How Sammamish Moves: The basics of transportation planning

The guiding document is the Sammamish Transportation Master Plan (TMP) which provides transportation goals, policies, and implementation strategies over a 20-year period. The City also develops mode-specific plans that complement the TMP such as the Bicycle and Pedestrian Mobility Plan and the Transit Plan.

The City’s Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) is the framework for how projects are evaluated and considered for programming over a six-year period. The projects that are considered align with City goals and policies and are typically identified in long range plans through maintenance analysis and through community feedback. In 2025, the TIP will be incorporated into the Capital Improvement Plan which is the City’s comprehensive mechanism for planning projects that add or restore City infrastructure. 

Furthermore, each new development project is evaluated for impacts to safety and multimodal travel, including vehicular traffic. Developers are responsible for building the new infrastructure associated with their development, as well as mitigating any impacts.

Since its incorporation from King County in 1999, Sammamish has grown from a population of less than 30,000 to a population of over 65,000. Some of Sammamish’s transportation challenges include a relatively unconnected street system, limited transit service, and a topography that makes active modes of transportation difficult for many users. These conditions existed prior to the City’s incorporation.

Through long-range planning, thoughtful prioritizing and budgeting, and ongoing analysis of development impacts, Sammamish is able to shape a transportation system that is accessible, connected, and equitably accessible to various modes of travel, including walking, biking, public transit, and driving.

Learn more about how the City keeps a growing community moving by going to

www.sammamish.us/TransportationPlanning