Corridor Plan

HOOD RIVER MT HOOD (OR HIGHWAY 35) Corridor Plan Oregon Department of Transportation DOR An Element of the HOOD RIVER-MT. HOOD (OR 35) CORRIDOR PLAN Oregon Department of Transportahon Prepared by: ODOT Region I David Evans and Associates,Inc. Cogan Owens Cogan October 1997 21 October, 1997 STAFF REPORT INTERIM CORRIDOR STRATEGY HOOD RIVER-MT. HOOD (OR HWY 35) CORRIDOR PLAN (INCLUDING HWY 281 AND HWY 282) Proposed Action Endorsement of the Hood River-Mt. Hood (OR HWY 35) Corridor Strategy. The Qregon Bep ent of Transportation (ODOT) has been working wi& Tribal and local governments, transportation service providers, interest groups, statewide agencies and stakeholder committees, and the general public to develop a long-term plan for the Hood River-Mt. Hood (OR HWY 35) Corridor. The Hood River-Mt. Hood Corridor Plan is a long-range (20-year) program for managing all transportation modes within the Oregon Highway 35 corridor from the 1-84 junction to the US 26 junction (see Corridor Map). The first phase of that process has resulted in the attached Interim Com'dor Stvategy. The Interim Corridor Strategy is a critical element of the Hood River- Mt. Hood Corridor Plan. The Corridor Strategy will guide development of the Corridor Plan and Refinement Plans for specific areas and issues within the corridor. Simultaneous with preparation of the Corridor Plan, Transportation System Plans (TSPs) are being prepared for the cities of Hood River and Cascade Locks and for Hood River County. ODOT is contributing staff and financial resources to these efforts, both to ensure coordination between the TSPs and the Corridor Plan and to avoid duplication of efforts, e.g. public involvement processes. Separate long-term planning efforts are currently underway for 1-84 and the Historic Columbia River Highway. The result of these efforts will be comprehensive, long-term management direction for all elements of the transportation system in Hood River County. The Hood River-Mt. Hood Corridor is a major recreation corridor and provides access to rural communities in the upper Hood Interim Corridor Strategy 1 Staff Report Hood River-Mt. Hoodcorridor Plan October, 1997 multi-modal transportation center. Edgefield Station representatives are participating on the TAC to promote intermodal connections to the west end of the Gorge. 1-84, OR 35, Highway 281, Highway 282 and the Historic Columbia River Highway are all state highway bicycle facilities. The Interim Corridor Strategy promotes development of a countywide bicycle system that facilities both through and local traffic and an expanded pedestrian system. Establishing a fully interconnected system may be difficult due to a lack of connecting streets and steep terrain. Although sewed by four general avia~onairports (two public md two private), the accessibiliq of Portland Interna~ondAirport lmts the potential role for colnmercial air service within the corridor. Objectives support protec~ons against land use encroaclhments. Key objectives for rail service include maintenance of Amtrak services and support for the Mt. Hood Railroad for both tourist excursions and for freight hauling. Improved access to port facilities at the Ports of Hood River and Cascade Locks is the key strategy to support water transport. Access Management The Interim Corridor Strategy recommends application of the highest applicable access management standards. Consolidation of existing access points would likely be meet with sigruficant opposition, particularly in rural community centers. Land Uses Objectives promote transportation-efficient land use patterns that reduce vehicle miles traveled and provide a live-work balance, and improved cooperation between ODOT and local governments in planning and project development. A major waterfront redevelopment project proposed by the Port of Hood River has raised issues of local access needs and impacts to 1-84 interchanges. This project is requesting an Immediate Opportunity Fund grant to provide some transportation improvements. Environmental Issues Staff from the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation participates on the TAC and requested that consideration be given to moving Highway 35 away from the river to address concerns about water quality in the East Fork Interim Comdor Strategy 6 Staff Report Hood River-Mt. HoodComdor Plan October, 1997 Hood River. The TAC responded that relocation would be prohibitively expensive and physically impractical for much of the corridor's length. The Interim Corridor Strategy commits ODOT and local governments to work with the Tribes to identify and evaluate long-term programs to restore fish populations and to improve water quality in the East Fork Hood River, including further assessment of the feasibility of relocating OR 35 away from the river. Economic Issues The key