A committee that controls regional transportation spending today approved $1.47 million to study the best ways to improve access in the Oregon 99W/Southwest Barbur Boulevard area and a north-south corridor in eastern Multnomah County.
The corridor studies will recommend improvements to improve public transit, safety, freight and other transportation issues – but will first examine a range of community needs. Members of Metro's Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation praised the proposals for their intent to first understand the land uses in the corridor areas and look at all methods of transportation as potential solutions.
Boosting public transit service on the routes is just one of many potential outcomes for these plans, said Metro Councilor Carlotta Collette, chair of the committee. "We'll be doing everything we can do along the corridor."
Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder urged a look at interim solutions, such as improved bus service, that could speed up dense development in the southwest corridor. The study's schedule says a new light rail line or bus rapid transit line could be completed there by 2022, he said.
"A 12-year timeframe seems like a long time," Burkholder said.
Tigard Mayor Craig Dirksen agreed, saying "If the transit portion of this is going to be long term, then the land use will be as well."
The East Metro Corridor Refinement Plan was initially called a study of Interstate 84-Highway 26 connections, said Tony Mendoza, Metro project manager. But the cities in the area didn't want "just a highway plan," so the name was changed and the scope includes land use considerations.
The East Metro study encompasses a wide area, bounded by 181st Avenue on the west, 257th Avenue on the east, Interstate 84 on the north and Highway 26 on the south.
"We're not just looking at one route, but lots of routes," said Troutdale Mayor Jim Kight. "All of the cities are committed to making improvements."
The $1.47 million in federal money helps start the planning process, which will take 18 months for the East Metro corridor and several years for the Southwest Corridor. Local agencies are supplementing the federal money the committee approved. More funding will likely be necessary to finish the planning efforts.
On other topics today, the committee:
- Reviewed plans for a task force that will advise on how to spend $20-24 million in Regional Flexible Funds. Collette asked JPACT members to send their suggestions to her or Metro staff by Friday afternoon.
- Heard an update on plans for a $3.6 billion Columbia River Crossing project, a replacement for the Interstate 5 bridge over the Columbia River. A consensus has emerged backing a 10-lane bridge rather than a 12-lane option; a new plan for a Hayden Island interchange would intrude less on the existing the neighborhood; toll rates for the bridge remain an open question for policymakers to decide.
- Approved a change to plans for Southeast Harmony Road and Southeast 82nd Avenue area near Clackamas Town Center. An initial plan was to spend $1.5 million on an engineering study to eventually widen the road from three lanes to five lanes. But area neighborhoods objected to the widening. So the plan approved today will use the money to improve traffic signals, add street lighting, and build new sidewalks near the mall and on Harmony Road near the North Clackamas Aquatic Park.
JPACT is a 17-member committee of elected officials and representatives of agencies involved in transportation that make recommendations to the Metro Council on transportation needs. Metro Council must approve but cannot amend JPACT decisions.