MEMORANDUM Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan Technical Memorandum No. 3: Congestion Mitigation and Safety Toolkit and Analysis
PREPARED FOR: Terra Lingley/Oregon Department of Transportation
PREPARED BY: Kirsten Pennington/WSP Kate Drennan/CH2M Ray Delahanty/DKS Associates Owen Ronchelli/Rick Williams Consulting
DATE: August 10, 2018 Introduction and Context This technical memorandum includes potential mitigation techniques and strategies to address safety, congestion, and user experience issues along the Historic Columbia River Highway between Portland Women’s Forum and Ainsworth State Park. The information in this memo builds upon previous work for the Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan, known as the Plan. Earlier memos introduced the Plan’s vision, goals, and evaluation criteria, and documented existing conditions in the corridor and study area. Although the mitigation strategies presented in this memo focus on a specific segment of the Historic Highway for this planning effort, agencies can use the information in this memo to extrapolate solutions for other areas in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area experiencing similar crowding and congestion conditions. This memo has three sections: • Section 1: The first section summarizes data collected on the Historic Highway, including key findings and critical issues that are contributing to congestion issues and poor user experience. • Section 2: The second section introduces three scenarios to address congestion and safety within the corridor. Each scenario includes a different mix of projects, strategies, and programs (tools for implementation). The project team created the scenarios to represent packages of potential solutions. Scenario 1 continues the programs and policies that operate today. Scenarios 2 and 3 include a shared set of baseline tools, with one scenario focused more heavily on parking management and another focused on transit expansion and a change in roadway operations. The project team will conduct a technical analysis (analyze the scenarios by applying the evaluation criteria) to learn about the scenarios’ benefits and impacts, and will test the scenarios and their components with the public through an online open house and in-person event in May 2018. • Section 3: The third section is a toolkit that includes profiles of a wide range of tools and strategies used across the country to address congestion. The cut sheets provide descriptions, context, and considerations for each tool. Only the tools that are most applicable and implementable in the Historic Highway, and that most directly address the critical issues, have been included in the draft scenarios.
TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS 1 TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS
The public provided input on potential tools in February 2018. The Project Leadership Team reviewed the tools, proposed scenarios, and recommended preferred tools and scenarios for tradeoff consideration and evaluation. In Technical Memorandum 4, the project management team will analyze the draft scenarios (comprising solutions and tools) to further evaluate the extent to which the different scenarios achieve the vision, goals, and evaluation criteria for the Plan. During the May 2018 online and in-person open houses, the public will have an opportunity to weigh in on the draft scenarios and prioritize the criteria they most value. In fall 2018, stakeholders will have an opportunity to provide comments on the recommendations and action plan.
2 TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS 1 – Key Findings Related to the Historic Highway Technical Memorandum 2 – Existing Conditions (March, 2018) accessible at www.oregon.gov identified key findings from a review of the policy and regulatory context; recreational trends; vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian access and volumes; transit and parking utilization; and other subjects for the study area (Historic Highway from Portland Women’s Forum to Exit 35). Key among the findings is that millions of visitors recreate in the Columbia River Gorge annually, and that number is expected to continue to grow each year. The growth will bring additional pressure to roadway and parking infrastructure that is already at capacity during peak periods. The key findings reveal a number of critical issues and hot spots that affect roadway operations and the experience of traveling on the Historic Highway. The list of critical issues below is not exhaustive, but includes issues that contribute the most to congestion and safety issues along the Historic Highway and to diminishing the quality of experience for visitors and residents. The tools recommended in the scenarios respond to these critical issues. More detail on each of these key findings is included in Technical Memorandum 2 – Existing Conditions (March, 2018) accessible at www.oregon.gov. Congestion building from parking maneuvers As visitors seek parking, drivers often idle in travel lanes waiting for a spot on the shoulder of the Historic Highway or in a parking lot. Drivers may also stop lane movements through parallel parking maneuvers or by making three-point turns to park on the opposite side of the road. With single lanes in each direction, any maneuver that stops vehicles in lanes creates delay that compounds for the vehicles behind it, causing congestion throughout the corridor at peak times. Figure 1 Parking maneuvers along the shoulder cause backups on the Pedestrians crossing the Historic Highway Historic Highway cause vehicle delay Nearly all vehicle traffic delay within the Study Area occurs between Bridal Veil Road and Ainsworth State Park. The delay is centered on the Multnomah Falls Historic Highway parking lot. On a typical summer weekend, between 1,000 and 1,600 people per hour use the uncontrolled, painted crosswalk as well as the entire frontage of the lodge. This number exceeds nearly any crossing in the state of Oregon, including Downtown Portland. In addition, many pedestrians do not cross at the marked crosswalk and instead use the entire frontage of the lodge and parking lots. The uncontrolled and continuous stream of pedestrians affects both turning and through-vehicle movements, causing delay and long queues in the vicinity. Parking capacity and turnover rates Parking lots along the Historic Highway are limited, fill early, and remain at capacity throughout most of the day during peak season. Turnover rates vary, with average length of stay between 37 minutes and 2 hours and 30 minutes. At Multnomah Falls, on average there is one parking spot available every 90 seconds, which contributes to idling in the parking lot and backups on the Historic Highway from waiting vehicles.
TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS 3 TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS Higher demand to access the corridor Increased regional population and employment growth, low fuel prices, and increasing awareness of the Pacific Northwest as a tourist destination have led to growing interest in Columbia River Gorge scenic/recreational sites and activities. Traffic volumes increased 50 percent in the last 5 years. Bicycle access and safety The Historic Highway and State Trail is a popular recreational destination for bicyclists. Data collected last summer indicates that there are higher volumes eastbound and that peak earlier in the day. Vo lumes at Figure 2 Characteristics of popular parking areas along the Historic Highway Multnomah Falls are much lower, indicating a preference for other connecting roads, such as Larch Mountain or others. Cyclists are often stuck in the same vehicle congestion as drivers without the ability to pass on the Historic Highway due to narrow travel lanes and shoulders, especially at constrained areas such as the Multnomah Falls Viaducts. Existing transit service cannot keep up with demand The introduction of the Columbia Gorge Express created the first public transit option from the Portland Metro area to Multnomah Falls and Rooster Rock. The 2016 pilot season exceeded ridership expectations, and the 2017 season was on track to exceed 2016 before the Eagle Creek fires prompted service cancellation. On-board surveys found that the Columbia Gorge Express is used by both tourists and local residents. While a high percentage of the transit riders originated from Portland hotels and short-term rentals, many locally-based riders who lack access to a vehicle also took advantage of the service. Both user groups reported high satisfaction rates. As popularity for the services grows, there is an increasing demand to expand service hours and destinations. Large vehicles issues Large vehicles such as commercial buses and recreational vehicles traveling on the narrow roadway can crowd other users. This can include bicyclists or pedestrians walking along the roadway, or vehicles traveling in the opposite lane. Tour bus operators have observed issues particularly when two large vehicles meet at pinch points on the roadway, such as the viaducts near Multnomah Falls. In some places, including the Multnomah Falls viaducts, the lanes are just 9 feet wide.
4 TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS Negative user experience Congestion and long travel times on the Historic Highway create frustration for both visitors and residents. The perception of crowded conditions, lengthy travel times, and lack of information are the top reasons some people choose not to visit1. Impacts to environment The Historic Highway is a unique National Historic Landmark. Congested roadways, spillover parking, and queueing vehicles create environmental impacts to the Historic Landmark and adjacent Scenic Area. In addition, these create livability impacts to nearby residents. Pollution, noise, and parking in non-designated parking areas may impact the natural, cultural, and recreational resources. Spillover parking constricts narrow travel lanes, forces visitors to walk in these narrow travel lanes, and may negatively impact the setting they are seeking when they visit the Historic landmark. Additional information about parking impacts is included in Technical Memorandum 2 – Exisitng Conditions (March, 2018) accessible at www.oregon.gov. Trespassing, littering, and delays also affect the people who live along the Historic Highway.
Figure 3 Congestion on the Historic Highway and spillover parking on shoulders create visual and safety impacts to the Historic Landmark and Scenic Area
1 Travel Oregon. 2015. Columbia River Gorge Visitor Opportunities Survey. Available at http://industry.traveloregon.com/content/uploads/2015/08/Travel-Oregon-Survey-Report-1-19-2015-1.pdf
TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS 5 TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS 2 – Draft Scenarios for Evaluation The team extensively reviewed congestion mitigation and safety management tool options and their applicability for the Historic Highway. Section 4 profiles the full set of potential tools the team considered. The consultant team, with input from the project management team, partnering agencies, and participants at the stakeholder workshop, narrowed the set of tools to include in each scenario. The included tools were determined to be the most appropriate for the key issues contributing to congestion, safety issues, and poor user experience. In addition, tools were included in the scenarios because they best fit the context of the Historic Highway – including significant topographical, historical, and regulatory limitations. The scenarios represent packages of tools as potential solutions and are not intended to be considered as the only solutions. In Technical Memorandum 4, the project team will evaluate the scenarios by applying evaluation criteria based on the plan goals and criterion. The evaluation will illustrate the benefits and impacts of each scenario and provide a framework for gathering feedback from the public on preferred tools and solutions. The scenarios will not preclude strategies that ODOT and partners are piloting for the reopening of the Historic Highway post-Eagle Creek fires. The final project recommendations will likely include a combination of tools from multiple scenarios. The following three draft scenarios represent different potential management approaches to the Historic Highway. Scenario 1 is a continuation of the policies and programs that agency partners currently implement, and the team included it to provide contrast between the current management and the two potential future scenarios. Scenarios 2 and 3 each share a set of baseline tools, with differing emphasis on tools focused on managing parking or expanding transit. Scenarios 2 and 3 have two phases, with the latter phase representing a greater level of investment or intervention associated with the scenario tools (Figure 1). Table 1 includes a matrix of the tools included in the toolkit in Appendix A, which tools fall into each scenario, and which tools are not appropriate in the Plan study area. This memo refers to tools by the toolkit page number (A-X). Scenario 1 – Continue Present Programs and Policies Scenario 1 maintains the current programming approach and assumes all activities and programs that agency partners administer today will continue to operate in the future. Today, the Oregon Department of Transportation, the U.S. Forest Service, Multnomah County, Oregon Parks and Recreation, and Friends of the Columbia River Gorge collaborate to manage visitors to the Historic Highway through the following programs: • Columbia Gorge Express Public Transit/Shuttle operations. Continue Figure 4 Riders board the Columbia Gorge Express in its inaugural transit service with stops at the season Gateway Transit Center, Rooster Rock, and Multnomah Falls (A-12). Implement planned Columbia Gorge Express expansion plans to add weekday service and service extensions to Hood River and Cascade Locks with the potential to add new transit stops in the future (A-10). Continue to allow on-line ticket purchases and online transit tracker ability (A-8, A-14). Continue to allow commercial tour bus use to shift visitor trips from single occupant vehicles to larger capacity vehicles (A-30).
