This circulation and access management plan is focused on the Northeast 179th Street corridor segment from Northwest 11th Avenue to Northeast 50th Avenue. The 179th Street corridor is planned to be improved to provide two travel lanes in each direction, a center turn lane or raised median, bicycle lanes, and sidewalks within a 100-foot right-of-way (72-feet curb-to-curb) of the roadway.

Where roundabouts are being added along 179th Street, the roads intersecting the roundabouts will be widened. You can see a map of proposed roundabouts at https://arcg.is/0C8fvu.

New roads will be constructed by developers (not Public Works) to connect developments to existing road networks. The construction of the roads is a condition of development. The 179th Street Circulation and Access Management Plan helps guide the connection of local roads in new developments to the rest of the road network.

Click on the link below for more information on existing and planned conditions for the 179th Street Circulation and Access Management Plan.

https://clark.wa.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/2022-01/179th%20St%20Circulation%20and%20Access%20-%20Existing%20and%20Planned%20Conditions%20Memo%209-15-21%20with%20Appendix%20V.2.pdf

If a public project, like widening a road, requires the county to acquire small parts of properties adjacent to the roadway, the county works to inform property owners about their rights and offer fair market value for any property that needs to be acquired. Often only a small portion of a private parcel is needed for a public project. When this happens, the county must also pay for any loss in market value to the remaining property. In cases where the size or shape of the remaining property has little or no value or use, the county will offer to purchase the entire property. For more information, go to https://clark.wa.gov/public-works/property-acquisition.

Private property owners decide whether to sell to developers. Developers who build on a property must also build roads in the development (the roads are not built by the county). The 179th Street Access Management and Circulation Plan addresses how the county will adapt to accommodate development in the area and connect roads built by developers to the existing road system. The plan does not call for property acquisition by the county. However, as existing roadways are widened to accommodate increased traffic, small portions of private property may need to be acquired for these projects. Any property acquisitions would be included in each road project’s proposal.

The maps showing changes proposed in the plan can be found here: 179th St Access Management and Circulation Plan | Clark County (wa.gov)

Below is a map of the approved roads. See map link above for additional details.
 

Local roads added in the area, including near Northwest11th or Northeast 184th Street, will be built by developers as land is developed. Since Public Works is not building these additional roads, they are not included in the plan. The plan guides development to help build an efficient, connected road system as subdivisions are developed, so there are no specific dates for construction at this time.

The realignment of Delfel Road will occur with the I-5/179th Street Interchange reconstruction project, which is a Washington State Department of Transportation project (not a Clark County Public Works project and not detailed in this plan).

For more information, go to https://wsdot.wa.gov/construction-planning/search-projects/i-5-179th-st-interchange-interchange-improvements

Contact Information:
WSDOT Clark County Engineering Office
(360) 905-1500
SWECCEO@wsdot.wa.gov  

Northwest 179th Street, from Delfel Road to Northwest 11th Avenue is in the 20-year capital facilities plan but does not yet have designated funding. This project may be included with WSDOT’s interchange reconstruction project, depending on the final design of the interchange. The 20-year capital project proposes realigning Delfel Road to the south with the existing road/intersection. No specific month or year for its construction is available. Neighbors are notified about public projects planned for their area throughout all steps of the project, from design to construction. When Public Works projects in the area begin design, neighbors will be notified and included in the process.

Public Works is not involved in urban holding decisions. This plan was created to address the need for public infrastructure to accommodate the level of development forecasted for the area, to ensure that our road system remains safe and efficient. The development of the 179th Street Access Management and Circulation plan met requirements of the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). Any permitted private development in the area, and the construction of local roads by developers, will be required to mitigate or avoid impacts to critical areas and will require SEPA evaluation.

The State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) checklist and determination for this planning effort is available on the project webpage.  179th St Access Management and Circulation Plan | Clark County (wa.gov)

Since the 179th Street Access Management and Circulation Plan is a planning effort, it is considered a non-project action under SEPA. Non-project actions include comprehensive plans and the179th Street Access Management and Circulation Plan is a component of the Clark County Comprehensive Growth Management Plan.

Learn about SEPA requirements for non-project activities at https://ecology.wa.gov/Regulations-Permits/SEPA/Environmental-review/SEPA-guidance/Guide-for-lead-agencies/Non-project-proposals.

Questions in the environmental checklist answered with “does not apply” are not applicable to the 179th Street Access Management and Circulation plan because it is a non-project, planning effort. Those questions are applicable only to construction projects or activities that physically alter the environment (not non-project planning efforts).

