Prject verview The City f Federal Way is pursuing the City Center Access prject t find ways t imprve access t Federal Way s City Center and the surrunding area. The City is studying slutins t cngestin in the vicinity f the S 320th Street crridr between SR 99 (Pacific Highway) and Military Rad S. This prject will study the current and future traffic cnditins, expected future needs, and envirnmental impacts assciated with: Enhancing traffic peratins Leveraging transit pprtunities Increasing safety and efficiency Imprving pedestrian and bicycle cnnectins The Federal Way City Center is cmprised f bth the City Center Cre, an urban center/reginal grwth center, and the City Center Frame which, tgether, are meant t cmplement each ther t create a dwntwn area in the City s Cmprehensive Plan. The City Center is bunded by I-5 t the east, S 312th Street t the nrth, and 11th Place S and 14th Avenue S t the west. This study is identified in the City f Federal Way 6-Year Transprtatin Imprvement Plan (TIP) as an envirnmental dcumentatin study. The study is driven by the City s identified plans t mdify access at S 320th Street and S 324th Street alng I-5, as well as ther lcal infrastructure imprvement needs. The City is preparing this study in cperatin with the Federal Highway Administratin (FHWA), Washingtn State Department f Transprtatin (WSDOT), Puget Sund Reginal Cuncil (PSRC), Sund Transit, Pierce Transit, King Cunty Metr, Suth King Fire and Rescue, and King Cunty Rads. Backgrund Between April 2 and April 22 the City f Federal Way s City Center Access study team hsted varius events and reached ut t multiple stakehlder grups t engage the peple wh wrk, visit, and live in Federal Way t understand their experience accessing the City Center and the surrunding area. The study team tailred feedback venues t specific grups with varying levels f interest. Whether inpersn r nline, the city prvided cmmunity members impacted by the cngestin in the vicinity f S 320th Street between SR 99 (Pacific Highway) and Military Rad S an pprtunity t share their experience and prpse slutins. Date Channels Cmments April 2 and 9 Scial media 84 April 9-22 Online pen huse 15 April 11 In-persn pen huse 20 April 3-11 Other 4 Purpse and Need 1
Key findings Depending n the channel where peple left cmments, their themes varied substantially. Peple wh cmmented thrugh scial media, with a lwer barrier fr participatin, mstly fcused n lcal slutins, whereas peple wh cmmented thrugh the nline pen huse, which required mre sustained engagement with study infrmatin, mstly referenced interchange alternatives frm the 2009 study. Peple wh attended and cmmented at the in-persn pen huse prvided the mst diverse input, a likely result f the in-depth cnversatins attendees were able t have with study team members. Sme key themes std ut, including: Interchange mdificatin recmmendatins Cmments varied but fcused mstly n 2009 alternatives; sme cmments favred a new interchange at S 312th Street, thers favred an interchange at S 324th Street Cnsider interchange mdificatins r additins nrth f S 312th Street Revise the S 317th Street HOV exit as a general purpse exit and/r prvide a cnnectin t the east side f I-5 Lcal imprvements Build rundabuts Synchrnize light signals during peak mrning and afternn hurs Widen Military Rad S Walkability and bikeability Supprt fr new safe and user-friendly pedestrian and bicycle access General Be mindful nt t cmprmise green spaces and negatively impact existing neighbrhds Increase and imprve transit ptins Increase cmmunity safety Add mre parking arund Federal Way Transit Center Fix cngestin; cngestin is bad Cmmunity engagement Keep cmmunity infrmed; ask the cmmunity fr input Purpse and Need 2
Online pen huse The City f Federal Way hsted an nline pen huse t engage a brad audience in and arund the Federal Way City Center. Visitrs learned abut the prject s histry, current need, and next steps while prviding feedback n their experience f cngestin at a time that wrked fr them. The nline pen huse cmment perid was pen frm April 9-22, during which time 99 individuals visited the site, 15 f whm submitted cmments. All participants indicated they shp in Federal Way. Six f the visitrs wh cmmented live in Federal Way and tw wrk in Federal Way. Purpse and Need 3
Key themes: Cncern abut and praise fr 2009 interchange alternatives, specifically mre supprt fr S 312th Street interchange than S 324th Street interchange Preservatin f green spaces Access t transit Frequent cmments include: An ff ramp n S 312th Street is the best ptin t alleviate traffic arund the City Center. The City shuld build mre pedestrian and bicyclists ptins that are safe and user friendly. An ff ramp n S 324th Street wuld nt address the cngestin issue and des nt imprve access t City Center. A new interchange may cmprmise green spaces. Cnsider the impacts f a future light rail statin n traffic cngestin. Cncern abut negative impacts n the Steel Lake neighbrhd. Increase transit ptins arund the City Center and d nt spend City funding n new structures. In-persn pen huse The City f Federal Way s study team hsted an in-persn pen huse at the Federal Way Cmmunity Center n April 11, 2018 t infrm residents abut the City Center Access study, learn abut their experience f traffic in the area, and answer specific questins. The pen huse s 66 attendees received a participant guide t lead them thrugh the event, frm histrical backgrund n the 2009 study t the team s prpsed need statements. The study team embedded pprtunities fr attendees t cmment and engage with study team members thrughut the event and prvided several pprtunities t submit written cmments. Cmment frms The study team cllected a ttal f 22 cmment frms at the pen huse. The cmment frm asked three questins: 1. Are there specific slutins yu wuld like us t cnsider? 