I-5 South Connection

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Aerial image showing the current off ramp at SR 502 looking toward Ridgefield.

The City of Ridgefield's and Clark County's long-range plans—which were created in collaboration with community members, local agencies, and regional partners—call for a new roadway connection from Ridgefield to Interstate Highway 5 (I-5). This future connection would extend from the area of NW Hillhurst Road/NW 31st Avenue to the existing I-5 interchange at NW 219th St./State Route (SR) 502. Construction is not expected for 5-10 years, and several steps, including more public participation and securing funds, will need to happen.

Project Background

The existing interchange between I-5 and SR 502 was constructed by WSDOT in 2008. The City of Ridgefield and Clark County have had the potential for a connection from this interchange west and north to Ridgefield since 2007.

In 2019, the City of Ridgefield received Washington State legislative funds to conduct a corridor study on the potential connection routes. In the Spring of 2021 the City partnered with a consultant to conduct this corridor study, including collecting public input through an online open house and property owner interviews. The results were presented to Ridgefield City Council and Clark County Council.

Click on the links below to view results from the Spring 2021 Online Open House:

Next Steps

The City is seeking funding and continuing to collaborate with Clark County and WSDOT on next steps. Construction is not expected for 5-10 years. There will be additional opportunities for public participation in the future.

The City of Ridgefield's and Clark County's long-range plans—which were created in collaboration with community members, local agencies, and regional partners—call for a new roadway connection from Ridgefield to Interstate Highway 5 (I-5). This future connection would extend from the area of NW Hillhurst Road/NW 31st Avenue to the existing I-5 interchange at NW 219th St./State Route (SR) 502. Construction is not expected for 5-10 years, and several steps, including more public participation and securing funds, will need to happen.

Project Background

The existing interchange between I-5 and SR 502 was constructed by WSDOT in 2008. The City of Ridgefield and Clark County have had the potential for a connection from this interchange west and north to Ridgefield since 2007.

In 2019, the City of Ridgefield received Washington State legislative funds to conduct a corridor study on the potential connection routes. In the Spring of 2021 the City partnered with a consultant to conduct this corridor study, including collecting public input through an online open house and property owner interviews. The results were presented to Ridgefield City Council and Clark County Council.

Click on the links below to view results from the Spring 2021 Online Open House:

Next Steps

The City is seeking funding and continuing to collaborate with Clark County and WSDOT on next steps. Construction is not expected for 5-10 years. There will be additional opportunities for public participation in the future.

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    COSTCO - with the recent announcement of the planned Costco at the Pioneer/I-5 exit, this greatly increases the importance of this decision. Costco should be on the east side of I-5, not the beautiful pasture now indicated but that is another matter... Costco should NOT be allowed to proceed until a new connector to I-5 is ready. Pioneer is the only practical route into all of Ridgefield's communities and there needs to be a useful bypass to avoid the traffic that will be created by Costco and all of the other businesses that will eventually surround it. Please update the plans for this I-5 Connector which I support.

    miketoalson asked over 1 year ago

    Thank you for your comment.

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    When the Kennedy Property was sold and absorbed into the city limits the public was told that there was a road thru that property for an eventual connection to the freeway. Why is this road not an option on the map ?

    Heather and Steve Brown asked almost 3 years ago

    The Kennedy Property developer agreed to build a low collector level roadway through Kennedy East to create a possible connection to Hillhurst. Although the collector will be used by neighbors traveling to Hillhurst, it will not be the optimal route for all.

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    If improving the access to the Hillhurst developments is the impetus, why disturb peaceful rural communities. Improve 45th street South of Pioneer St and Royal Rd for very direct access to these developments. To utilize the planned connection to I5, extend the frontage road past Parr Lumber to the intersection of Delfel Rd. and 209th. This would allow easy connection to I5 and allow for future development along the I5 corridor. It would also improve access to the existing and planned businesses along Pioneer St and 45th.

    RALT asked almost 3 years ago

    Thank you for your input! 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. 

     

    This planning study impetus is more than the provision of access to the Hillhurst developments. The connection will provide for additional local road interconnectivity and access to I-5 for the entire west side of I-5 between NE 269th St and NE 179th St, including an east-west tie to SR 502 to the east of I-5. The I-5 at NE 219th St interchange was selected (a significant investment) in the early 2000’s as the single I-5 access point between 269th and 179th. The westerly connection to the new interchange was not included in the design because the local land use and future local road systems were not on the Clark County Road Atlas at that time. The interchange was designed to accommodate a future west road connection should one ever come to fruition.

