Interim Corridor Strategy Staff Report An Element of the Portland-Cannon Beach Junction (US Highway 26) Corridor Plan Oregon Department of Transportation Prepared by: ODOT Regions I & 2 Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas, Inc. Paula Calvin Associntes Cogan Owens Cogan October 1997 Staff Report Interim Corridor Strategy Portland-Cannon Beach Junction Corridor Plan Proposed Action Endorsement of the Portland-Cannon Beach Junction (US 26) Interim Corridor Strategy. Background and Analysis The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has been working with 18 local and regional governments, interest groups, statewide agencies and stakeholder committees, and the general public to develop a long-term plan for the Portland-Cannon Beach Junction (US Highway 26) Corridor. The first phase of that process has resulted in the attached Interim Corridor Strategy. The Interim Corridor Strategy is a critical element of the Portland-Cannon-Beach Junction Corridor Plan. Corridor planning is a new approach to transportation planning statewide. ODOT and the communities bordering major transportation corridors have worked together to build a plan that not only addresses the specific needs of each corridor, but also identifies each corridor's current and future uses and unique character. --""-' Astoria /L I Corridor Map. file: us26/phusel /chprev stafSre2.doc Staff Report Interim Corridor Strategy Portland-Cannon Beach Junction Corridor Plan The Portland-Cannon Beach Junction Corridor serves both urban and rural transportation needs. Though multi-modal, the corridor is dominated by auto use on US Highway 26 (US 26), which is part of the National Highway System. US 26 is one of two major tourist routes to the north coast and also provides the primary access from the Portland area to the Tillamook area through its connection to Wilson River Highway (OR 6). In the urban or eastern portion (within the regional urban growth boundary) of the corridor, use of all transportation modes is increasing and expected to continue to increase over the life (20 years) of the Corridor Plan. In this portion, the Corridor has the following primary functions: Both an inter-city and intra-city commuter route; Major regional transit corridor, which will be focused on the Westside light rail system when completed; Access to major employment centers in Portland and Washington County, most notably a growing high-tech industry; Major freight movement within the urban growth boundary (UGB); and Connections to 1-5 (via 1-405 and Highway 21 7) and 1-84 (via 1-405). Within its rural or western portion (outside the regional UGB), the Corridor is noted for the following: Linkage to north Oregon coast; Tourism and access to recreation opportunities; Rural scenic qualities, e.g. it is designated by Washington County as a Scenic Route; Natural resource amenities, particularly agricultural and forest lands and scenic rivers; Connection to other highways that serve rural communities and outlying cities such as Banks, North Plains, and Vemonia; and Freight movement for agricultural specialty crops, aggregate and forest products. Assumptions In developing the Interim Corridor Strategy, a number of assumptions were made related to other planning efforts, capital improvements, and other aspects of the transportation system. These assumptions, are not repeated as issues or objectives. ODOT Corridor Staff and the ODOT Planning Staff are coordinating with Metro and local juridications to define and address growth management strategies in the Urban Growth Functional Plan for the urban or eastern portion of the corridor. Regional (as opposed to corridor-specific) transportation system issues and needs within the metropolitan urban growth boundary(UGB) are being addressed in the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), which is a part of the Urban Growth Functional Plan. Assumptions, based upon Metro's Region 2040 Growth Concept include significant population and employment growth focused on "Regional Centers" and "Town Centers"; limited UGB expansion; expanded transit services; and significant growth in local intra-city trips. Another file: us26/phasel lchprev stafJre2. doc Staff Report Interim Corridor Strategy Portland-Cannon Beach Junction Corridor Plan element of the Metro planning effort is the development of a "Green Corridor" from the Metro UGB to North Plains (approximately 3 miles outside the UGB). The North Plains "Neighbor City" study is examining the potential impacts of regional growth management strategies on North Plains, including the need for urban growth boundary amendments. The rural portions of the Corridor (west of the Metro UGB) are assumed to continue in resource uses, e.g . agriculture and forestry, with growth generally confined to