2. Other than the needs that the prject team identified, and any feedback yu have n the prject needs bards, is there anything yu wuld like t share abut cmmunity issues? 3. Anything else yu want us t knw? Purpse and Need 4
Key themes: Neighbrhd impacts Interchange additins and mdificatins Bicycle and pedestrian access Cmmunity engagement Frequent cmments included: Cnsider slutins that d nt impact an existing neighbrhd. An n/ff ramp n S 324th Street will drive traffic clse t Belmr Park where mbile hmes that may be affected. An interchange at S 312th Street wuld be t far frm dwntwn t help with cngestin arund City Center. The City shuld cnsider interchange mdificatins r additins nrth f S 312th Street fr thse wh are nt ging t City Center. The City shuld cnsider incrprating bicycle lanes ging acrss I-5 since there are currently n safe paths. Impacts n Steel Lake Park wuld affect the senir citizens and children wh use it. Please ntify ptentially impacted neighbrhds f future infrastructure plans fr Federal Way. It is imprtant t make pedestrian and bicycle access a pririty in this prject. Engage in mre cmmunicatin and pen dialgue with residents f Federal Way and unincrprated King Cunty surrunding the study area. Prvide mre infrmatin n Sund Transit s Federal Way Link light rail prject. Chse ptins that d nt impact the neighbrhds and parks nrth f S 320th Street. I am glad the City is addressing this issue and hsting events fr the cmmunity t engage with this study. What d yu experience? table map In additin t the cmment frms, the study team invited participants t cmment n a large map f the area, displayed n a table, and labeled What d yu experience? Attendees placed a ttal f 26 cmments arund the map using sticky ntes. Purpse and Need 5
Key themes: Safety cncerns Preservatin f green spaces Need fr new interchanges Parking and access t transit Freight restrictins Frequent cmments included: The City needs t ensure the safety f Federal Way residents. The City shuld preserve existing green spaces arund Federal Way Transit Center and create new nes. The City shuld place an interchange at S 324th Street. The City needs t make new cnnectins east and west f City Center. There is a need fr mre pedestrian access arund City Center, as current cnditins are nt safe. There is a need fr mre parking arund Federal Way Transit Center t accmmdate City Center and future light rail users. Gvernment agencies shuld ffer shuttle services t mve users frm gathering places in City Center. The City shuld restrict freight access t City Center by ruting trucks away frm S 320th Street and S 324th Street. There shuld be physical barriers between vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycle traffic. Purpse and Need 6
Scial media The City f Federal Way prmted the in-persn and nline pen huse n its Facebk page n April 2, in advance f the April 9-22 nline pen huse cmment perid. The pst n Facebk received 28 likes. Other users, including the Federal Way Plice Department, Suth King Fire and Rescue, and the Multi-Service Center in Federal Way, shared the pst 24 times. Users cmmented 84 times, including cmments left n partner agency Facebk accunts. In general, Facebk users fcused n lcal slutins t cngestin arund the City Center. Key themes: Experience f traffic cngestin Lcal slutins Alternate rutes Safety cncerns Frequent cmments included: I feel frustrated with traffic cngestin in City Center. Rundabuts in City Center are a slutin t increase flw f traffic, imprve safety, and eliminate traffic signals. Try synchrnizing light signals arund City Center during peak mrning and afternn hurs. The City shuld widen Military Rad t increase access t less traveled surface streets. The City shuld build a cnnectin frm Suth 312th t residential surface streets. Repurpse the Suth 317th HOV lane fr all traffic and cnnect HOV lanes t rads and highways east f I-5. Purpse and Need 7
Other cmments Residents had the pprtunity t submit cmments t the study team directly thrugh email and verbally at the April 11 pen huse. Study team members recrded the cmments they received. Key themes: Cncern abut interchanges Preservatin f green spaces Parking and access t transit Frequent cmments included: The City shuld allcate mre parking fr the Federal Way Transit Center. I use alternate rutes t avid S 320th Street while accessing the City Center. An verpass at S 324th Street wuld nt benefit lcal access and wuld nt cnnect t surrunding majr highways. A cnnectin n S 324th Street may impact green spaces, like Celebratin Park. Purpse and Need 8