-west movement along 119th/117th, with Bassel and Hazel Dell Avenue intersecting the new route at right angles. The intersection will be on more of a tangent (straight) section than the current intersection that is on a curve (Bassel Road/Hazel Dell Avenue). This will increase the sight distance, which will improve safety. The alignments will be designed to meet the Clark County Road Standards and AASHTO guidelines.

61. Are there any plans to make 114th a safer street for vehicles and pedestrians?
The proposal to construct NW 119th Street is intended to direct arterial traffic away from NW 114th Street and in turn make it safer for local traffic and pedestrian usage. There are no current plans for work on NW 114th Street itself. If residents along this roadway are interested in discussing potential improvements, they should contact the Clark County Public Works Customer Service Representative at 397-6118 Extension 4444.

62. Why is the improvement of 114th Street and 7th Avenue not an option?
The Clark County Comprehensive Plan, Arterial Atlas (20-Yr Plan) and 6-year Transportation Improvement Program have all identified the connection of NW 119th Street to Hazel Dell Avenue as the preferred option for completing the NW 119th/117th Street Arterial. The Board of County Commissioners has adopted each of these through extensive public involvement processes.
The improvement of NW 7th Avenue and NW 114th Street is not an option due to the limitations of the existing roadway and the associated need for extensive right-of-way acquisition.

63. It is curious that Bassel Road and due east connections of 119th Street are not even options. Why is buying up a 6,000 square foot home with lots of acreage not an option?
Bassel Road was rejected as a route for the following reasons:
Bassel Road has many more existing homes with driveways accessing the road (creating more conflicts) than any other route.
Bassel Road is currently 34-feet wide curb to curb. The standards for an Urban Minor Arterial require a 46-foot curb to curb width. The resulting widening of Bassel Road would require the purchase of all of the homes on one side or the other.
Due to the minimum radii required for Minor Arterials, tying a Bassel Road alignment back into NW 117th Street would create additional impacts to homes and a mobile home park adjacent to Suds Creek.
Routing the alignment due east from NW 119th Street through the existing large home does not provide any benefits. Since Bassel Road is not an option, there is no need for the alignment to be shifted northward to connect to it. Once past the large home, there is plenty of room to shift the alignment north or south as required by the alignment chosen.

64. Why is it necessary to have another major arterial east-west connection in this part of the county? Would it not make more sense to have an arterial that connects to either I-5 or I-205 instead of Hazel Dell Avenue?
In order to accommodate the traffic generated by the present and future population demands, arterial roadways both in the north-south and east-west configuration are located within approximately 1-mile intervals. Some of these arterial roadways are designated as "minor arterials," designed to convey traffic to and from residential and small-scale commercial centers, while others and classified as "principal arterials," and are designed to carry large traffic generations between large-scale commercial and industrial areas and the interstate freeway system. NW 119th/117th Street is classified as a minor arterial and is designed to facilitate transportation movements between residential neighborhoods in Felida and north and south of NW 119th Street and the commercial resource centers along Hazel Dell Avenue and Highway 99 as well as access to Interstate 5 at either NE 99th Street or NE 134th Street.

65. Is our little subdivision (East End of 117th /2nd Ct) just being "out-monied" by developers who want this road for more new homes?
This road is needed, foremost, to address the inappropriate use of NW 114th Street and NW 7th Avenue both local streets by arterial traffic. The new alignment will remove the arterial traffic from those local streets and provide additional capacity to accommodate the planned growth in population and employment.

66. Has a north/south alternative been studied?
No specific alternative study has been conducted except in the context of arterial planning for the comprehensive plan. An alternative study that would examine deleting the NW 199th -NE 117th St link from the Arterial Atlas (20-Yr Plan) would involve a comprehensive plan amendment. To request such an amendment, an application consistent with the County's procedural code (CCC 18.600) needs to be filed with appropriate fees. For more information, contact Evan Dust, Senior Planner, Long Range Planning, 397-2375 extension 4913.