6 TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS
• I-84/Exit 31 Multnomah Falls Control Gate Access. Continue access gate operation at Multnomah Falls parking off Interstate-84 when the lot has reached capacity. Continue staffing the westbound entrance to close the I-84 lot when the eastbound gates are closed to reduce potential queues on I-84 (A-4, A-15, A-19). • Real-time Roadway Information. Continue using variable messaging signs on I-84 to alert travelers to full parking areas, crashes, construction, or other roadway information that may affect their trip (A-7, A-22). Continue providing lot capacity information and the I-84 lot camera on www.tripcheck.com. A new sign installed at Multnomah Falls will allow increased flexibility in messaging. • Travel Information. Work with partners to continue and enhance “Ready, Set, GOrge” campaign to provide travel information to Figure 5 Variable messaging signs provide information to visitors, including up-to-date maps, pamphlets, travelers on I-84 website, and other travel information (A-31). • Volunteer Parking Assistance and Information. Partner with volunteers such as the Corbett Safety Committee, as appropriate, to provide visitor and parking assistance information. (A-11) • Multimodal Access. Continue to promote transit, bicycling, and other modes of transportation. Provide access to scenic attractions through bicycle parking at established lots near trails and landmarks (A-21). Establish bike hubs in the Gorge, towns to trails, and other programs to enhance multimodal access. Baseline Tools for Scenarios 2 and 3 Some lower-cost, near-term projects and programs could be implemented, regardless of implementation of other higher-cost projects. Some baseline tools, such as data collection and monitoring, are necessary for implementing other tools in the scenario. Baseline tools most often apply to the whole corridor, with a focus on providing information (for example, travel options brochures, web applications, variable message signs) and collecting data (using traffic cameras to monitor parking or roadway segments). The baseline also includes tools to encourage parking compliance (additional paint delineation and signage), including enforcement. Finally, the baseline tools address known challenges generated by the presence of large vehicles operating on the viaducts by restricting where large vehicles can operate on the Historic Highway. The solutions included in the baseline include the following: • Parking enforcement. Continue and expand enforcement of restricted parking areas. Enforce proposed paid parking approach (A-15, A-19). • “Ready, Set, GOrge” coordination and brochure with travel options, environmental, and cultural information. Continue a shared marketing strategy with “Ready, Set, GOrge” to inform users of new travel options and parking requirements (A-31). Support and raise awareness of existing tour bus operators and promoting bicycle and pedestrian travel (A-26, A-29, A-30). • Variable message signs on I-84 with Historic Highway “roadway conditions” information. Deploy variable message signs on I-84 to warn travelers about trail closures, lane closures, heavy congestion, or full parking areas. Variable message signs should be located at decision points where drivers might exit I-84 to access the Historic Highway (A-7).
TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS 7 TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS
• New or enhanced Gorge or Historic Highway app with travel options and real-time roadway conditions information. Create a one-stop data app to host information about travel options, describe current conditions, allow users to make parking reservations, and discover best times to visit popular attractions prior to arriving in the Gorge/Historic Highway corridor.(A-3, A-27) • Traffic cameras to monitor/gather Historic Highway segment data. Install traffic cameras near Vista House, within the Waterfall Zone, and near Ainsworth to capture vehicle volumes and discern how many vehicles drive the entire corridor (A-22). • Traffic cameras to monitor/gather parking capacity data. Install traffic cameras at the Multnomah Falls Historic Highway parking lot and at Wahkeena Falls to monitor and collect information on parking utilization. (A-6) • Utilize existing ODOT data portal to push travel information to connected vehicles. Create app interoperability. Share information on travel conditions and alternatives via connected vehicles wirelessly connected cloud computing. • Transportation Management Association. Pursue formation of a Transportation Management Association. A Transportation Management Association is a non-profit, member-controlled organization that provides transportation services in an area. (A-35) • Enforcement of shoulder parking violations. Expand parking enforcement in coordination with signage and striping that formalizes where parking is and is not permitted on shoulders. (A-19) • Painting shoulder for delineation. Strongly delineate parallel, head-in, or angle parking where appropriate through striping and pavement markings. • “No parking” signs where applicable. Install signs where new restrictions are implemented. • Large-vehicle restrictions between Bridal Veil and Ainsworth State Park. Remove conditions where large vehicles traveling in opposite directions cannot pass on the roadway, including the narrow viaducts east and west of Multnomah Falls, to improve safety and mobility. (A-24) • Add gates on the westbound Multnomah Falls Entrance at I-84 exit 31. Adding gates would help reduce congestion-related backups onto I-84 for the westbound entrance to the I-84 Multnomah Falls Lot. (A-4)
8 TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS Scenario 2 – Focus on Parking Strategies Scenario 2 focuses on addressing safety, congestion, and user frustration generated by parking-related delay issues at Adaptive Management Techniques parking lots, and delays along the roadway from pedestrians crossing the Historic Highway at Multnomah Falls and other Adaptive management refers to a high-traffic areas. Scenario 2 solutions build on the baseline process where an approach changes to include the following: by modifying tools, strategies, or • Traffic control at Multnomah Falls. In Scenario 2, traffic technology once a certain flaggers help control pedestrian crossings and vehicle performance threshold is met to movements on the Historic Highway at Multnomah Falls ensure that the solutions produce the during busy, seasonal weekends. When the need for desired results. flaggers on weekends exceeds spring and summer The scenarios described in this seasonal peaks, the State traffic engineer will investigate memorandum apply adaptive the addition of traffic control at the Multnomah Falls management to strategies for area. A concurrent Federal Highway Administration roadway crossing management at study is evaluating alternatives for Multnomah Falls Multnomah Falls, for parking, for Lodge pedestrian access and circulation. (A-11) transit expansion, and for roadway • Priced parking. To address congestion and user operational changes. The team will frustration from low parking turnover rates, Scenario 2 develop these thresholds more fully introduces priced parking for each of the study area in Technical Memorandum #5 parking lots: Portland Women’s Forum, Vista House, (Implementation Strategies). Bridal Veil State Park, Latourell Falls, Wahkeena Falls, Multnomah Falls I-84 lot, Oneonta Gorge, Horsetail Falls, Angels Rest, and Ainsworth State Park. Parking Manage Roadway Crossing at prices could vary based on location, season, and time of Multnomah Falls day. For example, parking could be more expensive on a • Stage 1: Use traffic flaggers on summer Saturday than a fall weekday. (A-28) The peak season weekends revenues from parking could be managed by the Draft Threshold: Annual flagger Tranpsortation Management Association (A-35) in the costs exceed 1/10th cost of stop baseline for both scenarios, and reinvest the receipts control solution into transit and other upgrades along the corridor. • Stage 2: State engineer studies and recommends stop control solution for crossing
TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS 9 TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS Scenario 3 – Focus on Transit Strategies Scenario 3 focuses on addressing congestion and safety issues through operational changes to the roadway, Adaptive Management Techniques, reallocation of space within the existing right-of-way, Continued investment in transit improvements, and the introduction of a circulator shuttle. Scenario 3 solutions beyond the baseline include the following: Transit Expansion • Stage 1: Expand Columbia Gorge • West-bound lane closure in the waterfall zone. ODOT is Express transit frequencies; exploring piloting one-way operations within the introduce shuttle on the Historic Waterfall Zone. Roadway operations change east of the Highway last residence on the Historic Highway to limit impacts to residents. ODOT will monitor roadway operations and Draft Threshold: transit loads are travel times, comparing them to typical, two-way more than 80% full for 50% of conditions. If the one-way operations result in service hours significant improvements to the roadway operation with • Stage 2: Increase transit less delay, reliable travel times, and fewer conflicts, the frequencies (for bus and shuttle) threshold would be met and the following project would during peak service hours be considered: moving to a permanent, one-way operation within the Waterfall Zone on the Historic Highway. Once implemented as a one-way roadway, Roadway Operations ODOT could expand or improve safety and access for • Stage 1: Pilot lane-closure to bicycles or pedestrians walking along the roadway create a one-way roadway within between trailheads by using the space from the the Waterfall Zone repurposed lane to restripe the fog lines, creating wider shoulders. (A-2, A-17, A-18) Draft Threshold: Pilot demonstrates a decrease in • Circulator shuttle. Scenario 3 projects include transit congestion and improvement in improvements and the introduction of a circulator travel times by 20% or more, shuttle that carries users between park-and-ride and/or demonstrates safety locations, trailheads, and other scenic destinations. improvements for other travel When ridership reaches a certain threshold, additional modes (pedestrians and bicycles) improvements would include increased frequencies for shuttles, satellite parking lots for park-and-ride shuttle • Stage 2: Move toward permanent service, and the introduction of mobility hubs. Satellite one-way operation change within parking lots could use under-utilized parking areas such Waterfall Zone segment as Troutdale Outlet Mall, Corbett Elementary School, Bridal Veil Mill Site, Ainsworth interchange, Cascade Locks Elementary School, Cascade Locks Marine Park, or others. (A-9, A-10, A-12, A-25)
10 TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS
Figure 6 Key Issues and Scenarios
TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS 11 TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS
Table 1 Tool Considerations for Scenarios
Included in Toolkit scenario Which Page Tool (Y/N) Scenario Considerations
A-1 Limited Access- N NA Data collection determined that vehicle volumes Only Lanes at were not the primary contributing factor for Entrance congestion. However, this tool could be incorporated into a limited access scenario where the Historic Highway would be closed to all vehicles except shuttle, ADA pass holders, staff, emergency services, residents, and tour buses.
