Boardman City Council adopts updated Transportation Plan
By Griffin Beach on Monday, November 24th, 2025 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
BOARDMAN – The Boardman City Council adopted an updated Transportation System Plan at a special meeting earlier this week, replacing a plan that officials said was outdated for one of the state’s fastest-growing communities.
City Planning Director Carla McLane began the meeting by saying the previous TSP, adopted in 1998 and updated in 2001, had outgrown the city’s current needs.
“It lacks consistently with the current transportation planning rule and other guidance and regulatory requirements,” said McLane, outlining the need for the update.
Per the meeting’s packet the goal of the TSP is to “focus on incorporating the needs and desires of all current and future residents and businesses; developing modern, safe, comfortable, and inclusive multimodal facilities that accommodate users of all ages, incomes, and abilities; identifying projects that will address gaps and improve connections between key destinations such as schools, shopping centers, parks, and employment centers; making walking, rolling, biking, and taking the bus safer and easier; and supporting regional transit options.”
Matt Hughart a principal planner with Kittelson and Associates – a transportation engineering and planning consulting firm that helped with Boardman’s plan – presented the plan at Tuesday night’s meeting.
Much of the presentation focused on accommodating future growth and the potential for road expansion. Boardman’s population was 3,828 in the 2020 census, up from 2,855 in the 2000 census, a growth of 34.08%. The Boardman Chamber of Commerce lists the current population at 4,494.
The TSP also addresses nonmotorized transportation, incorporating designs for main roads that include built-in bike lanes, as well as multi-use pathways.
Hughart’s also addressed the Interstate 84 interchange with Main Street, describing a “plan within a plan” to update the 2009 Interchange Area Management Plan (IAMP) to address increased capacity at that intersection.
“That IAMP update is identified as a near-term priority funding project for the city,” Hughart said. “And at some point they will undertake a revision of that interchange plan, and the product of that planning effort will decide what to do with the I-84/Main Street interchange.”
He noted that the update could involve a reconfigured or modernized interchange, or something in between. He explained that consultants felt the interchange required a more focused effort than could be accomplished within the TSP’s time and budget constraints, thus the need for the IAMP.
“It’s really the main door to Boardman for a lot of people,” he added.
The plan categorized projects from financially feasible in the near future to more “aspirational” goals.
McLane clarified to the council that their approval of the TSP does not guarantee all listed projects will be completed.
“It is what we think we’re going to do, it’s what we want to do, and it’s what we hope we get the ability to do,“ McLane said, adding that the TSP will likely return to the council for an update within the next five to seven years.
There is a requirement of Morrow County to co-adopt, something that is currently delayed until next year.
A copy of the TSP is available on the city of Boardman’s website in the packet for the Nov. 18 special meeting.
Main photo of Interstate 84/Main Street interchange. Photo below of potential projects outlined in presentation. Both photos are from Tuesday’s presentation
