TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PLAN AMENDMENT (File No. 2020-25)

Amendments to the City’s Transportation System Plan (TSP) have been adopted through Ordinance No. 2062. Amendments include:

Revisions and new designs for street classifications including Minor Arterial and Neighborhood Connector streets
Amendments to maps in the TSP for the motor vehicle system including functional classifications and connectivity, as well as maps for pedestrian and bicycle systems
Additions and revisions to projects lists for roads and intersections, off-street trails/paths, and other pedestrian and bicycle improvements

MEETINGS

No additional meetings or hearings are scheduled for the TSP amendments that were reviewed through File No. 2020-25.

Public hearings were held by the Planning Commission and City Council prior to adoption of TSP amendments (Planning Dept. File No. 2020-25). The City Council read Ordinance No. 2062, approving the amendments, for the second time on May 10, 2021.

The City Council held a hearing on April 12, 2021 to review recommendations from staff and the planning commission. Meeting materials included a cover sheet with recommendations for project funding, a memo explaining the Planning Commission’s recommendations, a staff report and supporting materials including draft TSP amendments, written testimony received, as well as a summary of comments from the “virtual open house.”

The Planning Commission held hearings on March 1 and March 15, 2021, and their recommendations were forwarded to the City Council in a memo dated March 15, 2021.

The City’s meeting calendar provides information about upcoming public meetings including those held by the Planning Commission and City Council.

BACKGROUND

The TSP amendments reviewed originated from the Westside Area Concept Plan Report. However, after review by the public and planning commission, changes to street cross sections were proposed for use beyond the west side study area. And, updates to project costs for motor vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle improvements are expected to improve the City’s overall transportation system. Read more about the Concept Plan, Frameworks and recommendations from the Planning Commission:

Westside Area Concept Plan:

In 2015, when the City’s Buildable Lands Inventory and Housing Needs Analysis was being completed, the City applied for a grant to prepare a land use and transportation plan that became known as the Westside Area Concept Plan. The study area focused on the west side where most of Hood River’s the buildable land is located. The Concept Plan was developed over a period of about 18 months to address housing needs, future neighborhoods and commercial districts, streets, bike ways, pedestrian paths, parks, transit, utilities and infrastructure funding. The Concept Plan Report was published on December 29, 2017.

Concept Plan Report Frameworks:

The Concept Plan Report recommends four key physical frameworks for the Westside Area: Neighborhoods & Districts; Streets & Transit; Bicycle & Pedestrian; and Parks & Open Space. These high-level physical layers are intended to address livability as development occurs. Options for a fifth framework plan addressing land use and zoning were drafted but have not been completed.

The City Council chose to first implement the Streets & Transit and Bicycle & Pedestrian Frameworks, as well as to explore housing code improvements citywide. The City also collaborated with the Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District on updates to the District’s Parks Master Plan.

The Streets & Transit Framework includes recommendations for updates to street classifications, alignments and cross sections, as well as project funding. The Bicycle & Pedestrian Framework proposes additional trails and multi-use paths to compliment on-street bike ways and sidewalks, and to link neighborhoods and commercial districts with parks and open spaces.

Planning Commission Recommendations (August, 2019):

Between March 19, 2018 and November 4, 2019, the Planning Commission held public hearings to review and refine recommendations from the Westside Area Concept Plan Report (File No. 2018-07). During public hearings on April 15, May 20, June 3, June 17, July 1, and July 29, 2019, the Planning Commission sought feedback from the public regarding the Westside Area Concept Plan Report’s Streets & Transit Framework, Pedestrian & Bicycle Framework and Park & Open Space Framework prior to deliberation. Review the Commission’s recommendations that were presented to the City Council in 2019, prior to initiation of the current TSP amendment process (File No. 2020-25).

WHAT IS THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PLAN?

A Transportation System Plan (TSP) is a long-range document that cities and counties use to plan for future transportation investments.

Hood River’s TSP was last updated in 2011 (see links below for the TSP, appendices and I-84 Interchange Area Management Plan documents). The TSP is part of the City’s Comprehensive Plan.

WHAT DOES THE TSP DO?

The TSP:

Outlines policies and projects that protect and enhance Hood River’s quality of life
Analyzes current and projected transportation conditions
Creates a plan for what the transportation system might look like in the future
Reflects community values and protects what makes Hood River a good place to live
Supports our existing and future land uses including residential and commercial development
Addresses the needs of drivers, transit users, and people who walk and bicycle
Describes a feasible financial plan
Guides our City’s transportation investments for the next 20 years, and
Is implemented by the City through a list of prioritized projects and a financial plan. The construction of the projects may be completed by the City, private developers, and regional, state, or federal agencies, depending on the project.

TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PLAN LINKS:

Hood River Transportation System Plan, amended 2021
Hood River Transportation System Plan Appendix, amended 2021
Interchange Area Management Plan, I-84 Exit 62
Interchange Area Management Plan, I-84 Exits 63/64