A-2 Expand or Y 3 One-way operation would allow for wider Improve shoulders that can be used by bicycles and Bike/Ped pedestrians. Design would need to address Facilities potential bicycle and pedestrian conflicts.
A-3 511 Traveler Y Baseline The app would incorporate existing real-time Information (2, 3) information through ODOT TripCheck, with other Number information such as advice on visiting on off-peak days and hours, less-visited destination, travel options, information about parking, and other information.
A-4 Automated Gate Y All – Automated gate access would continue for Access (Baseline Multnomah Falls access control off I-84. In a 2, 3) future limited access scenario, an automatic gate could be used to manage access to the Historic Highway.
A-5 Entrance Fees N NA Fees are proposed to focus on parking lots, not and Transit Fees access to the Historic Highway to address issues Pre-payment related to parking access and usage.
A-6 Closed-Circuit Y Baseline Cameras would monitor parking utilization and Cameras (2, 3) roadway operations.
A-7 Dynamic and Y All – Included and expanded in each scenario to Variable Message (Baseline provide real-time information on parking Signs 2, 3) capacity, closures, fees or other information.
A-8 Electronic Fare Y 1, 3 Columbia Gorge Express would continue to allow Payment System online ticket purchase. Shuttles (scenario 3) could also allow efare.
A-9 Provide Transit Y 3 Proposed to operate on the Historic Highway. and Shuttle Services
A-10 Add Capacity to Y 1, 3 Under current operation, the Columbia Gorge the Existing Express already increases capacity on peak Transit System weekends. Introducing a shuttle to the Historic Highway would add transit capacity.
A-11 Traffic Flagger at Y 1, 2 Proposed to continue in scenario 1, and expand Busy Pedestrian in scenario 2. Locations
12 TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS
Included in Toolkit scenario Which Page Tool (Y/N) Scenario Considerations
A-12 Expanded Park- Y 1, 3 Columbia Gorge Express would continue to use and-Ride Rooster Rock as a park and ride. Scenario 3 Facilities and proposes exploring park and ride locations in Agreements to neighboring communities, including in Troutdale, Use Satellite Lots Corbett, Bridal Veil, Ainsworth, and Cascade Locks for shuttles.
A-13 User-Generated N NA Cameras could be used to monitor parking Parking utilization and capacity. Installation of parking Information sensors or utilizing blue tooth would be higher cost and potentially less robust than more traditional means of parking monitoring.
A-14 Transit Y 1 Columbia Gorge Express currently uses a transit Technology tracker app. A future shuttle service could do the same.
A-15 Traffic Y All Enforcement is proposed to continue and be Enforcement and expanded as funding is available. Management
A-16 Incident N NA Crashes are low and incidents are not a large Management source of delay or congestion. Emergency management remains a priority.
A-17 Lane Separation Y 3 Lane removal and one-way operations may and Delineation require removal of the center yellow stripe and restriping the white line along the shoulder.
A-18 Traffic Circulation Y 3 Scenario 3 includes a lane removal and transition Changes (Shift to to one-way operations. One-Way)
A-19 Parking Y All – All scenarios include some form of parking Management (Baseline management, including: enforcement, signs and Parking Area 2, 3) demarcating 'no parking', parking reservations, Improvements paid parking, and some removal of parking for shuttle stops.
A-20 Roadway N NA Limited right of way and not determined to Pullouts for address primary congestion or safety issues. Transit
A-21 Signage and Y All Wayfinding exists and could be expanded to Wayfinding include information for new Historic Highway features such as shuttle stops, expanded 'no- parking' signs, or distance to start of one-way operational change. Signs would be consistent with design guidelines for the NSA.
A-22 Traffic Y All – Currently Automatic Traffic Recorder data is Monitoring, Data (Baseline reported. Baseline tools call for tube counts, Collection, and 2, 3) cameras, and origin-destination traffic data. Analysis
TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS 13 TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS
Included in Toolkit scenario Which Page Tool (Y/N) Scenario Considerations
A-23 Reserved Parking N NA Reservations could be confusing at some lots if Stalls most lots are priced. Could be used as an interim while policy and other constraints for charging for parking delay that ability in some locations.
A-24 Vehicle Use Y Baseline Oversized vehicle restrictions for large Restrictions (2, 3) recreational vehicles/vehicles towing items, or large buses within the Waterfall Zone. Exceptions could be made for transit/ tour buses with professionally licensed drivers.
A-25 Shuttles to Y 3 Proposed to serve the entire study area corridor, Provide Access to operating between park and ride lots. and from Satellite Parking Lots
A-26 Tour Promotion Y Baseline Included in the baseline tools for scenarios 2 and (2, 3) 3, including piggybacking on "Ready, Set, GOrge".
A-27 Media, Social Y Baseline Included in the baseline tools for scenarios 2 and Media, and Apps (2, 3) 3.
A-28 Parking fees Y 2 Paid parking at parking lots within the study corridor.
A-29 Promoting Y Baseline Included in the baseline tools for scenarios 2 and Bicycle and (2, 3) 3. Could include car free itineraries, encourage Pedestrian Travel exploration by bike, promotional days that encourage a ride.
A-30 Tour Bus Use Y All – Continue current programming allowing private (Baseline tour bus operators. 2, 3)
A-31 Traveler Y All – Continue current Variable Message Sign, ODOT Information (Baseline TripCheck and other travel information. Build on 2, 3) programming through media, apps, etc.
A-32 Multiuse Path N NA Right of way limitations
A-33 Real Time N NA Other parking-related tools can be used to Parking achieve similar desired results with fewer Information, implementation hurdles. Hurdles include: User-Generated infrastructure costs to provide sensors is high; Parking Data, and user generated real-time info may be difficult Dynamic Parking Occupancy with limited cellular connectivity; and users may Counters not have apps downloaded to relay such information as one-time or infrequent visitors to the area.
A-34 Required Parking Y 2, 3 Baseline tools that can be used for staff or Permits for Users vendors who frequently park in paid lots. in Historic Highway Corridor
14 TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS
Included in Toolkit scenario Which Page Tool (Y/N) Scenario Considerations
A-35 Transportation Y Baseline Included in the baseline for scenarios 2 and 3 as Management (2, 3) an implementation mechanism. Association
Other tools without – – – – cutsheets
N/A Grade Separation N NA Site limitations for landings and visual impacts to at Multnomah the Historic Highway limit the ability to create Falls grade separation in the corridor.
N/A Use Volunteers Y All Continue current partnership with Corbett Safety to Share Visitor Committee or others to provide information and Information direction at attractions such as Vista House
N/A Bike Rentals N NA Would need to be initiated and operated by a private party.
N/A Time Base N NA Implement time-based parking reservations at Parking high-demand spots. Could be paid time-based Reservations parking.
N/A Time limited Y 2, 3 Paid parking would have upper time limits parking
TM 3 CONGESTION MITIGATION AND SAFETY TOOLKIT ANALYSIS 15 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Capacity Technology Mobility Improvement System Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway Limited access lanes on the Historic Highway would only be feasible under one-way operations. Circulators, shuttles, disabled users, or other user groups could use limited access-only lanes at the entrance to the Waterfall Zone for travel time savings and to prioritize vehicles with larger passenger loads. The limited access lanes could allow shuttle vehicles or other transit vehicles access to a site even if the parking lot has reached capacity. Figure 1. Limited access lanes can be used to improve access for staff, transit operators, or Considerations and Tradeoffs other user groups • Limited access-only lanes would prioritize access for transit vehicles or other vehicles with large passenger loads. Tool Name: • Limited access-only lanes could be used for other priority groups, such as employees, vendors, or persons with mobility Limited Access-Only Lanes at Entrance impairments. • Limited access-only lanes would require signage changes on I-84 Tool Description and Context and the Historic Highway to alert drivers to restrictions. These lanes would require vehicle turnaround points for restricted Only certain types of vehicles (for vehicles. example, vehicles used by employees, concessionaires, and pass holders, and Implementation Examples transit vehicles) could use a limited access lane. By removing this portion of vehicle • Grand Teton National Park has one lane dedicated for season pass traffic from the normal flow, visitors could holders and employees. have decreased delays, shorter queues, and • Yellowstone National Park has an employee-only entrance lane. possibly a better quality visitor experience. • Beaver Meadows at Rocky Mountain National Park entrance station has automated entry for annual pass holders, employees, and vendors. • Bryce Canyon National Park has an automated lane for employees, vendors, and transit vehicles.