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    If the city of Ridgefield decides to push a road through someone's property, even when the property owner does not want the road there, is the city of Ridgefield going to buy the entire property?

    Heather and Steve Brown asked almost 3 years ago

    Our preference is to not bisect private properties, but this is not always possible due to environmental constraints and other factors. During this project study 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. 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. Details will be worked out with individual property owners as part of the design process after a route has been selected. Property impacts will be 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.

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    Since the city of Ridgefield wants to push a road so close to several peoples homes, has the city looked to see where the wells and septic systems are located on every property involved ? I know for a fact that some septic systems are located far from the houses and would have to be relocated ? Is the city of Ridgefield prepared to deal with relocating wells and septic systems or is the road going to be placed over the existing systems ?

    Heather and Steve Brown asked almost 3 years ago

    Impacts such as well disturbances/relocations will be analyzed as part of the design and environmental documentation process, which is a much more detailed analysis than this feasibility study can accommodate. Those types of property impacts will be included in the final route selection process. 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.

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    The City of Ridgefield is making this new road sound like it will just be a small two lane road with no dividers or turn lanes... Why would the City spend so much money and destroy so many properties when there are already roads of this type in the area that allow people to travel from Hillhurst road to the I-5 freeway ?

    Heather and Steve Brown asked almost 3 years ago

    The configuration and geometrics of the new connection is dictated by Clark County standards. The proposed connection will be a two-lane roadway with paved shoulders. To view the cross-section for this rural major collector, click here.

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    All the information that the City of Ridgefield has provided says that 8 out of 12 of the affected property owners have been contacted. If you look at the map with the 7 possible road options there are obviously a lot more than 12 property owners that could be affected by these 7 possible road options. Why is the number of property owners being misrepresented like this, or has the city of Ridgefield already decided on what road they want and that particular option has 12 property owners ?

    Heather and Steve Brown asked almost 3 years ago

    In summer 2020, the project team was considering the first six connection options of those being presented today. For this reason, the 12 property owners of parcels that could be potentially directly impacted by one of those six alignments were contacted by mail, inviting them to participate in stakeholder interviews. We heard back from eight of property owners and they participated in interviews, which are reflected in the Property Owner Stakeholder Summary on this project website. Subsequent to the City Council presentation on January 28, 2021, an additional route alternative to the north providing an improved connection to Carty Road was evaluated. Therefore, postcard invitations to this online open house were sent to 37 residents within the project area, which now includes this northern section, where the purple connection is shown.

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    If the City of Ridgefield puts what they are calling a small 2 lane road close to a house or barn, in a few years they decide they want to widen the road to make it look like the existing N.E.219th Street, that this new road would connect to.. 4 lanes of travel with center turn lanes and a concrete wall in the middle.. what would happen to the houses that are already close to the road ? Would these property owners once again be dealing with this same issue or would the property owners be forced out of there homes ?

    Heather and Steve Brown asked almost 3 years ago

    The configuration and geometrics of the new connection is dictated by Clark County standards. The proposed connection will be a two-lane roadway with paved shoulders. Roadways are planned for the traffic anticipated to occur in a 20-year timeline. There is no land use data at this time that shows the need for a four-lane roadway west of I-5. To view the Clark County roadway cross-section for this rural major collector, click here.

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    What is the City of Ridgefield prepared to do to compensate people for taking away their hunting rights on their property? Let's say there is a goose hunting blind out in a field and the City of Ridgefield decides to put the road right next to that goose hunting blind, is the City of Ridgefield going to pay the owners/hunters for their loss of their hunting rights? Is the City of Ridgefield going to take away the peoples hunting rights and ability to target practice without compensating the property owners and hunters ?

    Heather and Steve Brown asked almost 3 years ago

    All impacts to a property are considered during the right-of-way appraisal and acquisition process. Fair compensation for impacts is part of that process, and the property owner is intimately involved.

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    Why are all the questions being asked here not being shared with the community? I know that I have asked a question and it was not answered, so it does not show up as a question that was asked? Where is it?

    Heather and Steve Brown asked almost 3 years ago

    All questions have been answered individually and/or made into an FAQs and posted to the virtual open house.

Page last updated: 28 Apr 2023, 10:55 AM