TSP Draft - Part 1

TSP Draft - find the draft document HERE and download.  There are 2 main PDF files:  The Body of the Plan, and Technical Reports and Data from consultants.  There is another component of the zipped folder and that is the audio files from the TSPAC meetings.  These are easy to find on the TAB Agenda page of the city website under Boards and Commissions.  I recommend listening to the one from December 11, 2013 if you have the time.

If you have any difficulty downloading and unzipping the TSP documents so that they are readable, contact the city for assistance.  I was directed to the library for downloading and copying files, but the librarians I spoke to did not know how that worked.  The city should be responsible to make public documents available in a way that is useful to the average citizen.  And you should not have to pay a lot of money to get them either!  The city produced stacks and stacks of Comp Plan drafts that were handed out free, so to change practices now seems either ridiculous or calculated make things difficult.  Let the city council know if you have problems accessing public documents now, or at any time, for any reason.

This is your city after all.  

Staff Report to the Planning Commission, January 27, 2014

Transportation System Plan (TSP) – PP 10‐0007

Background
The City began the process of updating the TSP in January 2012, when Council approved a contract with Kittelson and Associates, Inc. to assist with the development of the update to the TSP. The Transportation System Plan Advisory Committee (TSPAC) was formed shortly afterwards, and consisted of the existing Transportation Advisory Board, and other agency representatives from Clackamas County, ODOT, Metro, and TriMet. Their charge was to provide technical and advisory feedback on the proposed TSP updates during the review and analysis efforts.

 As the project nears completion, the final outcome will be a document that is intended to guide Public Works staff in future development and operation of the City’s transportation system. The major components of the document will include:

•  Goals and Policies that are coordinated with the Comprehensive Plan
• Existing Conditions Analysis – crashes, traffic volumes, facilities
• Street Classifications – proposed modifications 
• Typical Cross‐Sections for various roadway classifications
•  Project Identification
• Funding needs and strategies 

0. The State Transportation Planning Rule (Oregon Administrative Rule 660, Division 12) requires transportation and land use planning to be coordinated. The requirements of Statewide Planning Goal 12, which is concerned with Transportation, are provided for in the Goals and Policies found in the Connected Community Chapter of the updated Comprehensive Plan. The TSP is being updated in coordination with the Comprehensive Plan update and will become part of the Plan.
   
   
   New regional planning requirements are in effect since the City adopted its first TSP in 1997. These requirements are found in Metro’s Functional Plan which directs local jurisdictions to implement the Regional 2040 Growth Concept, a long‐range plan intended to guide growth and development of the region over 50 years. The 2035 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), adopted by Metro in June 2010, identifies the transportation policies, projects, and strategies needed to implement the 2040 Growth Concept. The RTP also contains criteria for monitoring transportation system performance for all modes of travel.
   
   
   Although State and Metro planning rules require the City to periodically update its Plan, the City chooses how to create a well‐functioning, integrated transportation system that responds to local needs. The transportation plan must address increasing automobile traffic and alternative modes of travel, while maintaining neighborhood livability. 
   
   
   Existing Conditions Analysis

   This section of the TSP focused on reviewing the physical aspects of the transportation system and how it operates. Staff analyzed crash histories throughout the city, identifying locations that need further review. The effort also included looking at existing pedestrian and bicycle facilities to better identify “gaps” in the system. Lastly, staff reviewed the Metro 2035 traffic volume model to identify where automobile congestion can be expected in the future, given the land use designations in the Comprehensive Plan, and the existing development pattern.
   

   Functional Classifications and Typical Sections

   The TSP categorizes streets by their classification and the role they play in the movement of people, goods, and services. The proposed update to the TSP maintains the same classification and functionality categories. However, based on observation of current operations and system needs, staff is proposing to change the classification of a few street segments. The changes will be shown at the Open House and Work Session along with a short discussion of the impacts of classification changes.
   

   Proposed Projects and Improvements

   All TSPs identify the capital projects that are needed to meet a jurisdiction’s goals and policies as identified and to mitigate for impacts from development and growth. Given the built‐out nature of the Lake Oswego area, new streets and major intersection projects are not likely to be constructed. Existing intersections do need minor operational improvements to the signals, and some will need improvements to address safety issues. Adding vehicular travel lanes for improved capacity are neither desired nor identified as necessary. However, the majority of transportation deficiencies are in the pedestrian and bicycle network. A large list of projects have been identified and prioritized. The map of projects that will be shown at the work session will clearly display where projects are identified; there is a direct connection between those projects and the existing conditions maps that show gaps in the system. 
   Funding Outlook
   

   An extensive analysis of the city’s transportation funding was a component of this update. Similar to all other cities and counties, there are not sufficient funds to both maintain the existing infrastructure and to expand it with new projects. Information will be provided that shows what type and how much funding the City receives in the Street Fund, and where those funds currently are expended. The TSP identifies a number of funding scenarios that could be considered to raise sufficient funds to realistically implement the proposed system projects over the next 25 years. This information will likely be used as a catalyst for conversation about future funding and budgeting with the City Council.