A. 
The provisions of this Chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Complete Streets Program.
B. 
The City Council hereby finds and declares as follows:
1. 
Streets and transportation corridors are vital public assets that shall be designed, operated, and maintained to provide safe, efficient, and equitable mobility for all users;
2. 
A balanced and connected transportation network that accommodates pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists, emergency responders, and freight enhances public safety, supports economic vitality, and improves overall quality of life;
3. 
Providing safe and efficient transportation choices can reduce commuting costs, improve access to employment and services, promote public health through active transportation, and reduce environmental impacts; and
4. 
Adoption and implementation of the Complete Streets Program will ensure that transportation infrastructure and facilities are designed, operated, and maintained to safely and efficiently accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists, emergency responders, and freight within an integrated, multimodal transportation network.
C. 
Based on these findings and declarations, the purpose of the Complete Streets Program is to:
1. 
Create safe, comfortable, and accessible streets for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and motorists;
2. 
Develop and promote alternative transportation options to reduce reliance on single-occupancy vehicles;
3. 
Support a connected, multimodal system of joint-use paths, bicycle lanes, urban and nature trails, and public transit facilities;
4. 
Implement maintenance, reconstruction, and widening projects that incorporate or expand transportation options within existing street corridors;
5. 
Require new development and redevelopment projects to provide infrastructure and facilities that support alternative modes of transportation; and
6. 
Integrate the principles and provisions of the Complete Streets Program into the City’s Comprehensive Plan, development regulations, capital improvement plans, and other applicable policies to ensure the creation of a complete and connected transportation network.
(Ord. 2574, 1/13/2026)
For the purposes of this Chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
A. 
“Alternative transportation”
means modes of transportation other than single-occupancy motor vehicles, including, but not limited to, walking, bicycling, carpooling, and public transit.
B. 
“Complete Street”
means a public or private street, roadway, or transportation corridor planned, designed, constructed, operated, and maintained to enable safe, convenient, and comfortable travel and access for all users.
C. 
“Joint-use path”
means a paved or improved transportation facility that is physically separated from motor vehicle traffic and designed for shared use by pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non-motorized users.
D. 
“Maintenance project”
means work intended to preserve or restore the condition of an existing transportation facility, including resurfacing, re-striping, or reconstruction, and which may include modifications to improve multimodal access and safety.
E. 
“Multimodal”
means an interconnected system of transportation facilities and services that provides safe and efficient options for multiple modes of travel.
F. 
“Public transit”
means regularly scheduled transportation service provided for the general public by bus, rail, vanpool, or other conveyance operated by or under contract with a public agency.
G. 
“Redevelopment”
means the reconstruction, expansion, or substantial alteration of an existing development or use that results in increased demand on transportation infrastructure or presents an opportunity to improve multimodal access.
H. 
“Transportation facility”
means any street, roadway, sidewalk, trail, bike lane, bridge, transit stop, or other public infrastructure element designed for the movement of people or goods.
I. 
“Users”
means individuals or groups of all ages and abilities who use a transportation facility, including, but not limited to, pedestrians, people with disabilities, bicyclists, transit riders, motorists, emergency responders, freight operators, commercial vehicle operators, and adjacent land users.
(Ord. 2574, 1/13/2026)
A. 
This Chapter shall apply to all City-owned transportation facilities within the public right-of-way, including but not limited to streets, sidewalks, alleys, bridges, joint-use paths, and trails.
B. 
Privately constructed or maintained streets, sidewalks, alleys, parking lots, joint-use paths, and trails that are subject to development review by the City or that receive public funding shall comply with the provisions of this Chapter to the maximum extent feasible as determined by the City Engineer.
(Ord. 2574, 1/13/2026)
A. 
All transportation facilities shall be designed, constructed, operated, and maintained in accordance with Complete Street principles to safely and efficiently accommodate all users.
B. 
Design decisions shall be based on sound engineering, architectural, and urban design principles and shall balance the needs of all users while considering right-of-way constraints, street design and width, desired operating speed, street hierarchy, real estate impacts, parking impacts, safety, connectivity, and operational efficiency.
C. 
Design and construction shall conform to the best and latest design policies, criteria, standards, and guidelines related to street design, construction, and operation, including, but not limited to, the following:
1. 
The City of Centralia Design and Development Standards;
2. 
The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets and Highway Safety Manual;
3. 
The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) Urban Bikeway Design Guide;
4. 
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Design Manual;
5. 
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD);
6. 
