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CHAPTER l: INTRODUCTION hand are developed. Feasibility studies are Need for the Project then conducted to analyze these alternatives The project is needed to ensure continued based on a variety of factors including safety and mobility throughout the study area. transportation and mobility, environment, Kittitas County is home to many key freight- equity, resiliency, government and local agency generating and time-sensitive industries, coordination, and public input. Although such including agriculture and forestry, with 1-90 an analysis is not as detailed as a design serving as a key thoroughfare for these or environmental study, it is intended to industries. Providing a transportation system provide enough information to allow project that accommodates these key economic sponsors to make decisions by reducing generators and the timely movement of goods the quantity and scope of alternatives.The is important to Kittitas County. As such, findings of the feasibility study will guide a WSDOT has identified this corridor as one of shift towards a more focused allocation of the state's major truck corridors, which is a resources,facilitating effective investment major economic driver in the region,through in the subsequent stages of design and both customers to the businesses along the environmental assessment. routes and providers of goods movement for producers and growers in the County. Project Purpose and Need In addition, growth within the County— This feasibility study is designed to identify industrial and residential— is contributing to potential solutions which can fulfill the increased congestion along 1-90. Such growth project's purpose and goals, and why the is putting a strain on the roadway network, project is needed. both in terms of traffic congestion and wear Project Purpose and Goals and tear. Most of the congestion in Kittitas County occurs at certain times of the year— The purpose of the project is to: near ski resorts in winter or routes accessing • Ensure continued and improved safety to the lakes in the summer. Heavy seasonal 1-90 users, including travelers, maintenance congestion on 1-90 and state routes within the crews,freight operators, and emergency study area can lead to traffic diverting onto responders. local county roads.This poses both safety risks • Enhance mobility and connectivity on 1-90 and delays to residents and also increases for passenger vehicles,freight,transit, the maintenance burden on the County.This and active modes and provide support for feasibility study addresses potential solutions increased person and freight throughput. to such traffic growth and congestion. • Respect the surrounding environment A study initiated by the County in 2019 (see and provide measures to address the Appendix A)found congestion along 1-90 is resiliency of the system, improve wildlife heaviest during summer weekends and major connectivity, and reduce impacts to holidays (Memorial Day,4th of July, and Labor environmental baseline conditions. Day). In the westbound direction,this regularly • Support equity by ensuring communities occurs between MP 70 and MP 93 on Sundays and individuals are not disproportionately in summer, with the most extreme congestion impacted. occurring on the Mondays of Memorial Day and Labor Day holiday weekends. Holiday traffic VOLUME 1: FEASIBILITY REPORT 1-90 Corridor Easton to Cle Elum Feasibility Study 1 3