Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program

The Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program (NTCP) is designed to make Washougal's residential streets safer, calmer, and more welcoming for everyone.

Whether you're walking your dog, biking with your kids, or simply driving through your neighborhood, the NTCP is about improving safety, reducing speeding, and enhancing the overall quality of life in Washougal’s neighborhoods.

Why a Traffic Calming Program?

In response to growing concerns about speeding, cut-through traffic, and unsafe driving in residential areas, the City’s Engineering Department created the NTCP to provide a structured, community-centered approach to solving these issues.

Traffic calming isn’t just about slowing cars down — it’s about building stronger, healthier, and more connected neighborhoods. According to the Federal Highway Administration, traffic calming can significantly reduce vehicle speeds and volumes, leading to fewer and less severe crashes and better conditions for people walking and biking.

How It Works

The NTCP gives residents the tools to work with the City to address traffic safety concerns on local streets. Here’s how the process works:

1. Submit a Request
   Residents can submit a traffic calming request using the online form below. Each submission is reviewed by City staff and evaluated using a data-driven scoring system.

2. Evaluation & Prioritization
   Requests are scored based on factors such as traffic speed and volume, accident history, pedestrian activity, and other criteria. Projects that meet the criteria are prioritized for implementation based on need and available funding.

   • ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS & PROCESS PROCEDURES coming soon

3. Design & Implementation
   If a location is selected as an official NTCP project, the City may implement a range of traffic calming solutions, including:

   • Non-Physical Measures: speed enforcement, signage, striping, education/outreach
   • Vertical Design Elements: speed cushions, speed tables, raised intersection, raised crosswalk
   • Horizontal Design Elements: chokers, curb extensions, median islands, chicanes, entry treatments, lateral shift, on street parking
   • Intersection Modifications: traffic circles, roundabout, partial closure, diagonal diverter, median barrier, re-aligned intersection

4. Follow-Up & Evaluation
   Six to twelve months after installation, City staff will collect follow-up traffic data to compare results with the baseline. A “Before and After” report will summarize the findings, and adjustments may be made to improve effectiveness.