The Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) for Clark County is the region's principal transportation planning document. It represents a regional transportation plan for the metropolitan area of Clark County. The MTP is developed through a coordinated process between local jurisdictions, agencies, and the public, in order to develop regional solutions to transportation needs.
The first Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) for Clark County was adopted in December 1982. An Interim Regional Transportation Plan, which acted as a framework for development of the transportation elements of local Comprehensive Growth Management Plans’ required by the Growth Management Act (GMA), was adopted in September 1993. The MTP for Clark County was adopted in December 1994, and subsequent updates adopted in 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005, and 2007. Minor amendments to the MTP were adopted in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2008.
The 2007 update has a horizon year of 2030. The update focuses on review of the MTP to make it consistent with recently updated state and local plans and compliant with the current Federal Transportation Act (SAFETEA-LU). The update also includes a comprehensive update to the list of transportation projects needed in our region.
Following a year-long MTP update process, the Regional Transportation Council Board of Directors adopted the 2007 update to the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) for Clark County at the Board's December 4, 2007 meeting. In July 2008, the RTC Board took action to amend the MTP to include the Columbia River Crossing project's Locally Preferred Alternative.
The Entire Report (238 pages, 3.53Mb PDF) is now posted here online. The chapter outline below also offers you a choice of downloading individual MTP chapters. A 2-page overview of the MTP is also available.
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Introduction and Table of Contents
20 pages, 649Kb.
Chapter 1: Introduction; MTP Vision, Purpose and Goals
The MTP is introduced and its general goals, policies, statutory authority and purpose are described. The MTP process is outlined as well as regional transportation committee structure and intergovernmental cooperation and coordination in MTP development. The concept of level of service standards is introduced.
19 pages, 692Kb.
Chapter 2: Regional Land Use and Growth
Clark County’s demographic data, development trends and regional development strategy are discussed. Existing and future land uses and development patterns are identified.
15 pages, 263Kb.
Chapter 3: Identification of Regional Transportation Needs
The regional transportation system is designated and defined. The characteristics and patterns of today’s and future regional travel demand, today’s transportation problem locations and future regional needs are described. Needs criteria such as acceptable levels of service, safety and accessibility are outlined. Transportation system alternatives are described and evaluated.
38 pages, 973Kb.
Chapter 4: Financial Plan
Revenue sources are identified and described and a plan for financing transportation system improvements is presented.
35 pages, 227Kb.
Chapter 5: System Improvement and Strategy Plan
Recommendations for development of the regional transportation system are made. Highways, transit systems and demand management alternatives are considered.
22 pages, 482Kb.
Chapter 6: Performance Monitoring
Performance monitoring measures are described. Procedures to maintain the MTP’s consistency with the state transportation plan, local transportation plans, major land use decisions and regional demographic projections are outlined.
4 pages, 71Kb.
Chapter 7: Plan Development and Implementation
Provisions for involvement of the public in development of the MTP are described. Provisions for implementation of regional transportation goals, policies and actions established by the MTP are described. The MTP review and amendment process is outlined, should changing policies, financial conditions or growth patterns warrant amendment of the Plan. The GMA-required biennial review process and need for triennial update to satisfy federal requirements is described.
12 pages, 120Kb.
Appendices
Appendix A to the MTP contains a list of the major transportation improvements which have been incorporated into the MTP transportation network for Clark County. These listed projects were identified in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan needs analysis and included in the air quality conformity analysis as required by the federal Clean Air Act Amendments and Washington Clean Air Act.
All regionally significant transportation improvement projects are included in the regional travel forecasting model for purposes of air quality conformity analysis. Appendix A also includes results of the air quality conformity analysis.
Appendix B includes the MTP Strategic Plan that outlines MTP projects and/or planning concepts that currently cannot be brought into the "fiscally-constrained" MTP but have been considered and/or recommended in regional transportation studies and should be brought to the attention of the community for possible future inclusion in the Plan.
Appendix C includes the County-wide Planning Policies relating to transportation from the adopted Community Framework Plan and transportation element of the Comprehensive Growth Management Plan for Clark County (adopted 1994, updated September 2007).
Appendices D and E include technical papers that support the MTP's development. In this 2007 update to the MTP the technical papers are:
- Transportation Security in the Vancouver/Clark County Region - This technical paper addresses the new security planning factor required by the current federal transportation Act, SAFETEA-LU. The paper is structured to outline security activities for the region's transportation and document the collaboration that currently occurs between emergency management providers and transportation agencies.
- Consideration of the Environment and Environmental Mitigation in the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Process - SAFETEA-LU requires RTC to address environmental mitigation in the metropolitan transportation planning process and as part of the Metropolitan Transportation Plan. The paper includes a description of the law's requirements relating to environmental mitigation. Per SAFETEA-LU guidance the discussion on environmental mitigation focuses on policies, programs, or strategies rather than at the project level. The paper highlights environmental mitigation efforts and resources at the federal, state, and local levels that can be relied upon in addressing environmental mitigation in the metropolitan transportation planning process - programs such as conservation areas, wetland protection, Endangered Species Act, and others. The technical paper also lists agencies for RTC to consult with in the process.
66 pages, 369Kb.
Glossary
6 pages, 61Kb.
       
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