PORT ANGELES — The city of Port Angeles Waterfront & Transportation Improvement Plan received an award for outstanding achievement from the American Planning Association and the Planning Association of Washington last week.

The award, one of a handful issued annually, was presented to city representatives at the 2011 Joint APA Washington-Oregon planning conference in Portland, Ore., on Friday, said Teresa Pierce, city spokeswoman.

Representatives from the APA are expected to visit Port Angeles to present the award formally at an upcoming City Council meeting, she said.

Since the waterfront plan was adopted by the City Council in February, designs have been produced in phases, from the westernmost section of the plan area at the Valley Creek Estuary to the easternmost portion at Hollywood Beach.

Consultants and staff plan to have completed drawings for an esplanade and street improvements along Railroad Avenue from the Coho ferry terminal west before the end of the year.

Another portion of the plan involving directional “wayfinding” signs is under way, with a set of prototype signs now installed in various locations downtown.

The plan is expected to cost the city $1.7 million to develop.

It is funded through the economic development and lodging tax funds.

Nathan West, city economic and community development director, said he is requesting $500,000 from the $3.5 million economic development fund to begin construction of an esplanade, a portion of the waterfront plan.

The esplanade is budgeted at $1.9 million, and West said the city would need to receive grant funding to cover the additional cost and break ground.

The total plan would cost about $17 million to implement.

“This award would not have been possible without the strong engagement that we had from the community and the strong commitment from the consulting team led by Studio Cascade,” said City Manager Kent Myers.

Residents took part in workshops and community meetings on the plan in 2010, with the involvement of the PA Forward advisory committee.

A consultant team led by Spokane-based Studio Cascade, with LMN Architects and HBB Landscape Architecture of Seattle, as well as the local engineering firm Zenovic & Associates, developed the plans.

More information about the plan is available at www.cityofpa.us or at www.pa-waterfront.org.