Northeast Washington Regional Transportation Plan 2015-2019 Ferry, Pend Oreille and Stevens Counties Midpoint Review April 26, 2017 Prepared for: Northeast Washington Regional Transportation Planning Organization (NEW RTPO) Ferry, Pend Oreille, and Stevens Counties Washington Prepared by: Northeast Washington Tri-County Economic Development District (TEDD) Lead Agency for NEW RTPO With the assistance of Eastern Washington University Alicia Bemiss-Powell, Undergraduate Student, Urban & Regional Planning Gregg Dohrn, Professor, Urban & Regional Planning Members Counties: Ferry, Pend Oreille, Stevens Cities: Chewelah, Colville, Kettle Falls, Newport, Republic Towns: Marcus, Springdale, Northport, Metaline, Metaline Falls, Cusick, Ione Tribes: Colville, Kalispel, Spokane Ports: Pend Oreille Public Utility Districts: Ferry, Pend Oreille, Stevens State Agency: Washington State Department of Transportation Others: Rural Resources, Special Mobility Services Adopted by TEDD/NEW RTPO Policy Board September 17, 2014 Resolution No. 2014-06 Midpoint Review Adopted by TEDD/NEW RTPO Policy Board April 26, 2017 Resolution No. 2017-03 Table of Contents Preface .............................................................................. 1 Description of a Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) ..................... 1 Introduction ........................................................................ 2 History of NEW Regional Transportation Planning Organization ............................... 2 Mission Statement ....................................................................................... 2 Organization .............................................................................................. 2 Intergovernmental Coordination ..................................................................... 3 Regional Goals and Objectives ................................................ 5 Maintenance Service Objectives ..................................................................... 5 Preservation Service Objectives ..................................................................... 5 Profile of Northeast Washington ............................................... 6 Topography & Physical Features ..................................................................... 6 Columbia River & Lake Roosevelt .................................................................... 6 Water Resources ...................................................................................... 6 Drainage Basin ......................................................................................... 7 Columbia River System Uses ........................................................................ 7 Lake Roosevelt ........................................................................................ 8 Recreation ................................................................................................. 8 Scenic Byways & Recreational Highways ............................................................ 8 National, Conservation, and Recreation Lands ..................................................... 9 Colville National Forest .............................................................................. 9 Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area ........................................................ 9 Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge .................................................... 10 49 Degrees North Mountain Resort ............................................................... 11 Land Use & Ownership ................................................................................. 11 Land Use Interaction ................................................................................. 12 Ownership Distribution .............................................................................. 12 Population Trends ...................................................................................... 15 Economic Activity & Employment ................................................................... 17 Regional Transportation System .............................................. 20 Transportation Network Components .............................................................. 20 Roadways .............................................................................................. 20 Highways of Statewide and Regional Significance ............................................... 22 US Highway 395 ...................................................................................... 22 Other Regional Highways ........................................................................... 23 Tribal Transportation Program (TTP) ............................................................ 25 Forest Highways ...................................................................................... 25 What are Forest Highways? ...................................................................... 27 Why are Forest Highways Important?.......................................................... 28 What is the Washington Forest Highway Program? ......................................... 28 Why do we need Coordinated Transportation Planning? .................................. 29 Scenic Byways ......................................................................................... 30 The Sherman Pass Byway ......................................................................... 30 The North Pend Oreille Scenic Byway .......................................................... 30 Pend Oreille Valley Scenic Byway ............................................................... 30 The International Selkirk Loop Scenic Byway................................................. 31 Crystal Falls Scenic Byway ........................................................................ 31 Alternate Transportation Modes.................................................................... 31 Railroads .............................................................................................. 31 Air Service ............................................................................................ 32 River Transportation ............................................................................... 35 Non-Motorized Transportation (Bicycle/Pedestrian) ......................................... 35 Public Transportation ............................................................................. 37 Freight & Goods System ........................................................ 40 Truck Route Classifications .......................................................................... 41 County Data Collection and Analysis ............................................................... 43 Roads ................................................................................................... 43 Bridges ................................................................................................. 44 Structurally Deficient ............................................................................ 45 Functionally Obsolete ............................................................................ 45 Maintenance Needs Evaluation .................................................................... 46 Rail Road Crossings ..................................................................................... 46 Strategic Freight Corridors ........................................................................... 46 Issues of Regional Significance ............................................... 48 All Weather Surfaces for State Roads .............................................................. 48 Local Projects ........................................................................................... 48 Relationship to other Planning Efforts ....................................... 50 Environmental Assessments for Development .................................................... 50 Industrial .............................................................................................. 50 Commercial ........................................................................................... 50 Recreational .......................................................................................... 50 Housing & General Land Use ....................................................................... 51 Cultural Resources and Historic Sites ............................................................ 51 Food Hub .............................................................................................. 51 Relationship to Existing Comprehensive Plans ............................. 52 Established Goals & Objectives ...................................................................... 52 Cities, Towns and Counties ........................................................................ 52 State of Washington ................................................................................. 52 WSDOT Policy Goals ............................................................................... 52 Department of Natural Resources Guiding Principles ...................................... 53 Indian Tribes .......................................................................................... 53 Kalispel Tribe ...................................................................................... 53 Spokane Tribe ..................................................................................... 53 Colville Tribe ......................................................................................