City of Des Moines
Comprehensive Transportation Plan

The update of the City’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) was adopted by the City Council on June 11, 2009.  The CTP is the City’s long range transportation planning document, which is required of Washington’s Growth Management Act (GMA).  The CTP is referenced in the Transportation Element of the Des Moines’ Comprehensive Plan.

The Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) is a 20-year blueprint for the City of Des Moines, which sets the goals, policies and strategies that will help guide decisions regarding the existing and envisioned transportation system, including the approval of development proposals, and investments in the transportation network for all modes of travel - walking, biking, driving, and transit.  The CTP has been developed to meet the transportation demand associated with the planned and expected growth in population and jobs through year 2030 (Figure 4-8 and Figure 4-9).  Forecasts predict that the region and the City of Des Moines will continue to grow over the next 20 years, adding more people and jobs.  By 2030, the City employment is expected to double in size and households will increase nearly 60%.  The goals and policies established in the CTP form the foundation for the Transportation Element of the City’s Comprehensive Plan.

The maps illustrating the planned street network, priority pedestrian network, planned bicycle facilities, and preferred transit system in Des Moines make up the vision of the transportation network needed to meet the anticipated travel demand in all modes over the coming 20 years.

The CTP establishes the future network for vehicles by designating a street network and identifying the capacity improvement projects needed to support the planned growth (Figure 4-18 and Figure 4-19).  The CTP identifies a priority pedestrian network (Figure 5-2) where sidewalks are envisioned to provide access to schools, parks, public facilities, commercial centers, and transit.  The CTP also identifies a bicycle system (Figure 5-6) where bike lanes and bike routes help guide cyclists through and about Des Moines with connections to the Des Moines Creek Trail and the planned Barnes Creek Trail, leading to destinations beyond Des Moines boundaries. 

A vision for future transit in Des Moines (Figure 6-4) shows both the planned regional transit improvements with Bus Rapid Transit or "Rapid Ride" on Pacific Highway South and Link Light Rail stations in Midway near Highline Community College and near South 272nd Street.  The transit vision for Des Moines also clarifies the need for high frequency, day-long service to get riders around town, to regional centers, and to deliver them to three important transit hubs/activity centers within Des Moines - Downtown, the Midway/College neighborhood, and the Gateway at South 216th Street and Pacific Highway South.

To deliver the envisioned transportation network, the City developed a list of recommended projects as the Transportation Facility Plan (TFP) for the 20 year horizon.  Each year, the City will examine priorities and opportunities to translate the TFP into a 6-year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP), and a reasonable and fundable Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).

In addition to the 20-year TFP, the CTP includes recommendations for collaboration with neighboring cities and other agencies for projects of common interest (such as the SR 509 Extension Project and Envision Midway), strategies for parking management in the downtown and near Highline Community college, plus recommendations for expanded transit service and participation in the demonstration project for passenger-only ferry service between Des Moines and Seattle.

Overall, the 2009 CTP defines a manageable network of arterials, a priority pedestrian network, a bicycle system plan and transit service priorities to support the City.  As Des Moines continues to grow, the CTP will provide guidance to meet the City’s transportation goals for mobility while maintaining the high livability in Des Moines.

Several items that support the implementation of the CTP are scheduled to be completed during the next 6 months:

• The City will update the existing Transportation Impact Fees.  Fees which are assessed on new development to pay its proportional of the cost of improvements needed to support the new growth.
  • July - Council Briefing
  • September 3rd - Open House
  • September/October:  Public Hearing - 1st reading
  • October/November:  Public Hearing - 2nd reading
• Update the Municipal Code for Level of Service Standards
• Update the Municipal Code for the Concurrency Standards
• Update the Municipal Code for Street Classifications
• Update the Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan

For more information about the City’s CTP, please contact the Transportation Services Division at (206) 870-6581, or by e-mail at dbrewer@desmoineswa.gov.