FAQs
- Clark County and City of Ridgefield Comprehensive Plans are long-range policy guides. The plans are developed simultaneously to ensure that growth is managed concurrently. The next update of the County and City comprehensive plan will occur in 2024.
- The consideration of an I-5 connection on NW Carty Road is not tied to its inclusion or exclusion in the County or City comprehensive plans.
- Rather, an I-5 connection on NW Carty Road is not being considered based on Federal Highway Administration guidelines about necessary distance between freeway-access ramps. FHWA, not the County or the City, has jurisdiction of interstate highways, including I-5.
Is additional development planned as part of this project?
No, this project focuses on studying viable alternatives to connect NW Hillhurst Road/NW 31st Avenue to the I-5 ramp at NW 219th Street/State Route 502. This project is not proposing any changes to the land use or zoning, which would be necessary for additional development to occur. Additionally utilities that could support development, such as sewer, cannot be extended outside the urban growth boundary and are not included as a part of this project.
How do we add a consideration, such as adding NW Carty Road as a connection option, to the City's and County's comprehensive plan?
Where can I find a reference to this project in Clark County’s Comprehensive Plan?
Although the City of Ridgefield’s and Clark County’s Comprehensive Plans are developed concurrently, they are organized differently. The Arterial Atlas is a supporting document to Clark County’s Comprehensive Plan. The Clark County plan is more comprehensive in nature and includes all maps and transportation facility details on its Arterial Atlas. The connection to the I-5/State Route 502 interchange can be found on pages 34 and 35. The road is classified as a Rural Major Collector (Rm-2). This planning study is not proposing to change such designation.
Who can we talk to at the Federal Highway Administration?
Freeway access at Carty Road is beyond the scope of this project. However, the standard interchange spacing requirements for a rural area like this is three miles. A new interchange at Carty Road would not meet this spacing requirement. For more information on the FHWA, visit www.FHWA.dot.gov.
Do the business owners on Pioneer know the city is going to route traffic away from their doorsteps?
The intent of this study is not to reroute traffic away from Pioneer Street (State Route 501), but to provide an alternative route to connect to I-5, thus alleviating some of the anticipated congestion on Pioneer Street (SR 501), and include greater access to Ridgefield, including the downtown area.
Why are you using an old map on the "Comment on the Map" tool?
For our planning purposes, the project team is using a current map of the area, as reflected in the main section of the project page. We have notified the company that manages this web platform, Bang the Table, that the maps need updating and apologize for any confusion. The structures that are not reflected in the “Comment on the Map” tool are located outside the project area and beyond the seven connection options.
Connection Design & Specifics
Will this new route feed into I-5 South using the current loop for westbound State Route 502?
Most likely. The new connection will link up to the existing northbound and southbound I-5 ramps at NW 219th Street/State Route 502.
What will the new connection look like?
The new connection will be a two-lane roadway with paved shoulders. To view the cross-section for this rural major collector, click here. The portion of the roadway that is within City limits will include bike lanes and sidewalks.
Are you considering different combinations of the options, such as Red and Orange?
Yes, based on input from the public and our partner agencies, various combinations of the alternatives may be considered.
How are you addressing wetlands?
With any project, the goal is to avoid impacts to wetlands or minimize any impacts that cannot be avoided. With a large roadway project like this one, some impacts to wetlands and critical areas are likely unavoidable. Minimizing impacts to wetlands is part of the process being used to identify the best route.
Impacts on Private Property
What will happen to the properties affected by the new connection?
Access and details will be worked out with individual property owners as part of the design process after a route has been selected. Property impacts are fairly and equitably compensated as part of the eminent domain process. When those decisions are made, the property owners will be contacted to work through details about access.
Why do some of the connection options bisect private properties?
Our preference is to not bisect private properties, but this is not always possible due to environmental constraints and other factors. During this project phase, we are gathering feedback on all the options available to us. There are various advantages and disadvantages to consider, and we appreciate hearing your preferences and thoughts.
What property owner outreach has been performed?
In summer 2020, the project team was considering the first six connection options of those being presented today. For this reason, the 12 residents who have properties in the area were contacted by mail, inviting them to participate in stakeholder interviews. We heard back from eight of these residents and they participated in interviews, which are reflected the Property Owner Stakeholder Summary on this project website. More broadly, postcard invitations to this online open house were sent to 37 residents within the project area, which now includes a more northern section, where the purple connection exists. The Rolling Hills neighborhood is located south of the study area and those properties are not directly impacted (i.e., no connection option crosses those properties); therefore, they were not part of this outreach. However, the input of the Rolling Hills residents is very important to us.
How will the new connection affect the Rolling Hills neighborhood?
The Rolling Hills neighborhood is located south of the study area and your input is very important to us. We anticipate any new connection will reduce traffic on 209th as indicated in the Traffic Study. Once a connection option is selected and design funding is secured, all impacts to properties—including noise, visual, and environmental—will be analyzed and considered. Please see the map on the project map and click on any one of the five location views listed below it for a better perspective of all the connection options.
Impacts on Traffic & Adjacent Streets
How will the new connection affect NW 11th Avenue?
Details regarding the connection and improvements to 11th will be worked out once a connection option is selected. All impacts to existing properties and the environment will be analyzed and considered in the environmental impact analysis to be performed once funding is secured to design the roadway.
How will the new connection affect NW Carty Road?
The focus of this planning study was to identify routes that could connect NW Hillhurst Road/NW 31st Avenue to the I-5 ramp at NW 219th Street/State Route 502, as specified in the City and County comprehensive plans. An interchange at I-5/NW Carty Road was not considered in this study for a couple reasons: (1) Federal Highway Administration, which has jurisdiction over I-5, would not allow additional access on I-5 in Ridgefield, and (2) access to I-5 via Carty Road is not on the City’s or County’s comprehensive plan.
What effects will the new connection have on traffic?
Transportation models show that when built, the new connection will improve traffic flow on NW Hillhurst Road. For more information, see the Traffic Study Draft.
What steps will be put in place to monitor speeding and other traffic violations?
The Ridgefield Police Department will continue to monitor speed and other traffic violations on NW Hillhurst Road. A combination of the radar speed trailer, permanent radar signs, and targeted enforcement will be used to control speeds.