The ADA Standards for Accessible Design; and
7. 
The Transportation Research Board Highway Capacity Manual.
D. 
The design and mobility standards adopted in the City’s Comprehensive Plan shall apply to state-maintained roadway segments that traverse the city, unless otherwise approved by interlocal agreement with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
E. 
Freight mobility shall be prioritized on streets designated as freight routes by the City or WSDOT; however, Complete Street infrastructure improvements shall be incorporated when doing so will not impair freight mobility or access, mobility, and safety for any user or mode of transportation.
(Ord. 2574, 1/13/2026)
A. 
The City shall incorporate Complete Street principles into all phases of transportation projects, including, but not limited to, planning, programming, design, funding identification, right-of-way acquisition, subdivision and land development, new construction, construction engineering, reconstruction, operation, repair, and maintenance.
B. 
The City Manager shall establish an interdepartmental Complete Streets Implementation Task Force to integrate the provisions of this Chapter into all applicable plans, manuals, checklists, rules, regulations, and programs; to oversee compliance; and to recommend updates.
1. 
The Engineering Department shall serve on the Task Force and shall be the lead agency for implementing the Complete Streets Program.
2. 
The Task Force shall include at least one representative from each city department whose activities affect the public right-of-way, including, but not limited to, the Public Works, Community Development, and Police Departments.
3. 
The Task Force shall periodically review design standards, including development and subdivision regulations that apply to new roadway construction, to ensure that such standards reflect the best available design policies, standards, and guidelines and effectively implement the Complete Streets Program.
4. 
All city departments, regardless of participation in the Task Force, shall coordinate to ensure that the Complete Streets Program is applied consistently.
C. 
All capital transportation projects shall incorporate Complete Street elements. The City shall promote interagency and interdepartmental coordination to maximize efficiency and make the best use of available fiscal resources when constructing or maintaining transportation improvements.
D. 
All development and redevelopment projects subject to city review or that receive public funding shall include transportation infrastructure and facilities that support multimodal transportation consistent with this Chapter and the City’s development regulations.
E. 
The City shall identify and pursue federal, state, and local funding opportunities to plan, design, and construct Complete Street projects.
F. 
The City shall coordinate with the Federal Highway Administration, Washington State Department of Transportation, Southwest Regional Transportation Planning Organization, Lewis County, public transit agencies and providers, and other affected jurisdictions and agencies to ensure consistent design and operation of transportation facilities across jurisdictional boundaries and areas of influence.
(Ord. 2574, 1/13/2026)
A. 
The requirements of this Chapter may be waived or deviated from only when the City Engineer issues a written determination, including findings of fact and conclusions of law, that at least one of the following conditions apply:
1. 
The project is a limited-access transportation facility where bicyclists and pedestrians are legally prohibited;
2. 
An equivalent alternative transportation facility already exists or is programmed in the adopted Transportation Improvement Program (TIP);
3. 
The cost of providing multimodal transportation facilities would be excessively disproportionate, as determined by the City Engineer, to the need or probable use;
4. 
The available right-of-way is insufficient and (a) the acquisition of additional right-of-way is infeasible or excessively costly or (b) condemnation is not an option;
5. 
The project is an emergency repair requiring immediate response and temporary accommodations for all users are provided;
6. 
The project is solely a routine maintenance project that does not alter roadway geometry or operations; or
7. 
There is a demonstrated absence of current and future need for multimodal transportation facilities in the immediate project area.
B. 
All exemptions shall be documented and reported to the Complete Streets Implementation Task Force.
(Ord. 2574, 1/13/2026)
A. 
The City shall evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the Complete Streets Program at least once every three years and shall prepare a written report to the Planning Commission and City Council.
B. 
The report shall include, but not be limited to, the following quantitative and qualitative measures:
1. 
The miles of new or improved bicycle and pedestrian transportation facilities completed during the reporting period;
2. 
Crash data, including frequency and severity, for all modes of transportation;
3. 
The number of and basis for exemptions granted;
4. 
A summary of public feedback received;
5. 
The number of businesses recognized as bicycle- or pedestrian-friendly; and
6. 
Other performance indicators established by the Complete Streets Implementation Task Force, Planning Commission, or City Council.
C. 
Based on the evaluation results and feedback from the public, Planning Commission, and City Council, the Complete Streets Implementation Task Force shall review and, when necessary, recommend modifications to the City’s development regulations and design standards for approval by the Planning Commission and City Council.
(Ord. 2574, 1/13/2026)