A-1 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Mobility User Experience Improvement Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway Agencies can apply the tool on the Historic Highway throughout the corridor. In all scenarios and phases, agencies should evaluate pedestrian crossing patterns across the Historic Highway to determine safety improvements at locations where most people cross to access parking areas. In Scenario 3, a multiuse path could run the entire length of the restricted Historic Highway or just within the Waterfall Zone. Figure 2. Improved bicycle or pedestrian facilities can range from an expanded shoulder Considerations and Tradeoffs to a delineated path • Improved pedestrian and bicycle paths would increase safety for Tool Name: those who currently bicycle through the corridor or walk along the roadway to and from their vehicles or between falls. Expand or Improve Bicycle and • Bicycle paths would encourage more visitors to travel by bicycle. Pedestrian Facilities • Pedestrian paths would create a safer walking environment for those moving between future shuttle stops and sights. Tool Description and Context • Paths should incorporate Americans with Disabilities Act design at particular locations. Improving bicycle and pedestrian facilities can make travel by these modes more • Pedestrian and bicycle paths would create separation and attractive, while improving safety for reduce conflicts between roadway users. those who already travel the corridor on • Installation of pedestrian and bicycle paths require changes to bicycle, or walk along the roadway to access circulation patterns (conversion to one-way only) and shoulder recreational sites. Improvements for those parking restrictions for right-of-way space to delineate multiuse on foot could include marking continental path. crosswalks when deemed appropriate or • Topography and right-of-way may limit some application of the providing signage to alert motorists to tool. pedestrians. Painting shoulder fog lines could also help motorists to park entirely outside the travel lanes, which creates more Implementation Examples space for those walking or bicycling in the • Grand Teton National Park has more than 100 miles of paved roadway. roads and multiuse pathways for bicycling. Scenario 3 proposes circulation changes that • Valley Forge National Historical Park has more than 20 miles of create one lane with one-way traffic flow. bicycling trails. This change could allow for reallocation of • Cape Cod National Seashore provides miles of bicycling trails as the existing right-of-way. The extra space well as a bike shuttle. could accommodate a multiuse path on the Historic Highway, delineated with paint. The space could accommodate those walking and bicycling, and could be marked with stenciling to separate users. A-2 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Technology User Experience System Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway The information would cover events or attractions on the whole corridor and update 511 to include the Historic Highway in a menu of monitored roadways. Considerations and Tradeoffs • 511 Traveler Information would allow visitors to make more informed decisions about alternative modes, travel times, or Figure 3. ODOT could share information about locations to avoid congestion. the Historic Highway by making it a regularly • 511 Traveler Information could make information for the Historic monitored roadway in Oregon’s 511 system Highway difficult to find because its number, Highway 100, is not widely known. Tool Name: • The 511 Traveler Information Number may require static signing. 511 Traveler Information Number • Staff time and monitoring will be needed to maintain updated information. Tool Description and Context Implementation Examples 511 is the single travel information phone • The Montana Department of Transportation operates 511 number for states and local jurisdictions Montana, which includes information for Yellowstone National across the country. Oregon’s 511 system, Park and Glacier National Park. which is paired with the tripcheck.com • The Maine Department of Transportation operates 511 Maine, web resource, provides local traveler which includes information for Acadia National Park. information, such as road conditions, incidents, and alerts. While incidents and • The Arizona Department of Transportation operates 511 Arizona, alerts include the current closure of the which includes information for Grand Canyon National Park. Historic Highway, it is not regularly listed for updated roadway conditions.
A-3 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Technology Mobility System Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway The tool applies to corridor segments and could be executed at a designated entrance point to the Waterfall Zone, such as the intersection of Bridal Veil Road and the Historic Highway, and at Exit 35, to enforce certain vehicle restrictions. Considerations and Tradeoffs • Automated gates help to enforce vehicle restrictions. Figure 4. Gates can help enforce roadway • Automated gates allow usage data to be collected accurately and restrictions while also being lifted or opened automatically. during low-demand periods • Automated gates could keep gates in raised position during low- demand periods when restrictions may be lifted (for example, Tool Name: nights, off-season). Automated Gate Access Implementation Examples • Little River Canyon National Preserve uses an automated gate for Tool Description and Context visitors to access the Canyon Mouth Picnic Area. ODOT could install automated gates at • Grand Canyon National Park has a separate entrance lane for entrance stations in conjunction with visitors who have prepaid. limited-access-only lanes to allow staff, • Yellowstone National Park installed automated gates for transit or shuttle vehicles, residents, or employees and concessionaires. persons with disabilities to access restricted roadways.
A-4 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Technology User Experience System Transit Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway The fees could apply to specific attractions within the corridor, on a transit service (for example, shuttle or circulator) on the corridor, or to access the corridor when paired with entrance booths, stations, or gates (Tools 1 and 5). Considerations and Tradeoffs • Prepayment of fees would reduce delay and congestion at Figure 5. Prepayment can ease waiting times entrance stations. and help ODOT plan for visitors • Prepayment of fees would shorten transit dwell times. • Prepayment of fees would require that prepayment machines be maintained. Tool Name: • Prepayment could be discounted as a way to encourage use and Entrance Fees and anticipate demand. Transit Fees Prepayment • Agency partners may need to develop agreements to administer fees and collect revenues where restrictions or approval processes limit the U.S. Forest Service from administering fees. Tool Description and Context Prepaying entrance fees and transit fees Implementation Examples allow visitors to pay fees prior to boarding a • Rocky Mountain National Park has prepayment fare machines bus or entering an attraction area. Generally, available at the visitor center in Estes Park and at the visitor center visitors make prepayments online, through a in front of the park entrance. phone app, or at an automated fee machine • Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and Grand Canyon (kiosk for self-paying fees) in a gateway National Park allow online payment. community. For example, ODOT could place fee machines in Corbett, Cascade Locks, or • Yosemite National Park makes passes available at several visitor at park-and-ride areas. centers in the gateway communities.
A-5 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Technology System
Applicability on Historic Highway The cameras would deliver information about corridor conditions at congestion points, parking lots, and potential access points along the Historic Highway. Considerations and Tradeoffs • Cameras could monitor conditions such as crashes and safety incidents. Figure 6. Closed-circuit cameras help to • Cameras potentially provide visitors with access to images via collect critical data for parking and roadway the website. management • Camera use could result in costly and time-consuming data analysis and maintenance. Tool Name: • Camera installation and location must be sensitive to the natural Closed-Circuit Cameras surroundings of the Historic Highway. Implementation Examples Tool Description and Context • Shenandoah National Park has webcams, one of which is located Closed-circuit cameras could allow ODOT at Rockfish Gap for traffic information. to gather visitor demand management • Mount Rainer has webcams, some of which show parking lot information. The cameras could monitor capacity. traffic congestion, length of lines at entrance lanes, and parking lot capacity. ODOT can • ODOT uses a closed-circuit camera at the I-84 Multnomah Falls also use cameras to view weather and lot to monitor lot capacity and inform workers when to close the road conditions that affect travel speeds, Exit 31 gates. potentially resulting in slowing. Cameras can support incident monitoring and management as well.
A-6 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Technology User Experience System Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway Design guidelines prohibit the use of movable, electronic signs on the Historic Highway. The messaging signs would have to be located on I-84 in advance of exits to the Historic Highway and potentially in gateway communities, or ODOT would need to seek design exceptions. The signs could build on today’s use by including information about parking capacity in lots along the Historic Highway, congestion or delays on the Historic Highway, or notice of Figure 7. ODOT currently uses variable message new seasonal or pilot program restrictions. signs to alert drivers when the Multnomah Falls I-84 parking lot gates are closed Considerations and Tradeoffs • Dynamic and variable message signs would allow visitors to make more informed decisions. Tool Name: • Signs can display only a limited amount of information. Dynamic and Variable Message Signs • Signs would need to be designed and placed consistent with CRGNSA Scenic Guidelines. Tool Description and Context Implementation Examples Agencies use dynamic and variable message signs, both portable and permanent, to • Muir Woods National Monument, Grand Canyon National Park, provide information to travelers enroute. and Rocky Mountain National Park all use dynamic and variable Near the Historic Highway, ODOT could use message signs to promote a park-and-ride lot. additional signs to advise visitors of delays, parking conditions, roadway conditions, and other updates. Outside of the Historic Highway, including on I-84, ODOT could use signs to alert drivers of conditions and promote transit use and associated park- and-ride lots.
A-7 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Technology User Experience System Transit Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway The tool would apply to transit or shuttles operating on the entirety of the corridor, similar to the current Columbia River Gorge Express system, which gives riders the option to purchase a ticket online, or pay with cash or credit card onboard the bus. Considerations and Tradeoffs • Fare boxes could collect ridership data. Figure 8. Paying fares in advance can lead to • Electronic fare systems are quicker than cash payments to the faster boarding times that keep transit on driver and more convenient for riders. schedule • Electronic fare systems result in less time spent processing payments and keeping transit on schedule. Tool Name: • Drivers would have to be responsible for customer service, safety, Electronic Fare Payment System and monitoring for fare evasion on board. • Electronic fare systems can intimidate transit patrons Tool Description and Context uncomfortable with the technology. • Access to power in some areas may not be available for installing Electronic fare payment systems are an electronic fare system. If used as a source of power, solar available, either off-board or onboard panels may be a target for vandalism. transit. Visitors can use a prepaid pass or app to quickly access the transit vehicle. Implementation Examples • TriMet administers a Hop card with preloaded fare that can be used on TriMet, C-Tran, and the Portland Streetcar. • San Francisco Transit 511 offers e-fare payment systems to riders, and the East Bay Regional Park District provides information on Transit 511 trip planning. • King County and Seattle Department of Transportation offer e-fare payment systems.
A-8 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Capacity Mobility User Experience Improvement Transit Improvement Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway The tool would operate within the Historic Highway study area and allow park-and-ride lots to connect with Columbia Gorge Express riders. Considerations and Tradeoffs • Shuttles would provide alternatives to driving to locations and parking. Figure 9. Shuttles could supplement, or take the • Shuttles would decrease congestion by taking vehicles off the place of private vehicle trips in the Waterfall Historic Highway. Zone • Shuttles would expand access to those who do not own a car. • Shuttles could result in fewer private vehicles on the Historic Tool Name: Highway, thereby increasing safety for bicyclists. Provide Transit and Shuttle Services • Shuttles could bring large groups of visitors to a site at one time, creating pulses throughout the day. Tool Description and Context • Shuttles can result in operation and maintenance costs. • Space for park-and-ride parking areas is limited in the CRGNSA. Transit and shuttle services transport visitors to and around an area without the use of a private automobile. Shuttles can Implementation Examples transport visitors to and from park-and- • Devils Postpile National Monument has a mandatory shuttle rides to specific drop-off points, or act as a system. circulator, stopping at several attractions in • The Grand Canyon, Zion, and Acadia National Parks all use shuttle a loop. bus systems. • Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System exceeded 1,000,000 total riders in 2014, reducing the number of single- occupancy vehicle trips to Yosemite National Park. Revenue from fares account for 18% of its budget. • At Acadia National Park, the Island Explorer transports 5,000 to 6,000 people each day during its peak season and transports nearly 8,000 people on its busiest days.
