All public streets within the city shall be classified as principal arterials, minor arterials, major collector streets, minor collector streets or local streets.
(Ord. 1-09 § 1, 2009; Ord. 14-25 § 1, 2025)
Functional classification is the process by which streets are grouped according to the character of the service they are intended to provide. Functional classification defines the nature of vehicular movement through a network of streets in a safe, logical and efficient manner.
A.
Principal arterials are intercommunity area streets that are primarily used for traffic movement. Service to abutting land is subordinate to the provision of travel service for major traffic movements. General characteristics of principal arterials include moderate to high speeds that are generally 35 miles per hour to 50 miles per hour, high traffic volumes (greater than 16,000 vehicles per day), designated as limited access facility per Chapter 10.24 WRMC and street parking is prohibited. The spacing of principal arterials is usually about one mile.
B.
Minor arterials are intercommunity area streets that provide primarily for traffic movement and secondarily for land access. General characteristics of minor arterials include moderate speeds that are generally 30 miles per hour to 40 miles per hour, moderate to high traffic volumes (approximate range of 4,000 to 16,000 vehicles per day), some restriction on traffic movements and driveway spacing, typically designated limited access facility per Chapter 10.24 WRMC and street parking is generally prohibited. The spacing of minor arterials is usually less than one mile.
C.
Major collector streets primarily function to collect and distribute traffic between principal arterial streets and minor arterial streets. Major collectors provide for both land access and traffic mobility. General characteristics of major collector streets include low speeds that are generally 25 miles per hour to 35 miles per hour, low to moderate traffic volumes (approximate range of 1,500 to 6,000 vehicles per day), some restrictions on traffic movements, driveway spacing, and limited on-street parking. The spacing of major collectors is approximately one-fourth mile.
D.
Minor collector streets serve as primary access between residential developments/subdivisions and the arterial/major collector streets. Minor collector streets provide for both land access and traffic mobility, collect traffic from local streets in residential neighborhoods and distribute it into the arterial system, directly serve traffic generators within a neighborhood such as a church or school, and serve little or no through traffic generated outside of the residential area. General characteristics of minor collector streets include low speeds that are generally 25 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour, low to moderate traffic volumes (approximate range of 1,500 to 4,500 vehicles per day), few access controls and parking is generally permitted. The spacing of minor collectors is approximately one-fourth mile.
E.
All streets or parts of streets not designated as principal arterial, minor arterial, major collector, or minor collector are classified as local streets. Local streets' primary function is to provide land access with a secondary function of traffic movement; service to through traffic generated outside of the neighborhood is deliberately discouraged. General characteristics of local streets include low speed (25 miles per hour), low traffic volumes (typically under 1,500 vehicles per day), few access controls and parking is generally permitted.
(Ord. 1-09 § 1, 2009; Ord. 14-25 § 2, 2025)
Streets added into the city's street system by annexation or by other means shall either maintain the same classification as in the latest adopted version of the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments' Tri-Cities federal urbanized area functional classification system or be classified in accord with WRMC 12.01.040.
(Ord. 1-09 § 1, 2009)
The city engineer is authorized and directed to make a continued study of the vehicular traffic volumes in the city and to recommend amendments to the West Richland urbanized area functional classification system and the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments' Tri-Cities federal urbanized area functional classification system as it pertains to the city. Recommendations for amendments to West Richland urbanized area functional classification system changing a street's functional classification shall be approved by the city council by resolution.
(Ord. 1-09 § 1, 2009)
The city engineer is directed to implement the street classifications described in this chapter through the use of appropriate street design standards, traffic control devices, and access regulations.
(Ord. 1-09 § 1, 2009)