The city council was urged to seek collaboration with other jurisdictions to promote growth on the Martin Way corridor in Tuesday’s Olympia City Council study session.
To prioritize regional collaboration and strategic planning to accommodate growth and improve transportation infrastructure for safe access to people on the Martin Way corridor, Allison Osterberg of the Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) advised the councilmembers.
Martin Way, a key east-west transit corridor for the region, spans from Olympia through Laceyinto Thurston County.
Osterberg briefed the councilmembers on the Martin Way corridor study, including a survey of residents and businesses, market studies, and data analysis.
The TRPC senior planner said the purpose of the study is to develop a common vision for the Martin Way corridor and identify some key issues on safety, transit, bicycle, pedestrian connection, and land use.
According to Osterberg, the common concern they hear is that people have trouble getting across Martin Way. She described that the state highway is wide, and the crossing spaces are far apart. There are intermittent sidewalks or significant gaps in the sidewalk network. "We do see a collision history in some areas where people are having difficulty crossing the street."
She added that there are bike lanes on the corridor, but the speed of cars is intimidating. As a result, many people feel more comfortable or safe biking on the sidewalk, which causes conflict with other users.
There are multifamily units and single-family housing in the corridor areas, and some portions do not have connections for sewer service.
Osterberg also noted various land use on Martin Way. She added that some businesses had been put up in the 1930s. New buildings are going up and changing the corridor's character.
"Martin Way crosses three watersheds and some high-quality wetland areas, making it beautiful in some portions of the corridor. But it also means it's challenging when we expect development to come in and put in some of our transportation infrastructure," she said.
The forecast in the Martin Way corridor will likely see more than a 50% increase in population and a 43% increase in employment.
"Martin Way is one of the most diverse parts of the community," Osterberg informed the councilmembers.
She said there are about 9,000 people who live in the Martin Way corridor and 13,000 jobs. A greater proportion of those living in the corridor are people of color than in other parts of Thurston County, Olympia, or Lacey.
Osterberg also cited the study, which stated that a higher proportion of residents are likely to be cost-burdened to be experiencing poverty. There is a higher proportion of residents along Martin Way who rent;most live in multifamily units.
A higher proportion of the population speak a language other than English at home.
In terms of businesses, there are more than 1,000 of them, and most are retail. The vast majority are small businesses – about 50% have fewer than five employees, and three-quarters have fewer than 10 employees.
Osterberg said they will likely see continuing construction of multifamily development on the corridor. She warned that without thoughtful planning, “it will likely lead to increased congestion and conflicts between these different users.”
She said the vision for Martin Way is a mixed-use, high-density residential and commercial area where people enjoy walking, shopping, working, and living.
"Over time, it will transition away from automobile-dominated use to a more pedestrian-friendly streetscape that also encourages bicycling and supports high-capacity transit," she said, adding that this vision is consistent with the Olympia comprehensive plan.
Osterberg said they examined various land-use options, including redevelopment and affordable housing. They explored a nodal development structure, which seeks to concentrate development and focus on the corridor.
She said they want to see the Martin Way corridor as a bustling hub of activity that combines housing and job opportunities at key nodes, with a focus on ensuring affordability and robust transportation connections.
Osterberg added that they have identified potential development nodes that extend a quarter to a half mile around key intersections where activity can be concentrated. She said a planning process would be necessary to establish the standards for the nodes, including their height, design, and connectivity.
On the transportation side, Osterberg mentioned there is strong support from the public for improving transportation options on Martin Way, particularly for walking and transit.
For the short-term and long-term transportation development, Osterberg said some measures they want to see:
"Martin Way goes through three different jurisdictions within everyone's outskirts and not everyone's priority. For this vision to be successful, we need to consistently focus on it at a regional level and individual jurisdictions," Osterberg told the councilmembers.
To achieve the vision for Martin Way, Osterberg recommended several tools:
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