A-9 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Capacity User Experience Improvement Transit Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway ODOT could use the tool to increase capacity on the Columbia Gorge Express by reducing headways, adding stops, or expanding service hours. Considerations and Tradeoffs • Adding capacity would improve transit service quality and expand access for the transit-dependent. Figure 10. The Columbia Gorge Express is • Adding capacity would decrease congestion if drivers choose to planning service expansion for summer 2018 switch travel modes. • Adding capacity would improve environmental outcomes. • Adding capacity would result in increased capital and operating Tool Name: costs. Add Capacity to the • Transit vehicle size may be limited under two-way roadway Existing Transit System operations because of narrow travel lanes and pinch points. Implementation Examples Tool Description and Context • The Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System launched Adding capacity to a transit system can additional service to Fresno airport last year, resulting in almost include providing additional or larger 700 trips in the first summer of operations. vehicles, reducing headways (the time • Adams National Historical Park evaluated their transit system and between bus arrivals), or adding more the possibility of expansion. routes or stops. • Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine conducted a feasibility study for transit implementation.
A-10 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Mobility Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway This is a site-specific tool for the painted crosswalk between the Multnomah Lodge and the parking lots on the northern side of the highway. ODOT could use this strategy seasonally when visitor traffic is at its peak during summer months and busy weekends. Considerations and Tradeoffs • Traffic flaggers would provide an added degree of safety for Figure 11. Traffic flaggers can help group pedestrians crossing the Historic Highway. pedestrians to cross, improving traffic flow • The presence of traffic flaggers could slow traffic speeds through the corridor during the shoulders of the peak hours. • Traffic flaggers would maintain traffic flow through the most Tool Name: congested point along the Historic Highway. Traffic Flagger at Busy • Employing traffic flaggers would add operational costs and Pedestrian Locations increase the need for staffing during peak summer months. • Traffic flaggers would provide an enhanced level of safety to pedestrians and reduce traffic speeds, while maintaining traffic Tool Description and Context flow. Introducing a traffic flagger at an exceptionally busy and unregulated Implementation Examples intersection during the busy summer • Traffic flaggers are used all over the country, often adjacent to months would have a significant effect on elementary schools at the start and end of the school day, but traffic flow on the Historic Highway. they also can be found in major cities in areas with high pedestrian The crosswalk at Multnomah Falls across counts. the Historic Highway allows visitors to • Airports regularly use traffic flaggers to speed the loading and cross from both major parking lots on the unloading of curbside passengers. They effectively keep the traffic northern side of the Historic Highway to the moving through the system by reducing delays and allowing more lodge and falls on the southern side. During users to access terminals. peak summer months, thousands of people cross at these locations each hour, causing major vehicle slow-down and congestion along the Historic Highway. A traffic flagger would improve safety by allowing pedestrians to cross the highway in platoons while maintaining the flow of traffic through this congested pinch point.
A-11 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Capacity Improvement Transit
Applicability on Historic Highway Park-and-ride areas may be able to expand if they are located outside the National Scenic Area or within a designated urban area, or if existing lots have fewer parking spaces than the maximum allowed under National Scenic Area guidelines. The communities of Corbett and Cascade Locks could host satellite park-and-ride lots during peak seasons. Cascade Locks Elementary School is near I-84, and Corbett Middle/High School is on the Historic Highway. Satellite lots could Figure 12. Satellite lots could expand park-and- operate daily during peak summer days, on weekends, and on peak ride options outside the Historic Highway shoulder seasons such as late spring and early fall. Considerations and Tradeoffs Tool Name: • Park-and-ride and satellite lots would reduce the number of vehicles driving through the Historic Highway, potentially reducing delays and Expanded Park-and-Ride Facilities and traffic congestion. Agreements to Use Satellite Lots • Park-and-ride and satellite lots would increase access to the sights and destinations along the Historic Highway. Tool Description and Context • Satellite lot agreements make use of existing facilities and provide potential for revenue at under-utilized parking facilities in Park-and-ride lots allow visitors to leave communities at either end of the Historic Highway. their cars and travel via transit. When a • Requires additional expense (short-term leases) and liability high-demand parking area is at or near responsibility for facility use. May require monitoring via security capacity, providing alternatives for visitors devices. could alleviate some of the high demand for parking spaces. When additional nearby • Park-and-ride and satellite lots may cause unwanted traffic parking is unavailable, prohibited, or too congestion in communities where the lots may be perceived as expensive to build, finding proximate unwelcome. locations of under-utilized satellite lots • Additional resources could be needed to transport visitors back and can be an effective alternative. This would forth to these parking facilities. require approaching property owners for • New lots may requires promotion to alert travelers to new parking permission to operate and may require lease and shuttle alternatives. agreements, added insurance requirements, and additional access improvements (for example, widened driveways, traffic Implementation Examples controls, safety patrols). • Rocky Mountain National Park has a park-and-ride lot in the park along Bear Lake Road and at the fairgrounds in Estes Park, and plans to build a second multilevel lot at the visitors center in Estes Park. • Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Muir Woods, and Bryce Canyon National Parks all have park-and-ride lots outside of their park boundaries. • Countless event venues, college campuses, major employers, and sports arenas throughout the country use satellite parking lots. A-12 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Technology Mobility User Experience System Improvement Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway Visitors could use this tool at parking facilities along the Historic Highway or at park-and-ride locations. Considerations and Tradeoffs • User-generated parking information would help visitors know which parking areas have the most availability. • User-generated parking information could cut down on circling Figure 13. User-generated parking data provide and idling while drivers look for parking; it creates environmental real-time information to travelers benefits. • User-generated parking information does not require additional staffing or investment. Tool Name: • Information generated may be inconsistent, incorrect, or updated User-Generated Parking Information infrequently. • Visitors could be affected by limited cell phone coverage. Tool Description and Context • Information is limited to visitors with smart phones or internet access. User-generated parking information provides visitors or event participants with Implementation Examples information about public or private parking availability. This information is shared • San Diego Parks offers user-generated information to help in parks among system users through apps and planning. other electronic means. Apps such as Waze • The app Waze displays the Shamrock Run Route in Portland, have implemented this type of strategy directing users to take alternative routes and park elsewhere. successfully for real time user-generated traffic information, where users can report incidents or other temporary issues affecting traffic.
A-13 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Technology System Transit
Applicability on Historic Highway ODOT can use transit technology applications on the Columbia Gorge Express and in a future circulator or shuttle on the Historic Highway. Considerations and Tradeoffs • Transit technology would improve efficiency and performance of the transit system. Figure 14. Real-time arrival information provides • Transit technology would improve visitor experience through assurances to riders that the bus is on its way more information and reduced wait time perceptions. • Installation and maintenance would be required to inaugurate transit technology. Tool Name: • Electronic signs with “next bus” arrival information could be Transit Technology limited by design guidelines in the Scenic Area; apps with real-time information could be used at stops along the Historic Highway. Tool Description and Context Implementation Examples Transit technology applications can include • Acadia National Park implemented two-way voice communications technologies that help track the location of on their transit, automated vehicle location system, arrival sign buses (automated vehicle location systems), systems, automated annunciator system, passenger counters, and count passengers (automated passenger traveler information system. counting), track maintenance issues, and • Yosemite National Park produced a Request for Proposal for provide passenger information. Passenger automated vehicle location systems and arrival status signs for information and amenities include in- their transit system. vehicle electronic information, such as stop announcements, and electronic display boards and transit status signs to provide users with bus arrival times.
A-14 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Mobility Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway ODOT could place “No parking” signs that adhere to Management Area Design Guidance along the entirety of the Historic Highway, subject to Region Traffic Engineer approval. The agency could also use paint striping to mark the edge of travel lanes to clearly demarcate areas that parked vehicles should not impede, creating a legal basis to allow sheriffs and other law enforcement officers to ticket or tow vehicles parked over the striping. Traffic flaggers Figure 15. Residents and tour operators testify currently operate on an ad-hoc basis when congestion is particularly that the Historic Highway operates significantly acute. More consistent traffic management with flaggers could help better when a traffic flagger deploys to the manage movements through the Waterfall Zone. Multnomah Falls parking lot Considerations and Tradeoffs Tool Name: • Traffic enforcement and management would limit resource Traffic Enforcement and Management damage from illegal parking along the roadway. • Traffic enforcement and management would improve traffic flow by reducing the number of vehicles blocking roadways and idling Tool Description and Context to park. Specifying the road shoulder as a no-parking • Traffic enforcement would reduce sight-line obstructions on the area through clear signing, striping, and roadway caused by illegally parked vehicles. additional enforcement will improve traffic • Traffic enforcement could result in dissatisfaction among visitors flow and safety of the roadway. Traffic who are ticketed or towed. management can also be administered by traffic flaggers who move vehicles through • There would be a need for resources and staffing to monitor and an area when parking lots are full. enforce traffic rules. • Traffic enforcement could partner with volunteer Friends groups to provide information about alternative parking areas. Implementation Examples • Bryce Canyon National Park closes viewpoints when there is a lack of parking to discourage cars from circulating in these parking lots looking for a spot or parking illegally. • Acadia National Park uses lawn signs to discourage parking illegally on the roadside at the visitor center parking lot. • Canaveral National Seashore monitors parking lots, and once all parking areas are full, stops all visitors at the entrance station where they can wait or leave and return later.
A-15 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Mobility User Experience Improvement Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway An incident management plan applies to the entire corridor and considers all management resources, access points, and connecting roadways. ODOT currently maintains an Incident Management Plan for I-84. Considerations and Tradeoffs • Incident management would reduce time for notification, Figure 16. Incident management ensures that a detection, verification, and response, allowing traffic operations to response plan is in place more quickly return to normal. • Up front and continual efforts would be required to develop, update, refine, and implement the incident management plan. Tool Name: Implementation Examples Incident Management • The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department agency is included in the Disaster Readiness and Response Plan, and the Tool Description and Context City coordinates with each supporting department to ensure consistency and coordination within the plan. Traffic incident management requires developing and implementing an incident • Greater Yellowstone National Park developed its Rural Intelligent management plan. This solution does Transportation System Program and Incident Management not directly involve tangible hardware Response Guide. or infrastructure improvements, but it is related to other tools that speed up incident detection and the following response.