67. Have you considered a tunnel?
A tunnel is not considered an economically feasible option.

68. Why can't traffic be directed up Lakeshore to Bliss and 134th Street or south on Lakeshore to 99th Street, both giving easy accesses to Interstate 5?
Both 139th/134th Street and 99th Street are classified as arterial roadways and are slated for full-build improvements within the County's 20-year Comprehensive Plan and 6-yr Transportation Improvement Program. However, these roadways are already designed to handle traffic generated from their respective contributing areas both in the present and future case scenarios. Traffic analysis has shown in almost every instance that drivers tend to take the shortest and most direct route to their destination. Simply "directing traffic" to routes that are considered "out of the way" is not an option. This results in "cut-through" traffic going through neighborhood collector routes that are not designed for large volumes or traffic such as the present condition on NW 114th Street.

69. On the yellow sheet distributed at the meeting, county representatives indicated that the NW 7th Avenue to NW Hazel Dell Avenue project was rated number 28 out of 63 projects listed in the 1999-2004 TIP. If that is the case, why are you even talking about NE 117th? You are already moving houses on 7th street.
This project has been ranked #28 out of 63 projects considered in the 1999-2004 TIP and has been scheduled for design in 1999, right-of-way acquisition in 2000-01 and construction in 2002-03. Pre-design efforts were scheduled under the 1998-2003 TIP to occur in 1998. This project is following the schedule outlined in the county's Transportation Improvement Program. Most of the projects that are higher up in the ranking order are either currently underway or are scheduled to start the process in 1999.

70. What are the criteria to be used to make the final route selection?
The selection of the final alignment alternative will be based on engineering analysis, impacts to adjoining properties, public input, environmental considerations and a cost/benefit analysis.

71. Will speed bumps or more lights be installed to slow down anticipated speeders on new roadway?
Clark County Road Standards do not permit the use of traffic calming devices (i.e. speed bumps) on designated arterial roadways. The road will be designed with a 40-MPH Design Speed, and posted speed limit will be similar to speeds presently posted on 119th west of NW 7Th Ave.

72. When will the work to improve 119th on Cougar Creek Hill be done?
The County Arterial Atlas (20-yr Plan) calls for the same designated arterial west of NW 7th Avenue as what is being proposed with this project. Such a project has not been identified in the County's 6-yr Transportation Improvement Program. However, as this project moves forward, it is likely that such a project will be identified as a means for completing the arterial system through this corridor.

73. When will the improvements to bring 119th up to minor arterial standards begin?
The project to improve NW 119th Street between NW 7th Avenue and Hazel Dell Avenue is scheduled to be constructed in 2002-03. A project to bring NW 119th Street west of NW 7th Avenue has not been identified in the County's 6-year Transportation Improvement Program. Once the link between NW 7th Avenue and Hazel Dell Avenue has been completed, it is likely that a project to complete the arterial corridor to Lakeshore Drive will be incorporated into the County's transportation improvement program.

74. When will the light at Hazel Dell and 114th be put in? Is there enough traffic to meet the criteria for a signal warrant? What is the projected date for one based on traffic flows?
A traffic signal at Hazel Dell and NE 114th Street would be inconsistent with the Arterial Atlas (20-Yr Plan) and would likely not be warranted once NW 119th - NE 117th Street in completed.

75. How are residents supposed to back out of their driveways on this new roadway?
No driveways will be permitted to access onto arterials unless no other access to the site exists or can be provided (Road Standards CCPW, Section 12.05.385). When driveways on arterials are required they shall be spaced a minimum of 185 feet from each other, for the design speed of 40 mph. One possible way to not have driveways accessing an arterial is to buy out one side of the street or the other, shift the arterial alignment, and then build a frontage road for the homes that would then access the arterial at a single point. Depending on the location of the alignment, this may or may not be feasible.

76. Where will visitors park?
There will be no parking on the arterial. Visitors would park in the driveway of the resident they are visiting.