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D238 Transportation Element - Comprehensive Plan September 2, 2025
CITY OF RENTON
Community and Economic Development Department/Public Works Department
STAFF REPORT
#D-238: Transportation Element - Comprehensive Plan
Staff: Ellen Talbo, Transportation Planning Manager
Date: September 2, 2025
_____________________________________________________________________________________
General Description
Developing the Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan has been occurring on a special
timeline due to the technical complexities of developing future year forecasts based on land use
growth for 2044 and modeling those forecasts. To that end, the Puget Sound Regional Council
(PSRC) conditionally certified on June 24, 2025 that the transportation-related provisions in the City
of Renton 2024 comprehensive plan conform to the Growth Management Act and are substantially
consistent with multicounty planning policies and the Regional Transportation Plan, provided that
additional amendments are incorporated into the comprehensive plan.
Conditional status is in place until the City of Renton completes and adopts a work plan to
complete the Transportation Element by December 2025. The current effort is on track for
completion and a Public Hearing is scheduled for September 17, 2025. Staff is presenting an
overview of the Transportation Element and its findings as well as the following work plan dates for
completing the Transportation Element chapter.
Description for SEPA NOA Publication Due (Tue) 08/05/2025
Planning Commission Briefing 08/06/2025
Public Hearing Publication Due 9/2/2025 (publication)
Planning Commission Public Hearing 09/17/2025
SEPA comment Period ends 08/21/2025
Environmental Review Committee Meeting 09/15/2025
SEPA Determination of Non-Significance Waiting
period starts
09/15/2025
Planning Commission Deliberations &
Recommendations
10/01/2025
D241 Page 2 of 2 September 2, 2025
Planning & Development Committee
Recommendations
10/13/2025
SEPA Waiting period ends 09/29/2025
Ordinance Review 10/15/2025
First Reading Council meeting in October or
November TBD
Second Reading Council meeting in November of
December TBD
Effective Date January 2026
Background
In May 2025, the Puget Sound Regional Council conducted a certification review of the City of
Renton comprehensive plan. Renton adopted the 2024 comprehensive plan update on November
26, 2024 with the intention of amending it in 2025 to accommodate an ongoing update of the
Transportation Element chapter of the Comprehensive Plan.
The Transportation Element chapter is purposed in meeting the requirements of the Growth
Management Act along with PSRC’s regional VISION 2050 by demonstrating the following:
• Use internally consistent land use assumptions and forecasts of travel demand and that are
consistent with growth targets.
• Provide inventories of existing facilities, and level-of-service standards and concurrency
provisions that address multiple modes of travel, planned land uses and densities, and state
highways.
• Include a multiyear financing plan and reassessment strategy to address potential funding
shortfalls.
• Direct demand management, including programs to implement the Commute Trip
Reduction Act.
• Plan for pedestrians and bicycles, including capital investments, education, and safety.
• Discourage incompatible uses adjacent to airports.
• Address air quality and the reduction of pollutants consistent with WAC 173-420-080.
VISION 2050 also calls for local comprehensive plans to:
• Plan for system maintenance, safety and emergency management.
• Support the Regional Growth Strategy.
• Provide alternatives to driving alone.
• Plan facilities and services for special needs transportation.
• Avoid the creation of new and expanded facilities in rural areas.
Identify racial and social equity as a core objective when implementing transportation
projects.
• Protect the environment and reduce stormwater pollution.