A-16 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Mobility Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway Lane delineation on the Historic Highway would use paint consistent with guidance in the Management Plan. Considerations and Tradeoffs • Lane separation and delineation would provide a simple and less intensive way to increase traffic flow and reduce congestion. • Safety would be increased by reducing conflicts and by clearly Figure 17. Lane delineation may help vehicles to indicating lanes where vehicles should be. park outside the travel lane. • Lane separation and delineation would increases safety for bicyclists and pedestrians if shoulders or centerlines were clearly demarcated. Tool Name: • Such lane markings could detract from user experience or Lane Separation and Delineation could be considered historically inappropriate for some cultural landscapes. Tool Description and Context Implementation Examples Lane separation and delineation techniques • Most roadways use lane delineation either through paint or focus on clearly defining travel lanes reflectors. (through striping or other methods), so that visitors and motorists know where to travel.
A-17 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Mobility User Experience Improvement Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway Circulation changes would apply to segments like the Waterfall Zone where the Historic Highway is most regularly congested. Following the observed travel preferences that motorists exhibit today, the Highway could become east-bound only during peak travel seasons, or all the time. Travelers would rely on I-84 or other local roadways to travel westbound. ODOT could manage one-way travel through gates or other striping from east of Bridal Veil Road to Exit 35 ramps. Figure 18. Circulation changes could be seasonal or permanent Considerations and Tradeoffs • One-way could enhance travel time reliability by allowing for through-movements past queues otherwise generated by turning vehicles on a two-way road. Tool Name: • Delays and pinch points generated by large vehicles passing Traffic Circulation Changes in opposite directions would be smoothed under a one-way (Shift to One-Way) scenario. • One-way could free up right-of-way for alternative modes (those Tool Description and Context on foot or bicycle). • One-way would reduce congestion and delays from vehicles This tool involves management techniques turning around or circulating back to find available parking spaces. such as one-way or reversible lanes for • One-way would reduce access choices for local residents; it may changing traffic flow patterns and circulation require local access plans. to reduce congestion. Reversible lanes typically operate in the direction of peak • One-way would require visitor education and information. traffic flows during one part of the day, and • Visitors may have to travel out-of-direction to reach destinations in reverse direction later in the day when along the western end of the Highway under a one-way scenario. peak traffic moves in the opposite direction. • Restricted access points may need turnarounds under the one- way scenario. Implementation Examples • Great Smokey Mountains National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park have one-way roads. • The loop road through Acadia National Park is one-way. • Yellowstone National Park is redesigning the north entrance at Gardiner to improve traffic circulation and relieve congestion.
A-18 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Mobility User Experience Improvement Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway ODOT could use parking management at the busiest parking lots along the Historic Highway, particularly during peak travel seasons when lots are most likely to reach and maintain full capacity throughout the day. Considerations and Tradeoffs • Parking improvements would decrease circling, idling, and Figure 19. Parking circulation and slow stall associated congestion while drivers look for parking spots. turnover lead to significant queuing • Parking improvements could increase visitor satisfaction. • Visitors may ignore new parking instructions or restrictions. • Parking improvements could require additional staff. Tool Name: • Signage would need to adhere to CRGNSA guidance. Parking Management and Parking Area Improvements Implementation Examples • Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore uses staff to manage parking Tool Description and Context lots. • Bryce Canyon National Park uses staff to monitor the parking Parking management refers to actively situation at various viewpoints. Park management closes monitoring parking availability and capacity, viewpoints when parking areas are full to discourage drivers from and informing visitors, either by a staff circulating their cars in these parking lots, looking for a spot, or member or signage, that a parking lot is parking illegally. full. Staff or signs can provide information on other nearby parking lots. Parking area • Canaveral National Seashore uses rangers and volunteers to improvements may include modifying the monitor parking lots. lot to decrease traffic conflicts and limiting the number of access points (entrances and exits) to a parking area.
A-19 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Mobility User Experience Improvement Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway The space for roadway pullouts is extremely limited along the Historic Highway. ODOT could convert existing or overflow shoulder parking for shuttle stops near popular trailheads. Considerations and Tradeoffs • Pullouts could be converted to shuttle stops at a later time. • Pullouts could encourage vehicles to pull over onto unsanctioned Figure 20. Pullouts could be used for shuttle shoulders, harming environmental resources. stops and access to popular trailheads • Additional enforcement would be needed to ensure that pullouts are not used for illegal parking. Tool Name: Implementation Examples Roadway Pullouts for Transit • The Kancamagus Highway has pullouts for slower traffic and for additional parking at scenic locations. Tool Description and Context ODOT can use roadway pullouts for potential shuttle stops.
A-20 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
User Experience Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway Signs and wayfinding can be located at parking areas or along the Historic Highway. Considerations and Tradeoffs • Signs and wayfinding could enhance visitor experience. • Signs and wayfinding could provide navigational information. • Signs and wayfinding will require conformity with National Scenic Figure 21. Signage can provide historical information and wayfinding can provide Area Interpretive Sign Design Guide and CRGNSA Sign Guide. directional guidance Implementation Examples Tool Name: • Connect Historic Boston is a partnership between the National Park Service and the City of Boston, and this program is in the Signage and Wayfinding planning stages for providing wayfinding to National Park sites. • The City of Portland uses wayfinding signs to alert bicycles of good Tool Description and Context routes, provides distance information and estimated travel times based on average traveling speeds. Signage and wayfinding techniques • Washington State Parks Commission oversees interpretive centers guide visitors to their destinations and with wayfinding, signage, and educational programs at a number are particularly helpful to people in an of parks, including Cape Disappointment State Park, Deception unfamiliar environment. Wayfinding often Pass, Mt. St. Helens, and Olmstead Place. uses pictures or icons to help convey useful information to people, regardless of their language, so that they can navigate through an area. Wayfinding geared toward bicycles may have the distance between attractions listed, or estimated travel times. The information can give travelers confidence to try accessing attractions by other modes.
A-21 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Technology User Experience System Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway Ongoing data collection is vital to determining baseline conditions and monitoring the effectiveness of congestion mitigation tools. Data collection could include vehicle volumes, travel times, parking turnover, parking capacity, bicycle and pedestrian volumes, transit ridership, transit travel times, visitor surveys, and more. In many cases, data collection is necessary to monitor early baseline tools and their efficacy. Figure 22. Trail counters help agencies monitor visitor use Considerations and Tradeoffs • Traffic monitoring, data collection, and analysis would provide accurate baseline information on the Historic Highway and parking lot operations. Tool Name: • Monitoring and analysis would indicate when conditions reach Traffic Monitoring, Data Collection, thresholds, and could trigger and spur investment in more and Analysis intensive management interventions. • Traffic monitoring, data collection, and analysis help target Tool Description and Context solutions toward problem areas and behaviors. • Costs would be associated with ongoing regular data collection. Park administrators can use data to • Experienced staff would need to clean, interpret, and track understand existing conditions and changes to data over time. transportation issues. Regular data collection helps define the frequency and magnitude of congestion or safety issues. Implementation Examples ODOT can use the data to assess triggers • Denali National Park has undertaken a traffic monitoring project between scenario phases. to collect existing traffic volumes and patterns. • Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area conducted a vehicular and pedestrian study to measure existing conditions and provide alternatives for reducing the congestion. • Grand Teton National Park conducted traffic monitoring for several seasons, including installing road tubes to evaluate traffic patterns, an inductive loop to monitor parking lot use, and trail counters to monitor separated shared use pathways. • Trails in the Columbia River Gorge have trail counters to monitor popular locations.
A-22 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Technology User Experience System Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway ODOT could test this tool as a pilot to see how it is received by users and the public. An ideal location for the pilot would be at the Historic Highway Multnomah Falls or other regularly busy lots, beginning with a limited number of reserved stalls. Considerations and Tradeoffs • Reserved parking would provide visitors with assurance of Figure 23. Reservations can help even out peak guaranteed parking when they arrive at their destination. visitation times • Reserved parking would reduce instances of drivers circling, looking for available parking stalls; it would encourage travel in vehicles with larger passenger loads. Tool Name: • Reserved parking would provide revenue to support alternative mode options (Columbia Gorge Express) for a larger number of Reserved Parking Stalls visitors. • Reserved parking could create exclusivity for a portion of parking Tool Description and Context stalls, and could create driver frustration if reserved stalls are empty and no other available stalls can be found. Setting aside parking stalls for reserved use could provide users with assurance • An online reservation system would need to be set up, although of a parking stall when they arrive at their many systems exist today that could be used as a model. destination. Visitors could reserve these • Enforcement would be needed to make sure that only users with stalls before the trip through an online valid reservations are parking in the designated spaces. portal that would provide the user with a • A reserved parking plan could require an agreement with receipt. Each reservation would be time partnering agencies to administer fees (where approval processes limited so that multiple reservations (that is, may prevent the U.S. Forest Service from collecting fees). parking turnover) for a spot would be made over the course of a day. Implementation Examples • While not commonplace, several venues allow users to purchase or reserve parking in advance (usually at a premium rate). • Not unlike a hotel room reservation, truck drivers can reserve a parking location at truck stops with the peace of mind that they will not be driving unnecessarily looking for a place to park. • App developers—like LAZ Parking, ParkWhiz, SpotHero, and Parking Panda—are using information technology to bring this service to their clients.