Mitigation of impacts to area wetlands must be addressed as each project in the area applies for construction permits. The construction of new roads may require mitigation of impacts to affected environmentally critical areas. Depending on the type of critical area designation, the private developer may be required to mitigate impacts to or avoid disturbance of critical areas, including wetlands.

The entire area in the proposed 179th Street Access Management and Circulation Plan is within the Vancouver Urban Growth Area, where land is designated for urban development.

The purpose of the 179th Street Access Management and Circulation plan is to accommodate increased traffic in the area in the safest, most efficient way possible. To that end, the proposed roundabouts and improvements to Northwest 179th Street will be designed to accommodate increased traffic from events at the event center/fairgrounds and amphitheater, in addition to local traffic. The plan is intended to provide a connected, efficient transportation system that will provide residents with multiple travel routes, rather than relying solely on 179th Street.

During roundabout construction or associated Public Works Road projects, detours will be made available and residents will receive information by mail in advance of any closures.

The decision to widen or improve Northwest 184th Street will be determined based on local development, since it is classified as a neighborhood circulator roadway. Neighborhood circulators generate a low volume of traffic and provide local access to residents. If any widening or improvements are proposed in response to development, private developers will be required to build half of the road on their property and are not allowed to build road segments on adjacent properties without the consent of the property owner. Existing properties that are not part of future redevelopments will not be required to grant developers access to their properties for widening of the roadway. 

The space required between the road and adjacent homes can vary based on the land use zoning setbacks. For more information on setbacks, see Clark County Code Chapter 40.220, "Urban Residential Districts," and Chapter 40.230, "Commercial, Business, Mixed Use and Industrial Districts." Clark County Code (codepublishing.com)

New development will be required to connect to sanitary sewer. Existing property owners who do not develop or subdivide their property will not be required to connect to sewer because of nearby roadwork or sewer infrastructure installation.

New development will be required to connect to public water. Existing property owners who do not develop or subdivide their property will not be required to connect to water because of nearby roadwork or water infrastructure installation. Existing homes using permitted wells can continue using their wells as long as their land is not developed.

The 179th Street Access Management and Circulation plan is a long-range transportation planning effort to guide the creation of a safe, efficient transportation corridor to accommodate future development. Specific funding sources, such as local taxes, are not identified during such planning efforts. Developers pay impact fees and taxes when construction occurs. Questions about local taxes should be directed to the Clark County Assessor’s Office at 564.397.2391 or assessor@clark.wa.gov. More information can be found at https://clark.wa.gov/assessor.

Clark County Public Works is responsible for creating plans for public infrastructure, such as roads, to accommodate projected development. The 179th Street Access Management and Circulation plan is meant to guide road planning efforts to preserve safety and efficiency of travel in the area as private development occurs. Evaluation of impacts of development in the area are the responsibility of developers and agencies issuing development permits, not Public Works.

The 179th Street Access Management and Circulation planning efforts was not supported by any funds from developers. This plan is a project funded by the county.

Clark County will use a combination of state and federal grants, traffic impact fees and road fund taxes for activities related to the reconstruction Northwest 179th Street, when it occurs. Estimates of costs will be included in planning efforts when reconstruction activities enter the design phase. Local roads connecting new developments will be built and funded by developers. 

The county began the planning process in August 2021. The plan was developed with input from a technical advisory committee and a stakeholder committee which included local resident representatives. These two groups reviewed plan proposals and provided feedback to staff. The Fairgrounds Neighborhood Association was also invited to the stakeholder meetings.

As part of Public Works outreach and community engagement for public projects, residents in the project area have also been sent information via mail. Information about other opportunities for community input throughout a project’s process, including community open houses, is shared via Public Works’ website and social media profiles, television and print media outlets, community groups and neighborhood associations. The county also publishes project notices as required by county code 40.510.040. On January 27, 2022, the county hosted a virtual open house for the community to ask questions about the plan and provide feedback.

When the County Council approved removal of the area’s urban holding overlays in 2020, funding for the necessary infrastructure improvements was also approved. This funding totals $66.5 million over a six-year timeframe.

Noise from private development is regulated through the State Environmental Protection Act permitting process.

Clark County residents can report excessive noise to Clark County Code Enforcement. For more information, go to https://clark.wa.gov/community-development/code-enforcement

Construction activities conducted by Clark County Public Works typically occur between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. Neighbors will be notified in advance of construction activities.