industries in Hood River County -- agriculture, forestry and tourism -- are relatively well-served by tramportation facilities. Transportation system hprovements iden~iedin the Interim. Gomidor Stratem and local TSPs are htended to support projects identified through the Regional Skategnes Progm and other economic development programs. A variety of objectives promote the use of OR 35 as an alternative to 'US 26 for access to Mt. Hood ski areas and other summer and winter recreational activities. Region 1 will be conducting a study of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in the Mt. Hood area, primarily to provide motorists with information about which route is advantageous for travelling to Portland. Development of the Corridor Strategy This Interim Corridor Strategy has been developed with the active involvement of representatives of 22 Tribal and local governments, transportation service providers and interest groups in the corridor. In addition, statewide agency and stakeholder committees and the general public have assisted in the identification of issues and needs to be addressed and the development of objectives to address those them. Key opportunities for public and agency involvement have included: Project Management Team The Project Management Team (PMT) is composed of local government and ODOT staff representatives and transportation planning and public involvement consultants. The 10-member PMT serves as the project staff, developing draft products for Technical Advisory Committee and local government review and approval. Technical Adviso y Committee The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is composed of representatives of the cities of Hood River and Cascade Locks, Hood River County, the Confederated Interim Comdor Strategy 7 Staff Report Hood River-Mt. HwdComdor Plan October, 1997 Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, the ports and other local governments within the county, other transportation service providers in the county, and key stakeholder groups. The 35-member group serves as a review and steering committee for development of the Transportation Plan. It has met eight times since initiation of the planning process in October 1995. TAC representatives include: Hood River County John Arens Commissioner James Lyons Public Works Director Jeff Hunt Associate Planner Don Wiley Engineering Supemisor Joe Wmpler SherZf City of Hood River Ron Bradsby Public Works Staff Cindy Walbridge Planning Director Rich Younkins Police Chief Roger Kauble (former) City Engineer City of Cascade Locks Michael Bridges City Manager George Lewis (former) City Manager Clackurnas County Ronald Weinrnan Transportation Planner Port of Hood River Greg Baker Executive Director Port of Cascade Locks Tobin White Executive Director Confederated Tribes of the Warm Patty O'Toole Staff Biologist Springs Indian Reseruation U.S. Forest Seruice, Mt. Hood Ken Huskie/ District Staff National Forest Rick Ragan U.S. Forest Seruice, Columbia River Jergen Hess/ Scenic Area Staff Gorge National Scenic Area David Sell Hood River Transportation District Linda Floyd Executive Director Hood River School District Jim Eastman Transportation Director Mt. Hood Railroad Jack Mills Director Hood River Shippers b Growers Tom Nelson Manager Associa tion Young 6 Morgan Company Burt Wright Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Area Dave Riley General Manager Columbia Gorge Windsurfing Bob Hall Associa tion Hood River Valley Residents Kate Mills Director Committee Hood River Chamber of Commerce Craig Schmidt Director Edgefield Station, Inc. Anita Caivano Executive Director Washington Department of Greg Bieber Region Staff Transportation Interim Comdor Strategy 8 SW Report Hood River-Mt HwdComdor Plan October, 1997 Oregon Department of Land Bob Cortright Transportation Planner Conservation €? Development Oregon Department of Region 1Staff Transportation Issues Sumey A survey of transportation interest groups and other parties was distributed in October, 1995, to solicit input on issues to be addressed in the Plan. This survey and other information about the planning process was also distributed at the October, 1995, Hood River Harvest Festival. Project News he tiers A newsletter update on the Transportation Plan was widely distributed (approximately 2,000 persons and organizations) in September, 1996. The newsletter provided notice of open houses to be conducted on the Plan and solicited input through a questionnaire on key objectives drafted by the TAC. Open Houses As part of the Goals and Objectives development phase of the Corridor Plan, public open houses were held in September, 1996, in Hood River and in Cascade Locks. The purpose of the open houses was to disseminate information on the transportation planning process

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