A-23 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Mobility User Experience Improvement Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway In Scenarios 2 and 3, ODOT could restrict larger vehicles, such as oversized recreational vehicles and trailers, from using the Historical Highway because of the narrow, winding nature of the roadway and the need to share constrained right-of-way with other modes. In Scenario 3, ODOT could restrict private vehicles (with exceptions for residents and employees) from the Historic Highway during high season or all the time. Vehicle restrictions would allow for circulators Figure 24. Vehicle restrictions could be seasonal and shuttles to efficiently service the entire corridor, using existing or permanent parking lots as shuttle stops. It would also create available right-of- way within the existing Historic Highway footprint to designate space for those on foot or bicycle via a multiuse path. Tool Name: Considerations and Tradeoffs Vehicle Use Restrictions • Vehicle use restrictions could improve safety on the narrow roadways by restricting size. • Restricting vehicles would allow for the efficient operation of Tool Description and Context shuttles, circulators, and tour buses. Prohibiting or restricting certain vehicles • Restrictions would eliminate the significant need for large-vehicle, (or certain sized vehicles) from an area or private automobile parking and allow lots to be used as bus or or on a roadway can help improve traffic shuttle stops. flow, reduce congestion, enhance visitor • Restrictions would increase safety for pedestrians and bicycles by experience, and protect resources. significantly dropping vehicle volumes. • If private vehicles were restricted, space would be created for other modes on roadways, including space for a multiuse path. • Vehicle use restrictions could result in noncompliance if restrictions are not enforced. • Restrictions could cause frustration for visitors who would like to drive directly to their destination. • Restrictions would encourage transit use. Implementation Examples • Scotts Bluff National Monument has vehicle use restrictions for Summit Road. • Glacier National Park has vehicle restrictions on the Going-to-the- Sun Road. The restrictions are imposed on vehicle length, width, and height. • Crater Lake National Park closes East Rim Drive to vehicles for a weekend twice a year to promote pedestrian and cycling use. A-24 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Capacity Improvement Transit
Applicability on Historic Highway There are communities at both ends of the Plan Study Area with suitable locations that could accommodate satellite parking— locations such as Corbett Middle and High School, and Cascade Locks Elementary School. During weekends throughout the year and weekly during summer months, the schools could host satellite park-and-ride lots. Their locations on the Historic Highway and I-84, respectively, could efficiently connect to area attractions. Figure 25. The Columbia Gorge Express has uncovered strong demand for transit service to Considerations and Tradeoffs Gorge attractions • Shuttles would reduce the number of vehicles driving through the Historic Highway; fewer vehicles would cut back on delays and relieve traffic congestion Tool Name: • Shuttles would allows a greater number of users to access the Shuttles to Provide Access to and from sights and destinations along the Historic Highway. Satellite Parking Lots • A separate (smaller size vehicle) shuttle system operating between Corbett and Cascade Locks along the Historic Highway could serve several points of interest and trailheads beyond Multnomah Falls Tool Description and Context (as the current Gorge Express does). As high-demand attractions and destinations • Additional expense would be incurred to operate more Gorge (for example, festivals and venues, major Express shuttles or to implement a new contract with a separate employers) grow beyond their ability to operator to serve the lots and attractions along Historic Highway. provide parking, they look to alternatives • A shuttle systems could require securing additional staging areas to continue to serve their growing needs. between routes or during drop-off or pickup runs. Shuttles have been the cornerstone tools of airport and university campus planners for the past 20 years, providing frequent Implementation Examples and short fixed-route trips for visitors and • Glacier National Park uses a shuttle system, which offers free students daily. In Washington State, Dog shuttles between visitor centers, parking areas, and transfer Mountain has operated a shuttle for 3 years. stations. The highly popular Columbia Gorge Express • In Acadia National Park, the Island Explorer transports 5,000 to has been operating between the Gateway 6,000 people each day during its peak season and transports Transit Center, Rooster Rock State Park, nearly 8,000 people on its busiest days. Ridership grew by 600 and Multnomah Falls for the past 2 years. percent when the service removed its $2 fares and offered free ODOT could augment the existing service service in 1999. to provide access to the satellite locations or provide the service in the form of new • Shuttle systems are in place at college campuses, major short-route service from communities like employers, and sports arenas throughout the country. Corbett or Cascade Locks.
A-25 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Capacity Mobility User Experience Improvement Improvement Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway Using tours as a demand management tool can apply to specific sites (Multnomah Falls, for example) or to the whole corridor (for example, by bicycle). Shuttles or circulators that serve park-and- ride lots can provide tours. Shuttles or transit vehicles that pull bike trailers could encourage people to park their vehicles and travel the corridor by bike, by offering transport to the Historic Highway and a guided bicycle tour. Figure 26. Tours are a visitor amenity but can also help to spread visitor demand Considerations and Tradeoffs • Tours provide visitors with an in-depth knowledge of attractions. • Tours function as a positive form of demand management. Tool Name: • Tours eliminate some preplanning for visitors. Tour Promotion • Tours can create delay or congestion on the Historic Highway (for example, if sharing the road with unrestricted motor vehicles, bicycle tours could cause congestion). Tool Description and Context • Tours may require bike parking facilities at major attractions. Tours can offer a fun and positive visitor experience while incentivizing visitors to Implementation Examples use a different mode of travel. Tours can • Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore offers bicycle tours. encourage visitors to avoid peak travel times if they are offered before and after peak • Independence National Historical Park provides free 30-minute times. Tour providers also encourage visitors ranger-led tours. to go to less congested areas by adding • Glacier National Park offers interpretive tours on 25-passenger these locations to the tour route. tour buses daily.
A-26 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Technology User Experience System Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway Distributing information through social media would apply to attractions across the whole corridor and to the roadway itself. Notifications and information about transit options, tours for those using shuttles, and photos featuring corridor travel by bicycle could encourage people to switch modes. Twitter, Instagram, or other accounts could alert would-be visitors when parking lots and attractions are at capacity, and such alternative destinations Figure 27. Websites and apps can offer one-stop within the Gorge. ODOT also could use social media to augment trip planning information the existing Historic Highway Facebook page for distributing information such as emergency incidents, roadway or trail closures, and other information. The first step is developing a social media plan, and building on current efforts such as the U.S. Forest Service’s Tool Name: partnership with the OnCell App. Media, Social Media, and Apps Considerations and Tradeoffs • Use of social media and apps could promote alternative modes of Tool Description and Context transportation and encourage visits during off-peak times or to less popular locations. With smart phones rising in popularity, the use of social media (for example, Facebook, • Social media and apps could be used to push out emergency or YouTube, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Instagram, temporary information. blogs, and other programs) and mobile • Potential visitors who do not use social media, have smart phones device apps have become acceptable low- or internet access, or know about accounts linked to the area cost ways to provide information to a wide would not be reached. range of people. • Spotty cell phone service could make social media and apps less useful while visitors are in the Gorge. • Staff or volunteers would have to actively manage social media accounts. Implementation Examples • Mobile apps can highlight multiple national park units, such as the National Parks App by National Geographic and Oh Ranger!. • Blue Ridge Parkway has a web app produced by the National Park Service’s special service center, Napa, which informs visitors of road closures and detours. • Many NPS units are on Facebook and Twitter. • America’s Greater Outdoors provides Tumblr updates for the U.S. Department of the Interior.
A-27 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Technology User Experience System Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway Agencies could outfit destination parking lots with single (small lots) or multiple (larger lots, like I-84 Multnomah Falls) pay stations. Some locations could support a solar-based installation, but shaded locations would need to be supported by electrification. Agencies should apply parking pricing along the Historic Highway during peak summer months, potentially in partnership with the Columbia Gorge Express operation. Figure 28. Parking fees could generate revenue to implement other tools Considerations and Tradeoffs • Instituting parking fees would require that citations periodically be written to maintain compliance, but parking fees are mostly self-enforcing. Tool Name: • Fees encourage parking turnover and reduce impulse parking. Parking Fees • Parking fees create a revenue stream for maintenance, traffic flaggers, enforcement, and minor capital improvements. Tool Description and Context • Parking fees would require seasonal application that should be implemented during peak summer months. Scarce parking and the expense associated with providing parking and managing • Free parking would be eliminated in points of interest parking lots. and enforcing restrictions have caused • More people would park outside of destination lots (for example, many jurisdictions (even in long-standing parking on highway shoulder). free parking environments) to begin • Fees for parking could encourage a shift to other travel modes. pricing parking. This is common practice in beachfront communities where public • Parking fees could disproportionately affect low-income visitors or parking spaces are overwhelmed by deter them from visiting parks. beachgoers, rather than by customers or • Parking fee restrictions for the USFS may require interagency visitors to downtown. State parks around agreements to implement priced parking policies. the country are turning to priced parking to pay for long-term maintenance and capital Implementation Examples needs within the park system. Priced parking has the effect of encouraging turnover, can • Popular beachfront communities have been using priced parking be self-enforcing (high level of compliance for years. among visitors), and may reduce parking • State and regional parks have been turning to priced parking demand by encouraging ridesharing and to help pay for facilities maintenance and site improvements. discouraging impulse trips. Today many Washington Park Zoo in Portland has priced parking and shuttles parking kiosks accept credit cards, or visitors to accommodate demand. can pay using apps on their mobile phones. The U.S. Forest Service has piloted an Epass mobile fee payment system for the Northwest Forest Pass. A-28 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Mobility User Experience Improvement Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway Promoting bicycle or pedestrian travel begins with safe and comfortable facilities. Promotions such as free bicycle tours could encourage people to visit attractions along the Historic Highway by bicycle. In scenarios with restricted vehicle access, right-of-way could be allocated to pedestrians or bicyclists through designating a multiuse path with painted buffers. Adding bicycle trailers to transit vehicles or shuttles could encourage people to use park-and-ride lots Figure 29. Bike hubs invite bicyclists to take and then bicycle the corridor. ODOT could build bike hubs at popular a break, fix their bikes, or fill up their water locations along the Historic Highway. bottles Considerations and Tradeoffs • Bicycle paths increase the safety and comfort for those traveling Tool Name: by bicycle. Promoting Bicycle and • Bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure could reduce congestion by Pedestrian Travel offering alternatives to driving the corridor. • Additional conflicts could occur when bicyclists and pedestrians share the roadway with vehicular traffic during periods of heavy Tool Description and Context congestion. ODOT could promote bicycle and pedestrian • Changes in circulation or vehicle restrictions could be imposed to travel by providing necessary facilities create separated facilities within the existing right-of-way. or infrastructure, providing wayfinding, • Transit and bicycle/pedestrian-only weekends could be piloted to providing incentives and promotions, and introduce the car-free idea. using marketing or social media. Implementation Examples • To promote bicycle and pedestrian access, Crater Lake National Park began an annual car-free weekend. • To promote bicycle use, Mesa Verde has a special bike weekend on Wetherhill Mesa each fall. • Grand Canyon National Park has a concessionaire located within the park where visitors can rent bicycles. • The National Mall has installed Capital Bikeshare stations to promote bike usage in the National Park, and the San Antonio Bicycle path has been expanded to reach the San Antonio Missions.