acknowledged exception areas and existing rural community centers. The Inter& Corridor Strategy assumes the issues related to US 101 and its junction with US 26 have previously been addressed in the Coastal Highway Corridor Plan and will be further refined in the Highway 101 Scenic Byway study. Corridor plans for other state highways intersecting with US 26, e.g. Highway 47, will be prepared at a future time, although the functioning of these intersections is being addressed in this corridor plan. The Interim Corridor Strategy assumes that all highway uses of US 26 will increase during the 20- year planning period. The use of US 26 as a primary route to the Tillarnook area via OR 6 will continually grow. The availability of "Tillarnook Bum" timber stands for harvesting will increase use of the US 26 corridor for logging operations and transport. Highway capital improvement projects identified for construction in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) relating to US 26 are assumed as part of the Strategy. Projects previously identified by ODOT and local jurisdictions but not included in the STIP are not assumed. Current funding constraints are not assumed. The purpose of the Corridor Plan is to establish objectives and priorities for the long-term management of and improvements to transportation facilities within the corridor, regardless of current funding limitations. The corridor objectives and priorities are balanced with a reasonable possibility of funding from a variety of sources over the 20 year planning period. The ability to implement these objectives and priorities will, of course, be dependent upon future available funding. One of the tasks in the next phase will be to determine the priorities of the improvements within three different financial scenarios. Key Findings The Interim Corridor Strategy for Portland-Cannon Beach Junction Corridor consists of a series of objectives to enhance the corridor's ability to serve commute, recreational, and freight travel between Portland and the Cannon Beach Junction. Consistent with Oregon Transportation Plan objectives to promote a balanced multi-modal transportation system, the Interim Strategy promotes transportation demand management (TDM) and system management (TSM) strategies as the first course in addressing future needs in the corridor. These TDM and TSM strategies include the development of support facilities for transit and other non-motorized modes, as well as retaining railroad and air services as an effective means of transport. file: ur26/phasel/chprev stafJre2.doc Staff Report Interim Corridor Strategy Portland-Cannon Beach Junction Corridor Plan A wide variety of objectives have been developed to address the various elements of the corridor's transportation system. The following are the key issues reflected in the Interim Corridor Strategy objectives. Demand For Increased Capacity The Interim Strategy recommends limited expansion in highway capacity within the Metro Urban Growth Boundary. The question of how far out to expand US 26 over the next 20 years is yet to be resolved. The Strategy recommends an investigation of highway widening to the UGB line. The investigation should determine if there is a need for additional highway capacity over the long term given the projections for population and employment growth and requirements to reduce reliance on the automobile. The question of highway widening will be resolved during the Metro RTP and the Urban Growth Functional Plan process. The Strategy calls for increased reliance on transit and local street networks for intracity trips on US 26 to reduce the demand for increased capacity. The degree to which local jurisdictions will be willing to accommodate a shift of traffic from US 26 to local streets remains to be determined. The Interim Strategy recommends no expansion in highway capacity outside the Metro UGB, except for climbinglpassing lanes and turning lanes. One of the most controversial issues is interchange improvements in areas outside of the Metro UGB. There has been strong public demand for action on the Jackson School Road intersection, improvements to the Glencoe Road interchange, adding ramps to the Gordon Road overpass and improving the Staleys Junction (OR47) intersection. Staff position at this time is as follows: Interchange Im~rovements Jackson School Road Yes ENFonsi recommend interchange Glencoe Road Yes Local studies support interchange improvements Gordon Road No Does not meet OBQT standards At-grade Intersechon Improvements Mountaindale Analyze in this fiscal year Staley's Junction Analyze in this fiscal year These issues are to be resolved jointly by ODOT and the regional, county and cities TSFs within the context of the CSC next phase over the coming fiscal year. Alternative Modes