SE First Street Improvement Project

Improvements to Southeast First Street, from 162nd Avenue to 192nd Avenue, added sidewalks, bike facilities, stormwater bio-retention, streetlights, and sound walls where required. Upgrades enhanced safety, increased capacity, improved the road surface, and increased connectivity for homeowners, employees, and businesses along the corridor.

177th Avenue to 192nd Avenue

We upgraded Southeast First Street, from Southeast 177th Avenue to 192nd Avenue, to an urban street system. Street improvements included pavement widening, sidewalks, curbs, bike facilities, streetlights, stormwater drainage, and street resurfacing, striping, and signage.

New street elements

  • Extension of corridor enhancements completed to the west. 
  • The new corridor will be a three-lane street, with one lane of traffic in each direction and a center turn lane in areas to help vehicles turn across the street. 
  • New elements include safety enhancements, including multimodal travel options using buffered/protected pedestrian and cyclist facilities.
  • A new roundabout will be built at Southeast First Street and Southeast 184th Avenue.
  • A new traffic signal will be installed at Southeast First Street and Southeast 190th Avenue/Home Depot business complex entrance.

164th Avenue to 177th Avenue

Completed in 2023 (first phase)

Construction is complete on the first phase. Southeast First Street was originally a rural two-lane, farm-to-market roadway. Work upgraded the street to meet urban standards

Project Funding

Design and environmental work for this project received $1.6 million of funding in federal grants and about $700,000 in matching City funds. Federal grants were awarded through the Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council (RTC) under the federal Surface Transportation Program. RTC awarded the project another $1.9 million to assist with construction. In December 2018, a $3 million grant was awarded to the project by the state Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) to help fund construction of the western segment of the project, between Southeast 164th and 177th avenues.

The City was awarded a $2 million Urban Arterial Program grant by the state Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) to help fund construction of improvements on the eastern segment of the 1st Street Improvement Project. Vancouver’s six-year Transportation Improvement Program anticipates utilizing some Street Funding Strategy revenues as leverage or match to secure additional grants for construction.

Project Background

The Southeast First Street Improvement Project was identified and listed in the City’s annual Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) since the area was annexed. It was identified as a priority improvement in the Section 30 Subarea Plan (2009).

177th Avenue to 192nd Avenue: Second Phase Background

Design plans for the eastern phase of this project were completed as part of the development agreements of adjacent private property. State and federal funding were allocated for this project, including a TIB grant. The $2 million TIB grant supports the construction of this segment, which began in 2024. Federal funding requires that all right-of-way acquisition strictly comply with laws/regulations that provide for uniform and equitable treatment for persons whose property is acquired for public use.

164th Avenue to 177th Avenue: First Phase Background

Construction started in early January 2022 and was completed in 2023. Construction of this first segment was funded by federal grants awarded through the RTC, an earlier state TIB grant, and matching local funds provided by the City’s Street Funding Strategy revenues.