A-29 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Capacity Improvement Transit
Applicability on Historic Highway Promoting tour buses applies to the entirety of the corridor. ODOT could encourage private operators to serve the area by implementing reservation parking stalls at popular destinations (such as Multnomah Falls), transitioning to a one-way highway (allowing for a wider travel lane), and implementing vehicle restrictions (creating a less congested roadway for buses). Considerations and Tradeoffs Figure 30. Promoting tour bus use may reduce pressure from private vehicles on the roadway • Increased use of tour buses could help reduce the number of private vehicles on the Historic Highway. • Tour buses could result in pulsing of visitors, thus overwhelming Tool Name: popular attractions. • Use of tour buses could result in itineraries and schedules that Tour Bus Use would bring visitors on peak-shoulder hours to reduce impacts on attractions. Tool Description and Context • Tour buses could get stuck in or add to congestion in two-way roadway operations. Visitation via tour buses rather than private automobiles decreases roadway congestion and can enhance the visitor’s experience. Implementation Examples • Denali National Park has several shuttle and tour bus options available as part of their promotion. The Park’s webpage is set up to explain the different options and help visitors determine which option is right for them. • Acadia National Park has several tour bus options available and promotes these via their website. • Independence National Historical Park has difficulty providing enough tour bus parking because the new visitors center has less parking than the previous one.
A-30 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
User Experience Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway ODOT should continue offering information on travel modes for visiting the Historic Highway via websites and through tourism offices such as Travel Oregon. As ODOT implements other tools (tours offered via transit, bicycles, or foot) or makes operational changes to the roadway, traveler information through existing and new channels will help visitors prepare for the conditions on the Historic Highway. Considerations and Tradeoffs Figure 31. Bike hubs invite bicyclists to take a break, fix their bikes, or fill up their water • Providing traveler information helps inform visitors’ travel bottles decisions. • Information could promote less congested times and locations to Tool Name: visit. • Information could highlight popular destinations, thereby creating Traveler Information more congestion. • Ongoing maintenance of materials, information, and Tool Description and Context communication would need to occur to ensure accuracy. A simple, low-cost technique for using existing services (for example, websites, Implementation Examples hotels, and gateway communities) is to • Arches National Park staff and partners distribute information to provide travelers with information about visitors at the park visitor center and the Moab visitor information congestion management and alternate center, including information about when specific sites or travel modes. attractions are most congested and the best times to visit. • Zion National Park uses existing visitor centers to orient visitors to the shuttle system that serves Zion Canyon National Park, directing visitors where to park and access the system. • Rocky Mountain National Park made a presentation at the Estes Park Chamber of Commerce meetings to train visitor center and hotel staff on the transportation information related to the Bear Lake Road construction.
A-31 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Capacity Mobility User Experience Improvement Improvement Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway The Historic Highway cannot be widened. Adding a multiuse path would require repurposing the existing right-of-way on the Historic Highway to make space for the path. If ODOT were to transition the Historic Highway to one-way, then the agency could dedicate a portion of the roadway to those on foot or bicycle. The agency could stripe and paint buffers to delineate the path from travel lanes, and paint stencils to separate walkers and bicyclists. Designating a Figure 32. Multiuse paths can create a more multiuse path is an even more attractive option if ODOT restricts the comfortable space for bicycles and pedestrians Historic Highway to some private vehicles, lowering traffic volumes walking between recreation attractions on the roadway. The multiuse path could extend the entire extent of the managed corridor, or just within the Waterfall Zone. ODOT could pilot the tool in partnership with other near-term pilot programs Tool Name: that temporarily create one-way or restricted vehicle access to the Multiuse Path Historic Highway. Considerations and Tradeoffs Tool Description and Context • Multiuse paths create safer and more comfortable bicycling facilities on the roadway. Multiuse paths are paved, bi-directional trails separated from vehicles that serve • Multiuse paths make travel by bicycle, or on foot between both pedestrians and bicyclists. Multiuse attractions, more accessible and attractive to visitors. paths increase user safety and comfort • Multiuse paths enable a higher volumes of bicycles to operate levels. They play an integral role in safely, as in the case of bicycle tours and introduction of bike recreation, commuting, and accessibility share services, for example. because of their appeal to users of all ages • Multiuse paths could result in delineation by paint only, which and skill levels. could result in lower levels of compliance by drivers. • Multiuse paths would require approval from the Regional Traffic Engineer. Implementation Examples • The City of Portland has on-street cycle paths that use a painted buffer to separate auto-users from bicycle lanes. • Multnomah County identified several roadways that could benefit from a multiuse path, including Burlington Northern Trail, the main loop on Sauvie Island, Reeder Road, and Gillihan Loop Road.
A-32 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
Technology User Experience System Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway ODOT could apply these tools to the busiest parking locations along the Historic Highway and at park-and ride lots off I-84 (such as Rooster Rock). ODOT could employ the use of in-roadway dynamic signage on I-84 in advance of Exit 22 (eastbound) and before Exit 37 (westbound) to signal to visitors parking stall availability at select attractions along the Historic Highway. Considerations and Tradeoffs Figure 33. Real-time parking data can be used to fluctuate pricing based upon demand • User-generated parking data rely on users for information, which may result in inconsistent, incorrect, or infrequent updates. • Parking information and data allow users to make informed route Tool Name: or destination choices based on conditions at their intended destination. Real-Time Parking Information, • Real-time parking information and user-generated parking data User-Generated Parking Data, and would be useless to visitors that do not have access to, or are Dynamic Parking Occupancy Counters uncomfortable with, online or mobile applications. • The investment necessary to make real-time parking information accessible to visitors with handheld devices includes fabricating Tool Description and Context signage, installing sensor technology at select attractions along Real-time parking information can help the Historic Highway, and electrifying some sites currently without avoid unnecessary trips by letting visitors power. know when and where parking areas are • Provides ongoing system management and support already fully occupied. Real-time parking • Signs would need to adhere to CRGNSA design guidance. information also can be user-generated through phone apps or by parking sensors, video, or by staff. The app can transmit Implementation Examples parking data through a digital display (often • An example is the dynamic information sign at the western end used in parking garages). Informational of the Morrison Bridge that prominently displays SmartPark signage means reduced congestion, occupancy information for users heading west into downtown frustration, carbon emissions, and drive Portland. times, and a better overall user experience. • A less “smart” example would be the “exit closed” sign (Exit 31, on eastbound I-84), which uses the same principle to inform drivers of parking availability, but fails to provide the number of empty stalls.
A-33 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
User Experience Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway Agencies could designate the entire Historic Highway, or throughout the Columbia River Gorge, a Summer Recreation Area where visitors would be required to display a valid parking permit between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Considerations and Tradeoffs • Permits would reduce the need for revenue collection equipment Figure 34. Permits could be issues for day-use, (for example, pay stations) at points of interest and trailhead seasonally, or permanently for residents parking lots. • Permits create a small revenue stream for routine maintenance and minor capital improvements. Tool Name: • Permits would be seasonal, in effect during peak summer months. Required Parking Permits for Users in • Permits would eliminate free parking in parking lots at points of Historic Highway Corridor interest. • Regular enforcement would be required to ensure compliance. • Requiring permits would entail ongoing system management and Tool Description and Context support. Similar to the Northwest Forest Pass, • Policy changes would need to be made to allow collected revenue agencies could require visitors along the to stay in the area. Historic Highway to purchase a day-use pass in advance or at onsite pay stations. Implementation Examples Each vehicle not displaying a valid parking permit would be subject to a parking • Northwest Forest Passes are required for users at specific high- citation. Agencies could sell season passes traffic recreational locations in Oregon and Washington. to frequent visitors going to corridor • Similarly, Sno-Park permits are required seasonally (November destinations. A third-party app could tie 1 through April 30) at designated winter recreation areas (Sno- payments to vehicle license plates, similar to Parks) in Oregon. These areas have signs posted, identifying them parking applications in downtown Portland. as “Winter Recreation Areas.”
A-34 Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety Improvement Plan: Management Toolkit
User Experience Improvement
Applicability on Historic Highway This corridor experiences a disproportionate amount of traffic congestion in the summer months. Having a dedicated organization to coordinate shuttle service, employ transportation demand management programs and services, and assist in parking management could be beneficial to visitors and residents along the corridor. Considerations and Tradeoffs Figure 35. Transportation Management Association can collect and distribute revenue • A TMA could provide dedicated staff that work on mitigating to implement other tools traffic congestion and employing parking management strategies. • A TMA often affiliates with an existing organization (e.g. a Tool Name: Chamber of Commerce, Friends Group, or Visitors Association) to create administrative efficiencies. Transportation • A TMA could manage visitor information and education efforts, Management Association and provide a physical space for visitors to go to for information and help. Tool Description and Context • A TMA could provide for cost-effective organization (efficient operations) that is immediately accountable to funders and a A Transportation Management Association board of directors. is a nonprofit, member-controlled • A TMA could require services for only 4 months out of the year organization that provides transportation (peak summer months). services in a particular area, such as a commercial district, mall, campus, industrial • A TMA could build partnerships and community within defined park, or transportation corridor. The TMA boundaries, which would allow communities to be proactive works directly with and on behalf of local rather than reactive to transportation concerns. stakeholders to achieve common goals for the betterment of the larger community. Implementation Examples A TMA’s particular focus is on more efficient • TMAs in the Portland metropolitan area include Go Lloyd, use of transportation and parking resources Explore Washington Park, South Waterfront, and the Westside to improve access and support economic Transportation Alliance in Washington County. development of the area. It is generally a public-private partnership, consisting primarily of area stakeholders with local government support and partnership.
A-35