Drafter
Clerk 04/20/2006
title
A MOTION expressing the council's commitment to the completion of the Novelty Hill Road capital improvement project.
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WHEREAS, The Novelty Hill Road Improvement project addresses roadway improvements within an area bounded by Avondale Road NE in the city of Redmond, State Route 520, and 243rd Avenue NE, and
WHEREAS, the need to improve the existing roadway network within the NE Novelty Hill Road area stems from the insufficient network capacity, traffic safety concerns, lack of system linkage and inadequate modal relationships, and
WHEREAS, mitigation of traffic congestion and safety impacts associated with the previously county-approved Trilogy and Redmond Ridge Urban Planned Developments and the proposed Redmond Ridge East Urban Planned Development in the NE Novelty Hill Road area is the responsibility of the county and the developer, and the adverse consequences experienced in the Novelty Hill Road area and in the city of Redmond must be alleviated, and
WHEREAS, adequate improvements to the Novelty Hill Road corridor were assumed as part of the county's approval of the Trilogy and Redmond Ridge Urban Planned Developments in 1995 and 1996, and
WHEREAS, relief from traffic congestion and an opportunity to address safety concerns along NE Novelty Hill Road are among the most important roadway issues in King County, and
WHEREAS, the proposed ultimate project would address current traffic demand and future growth to 2030, based on the land use from King County's travel forecasting model derived from Growth Management Planning Council growth targets to 2022 and projected to 2030 consistent with Puget Sound Regional Council population forecasts as of 2003 and would connect areas of planned urban density to employment and service centers in the cities of Seattle, Redmond, and other cities on the eastside, and
WHEREAS, past local, county and regional transportation studies and adopted plans have identified improvements within the NE Novelty Hill corridor area as the best way to meet future transportation needs, mitigate impacts from county-approved development and the adverse consequences experienced in the Novelty Hill Road area and the city of Redmond, and protect the rural environmental conditions in eastern King County, and
WHEREAS, NE Novelty Hill Road and the adjacent roadway network require improvements to provide better traffic flow and shorter commute times between eastern King County and southern Snohomish county and between Seattle, Redmond and other eastside cities, and
WHEREAS, because of the size and scope of the ultimate project it will likely be necessary to design and construct the improvements in multiple phases, and
WHEREAS, the first phase of improvements to the Novelty Hill Road corridor must be adequate to serve and mitigate the traffic impacts of county-approved development and projected background traffic for an eight-to-ten-year horizon, which will necessarily include all of the Trilogy, Redmond Ridge and Redmond Ridge East traffic impacts, and
WHEREAS, in 2004, the council adopted an amended Road Capital Improvement Program ("CIP") budget for the Novelty Hill Road Improvement Project of $34,004,000, for completion of the environmental impact statement, design, right-of-way acquisition and construction of phase one improvements, and
WHEREAS, in 2005 the council adopted a Road CIP budget for the Novelty Hill Road Improvement Project of $33,280,000, for preparation of the environmental impact statement, design, right-of-way acquisition and construction of phase one improvements, and
WHEREAS, the adopted Roads 2006-2011 CIP includes two projects on the Novelty Hill Road corridor. Project No. 100901 is Novelty Hill Road-Redmond between Avondale Road and the Redmond city limits. Project No. 100992 is Novelty Hill Road between the Redmnd city limits and 244th Avenue NE, and
WHEREAS, Project No. 100901 has $1,000,000 programmed in 2009, and
WHEREAS, Project No. 100992 has a total of $32,530,000 programmed in the 2006-2011 six-year CIP, and
WHEREAS, in addition to the funding programmed in the 2006-2011 CIP, the county has already spent or appropriated in prior years a total of $8,795,574 to complete the EIS for the ultimate project and acquire right of way in the vicinity of 208th Avenue NE, and
WHEREAS, the King County roads services division is in the process of preparing a National Environmental Policy Act Environmental Impact Statement for the Novelty Hill Road Project CIP Nos. 100992 and 100901, and
WHEREAS, under the current schedule for the project, the draft environmental impact statement will be issued in March 2007, and
WHEREAS, under the current schedule for the project, the preferred alternative will be selected in June 2007, and
WHEREAS, under the current schedule for the project, the final environmental impact statement will be issued in June 2008, and
WHEREAS, under the current schedule for the project, the record of decision will be issued in December 2008, and
WHEREAS, under the current schedule for the project, phase one design, permitting and right-of-way acquisition will be competed in June 2009, and
WHEREAS, under the current schedule for the project, the contract for phase one construction will be awarded and construction anticipated to start by the end of 2009, and
WHEREAS, the council recognizes the critical importance of completing the Novelty Hill Road Improvement Project within the time frames described previously in this motion, and
WHEREAS, the council wishes to express its continued commitment to the completion of the Novelty Hill Road Improvement Project;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
The council supports and is committed to the completion of Phase 1 of the Novelty Hill Road Improvement Project according to the schedule attached to this Motion as Attachment A and incorporated in this motion by this reference as if fully set forth. The council remains committed to the construction of the long-term Novelty Hill Road Project and to the construction of a Phase 1 improvement that is adequate to serve and to mitigate the traffic impacts of county-approved development and background traffic for eight to ten years after completion of construction, which will necessarily include all of the Trilogy, Northridge and Redmond Ridge East traffic impacts. The council also remains committed to funding of the Phase 1 Project at least at the level of funding contained in the current CIP, less any funds expended by the county in
accordance with the CIP, through the year that construction of the first phase of CIP Project No. 100992 begins.