Metro and County Seek Public Comment on Proposed Regional ‘Active Transportation’ Projects
Metro regional government and Clackamas County are seeking public comment on proposals for 31 projects across the three-county region that improve travel mobility for cyclists and pedestrians and the timely movement of freight. Of these proposed transportation projects, 27 bike/ped project applications request a total of $92.5 million competing for $25.8 million in available funds.
The City of Wilsonville has a top-ranked project seeking $2.25 million in funding for a proposed bike/ped bridge over I-5 connecting east and west sides of town to provide a safer route and encourage the use of alternative transportation.
Metro is seeking public input on all of the proposed projects until Monday, Nov. 7. Comments may be submitted via:
• An online interactive map at www.oregonmetro.gov/33mil
• Email to transportation@oregonmetro.gov
• Letter to Metro Planning, 600 NE Grand Ave., Portland OR 97232
• Phone call to 503-797-1750 or TDD 503-797-1804.
In addition to the Metro comment period, Clackamas County is also hosting a public-comment forum on the six proposed bike/ped projects in the county on Thursday, Nov. 3, 7 p.m., at the first-floor auditorium of the county’s Development Services Building, 150 Beavercreek Road, Oregon City, 97045.
Metro is awarding a total of $33 million of federal funds under the Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP) Regional Flexible Funds Allocation process to local cities and counties for projects that improve freight-movement and bike/ped transportation options and safety. A total of $25.8 million is available to fund ‘active transportation’ bike/ped projects and $7.3 million for trucking-related projects.
The City of Wilsonville seeks funds for a proposed bike/ped bridge that crosses Interstate 5 in the middle of town to better connect the eastside Town Center and high-tech employment area with the westside that includes SMART Transit Center, Tri-Met WES commuter train, businesses and Villebois neighborhood. A component of the City’s adopted Transportation Systems Plan (TSP), the I-5 Pedestrian & Bikeway Bridge is designed to improve transportation options and provide a safe bike/ped route alternative to the Wilsonville Road interchange and Boeckman Road bridge over I-5.
The proposed bike/ped bridge links Town Center Loop West on the eastside of I-5 with Boones Ferry Road and Barber Street on the westside of I-5 that divides Wilsonville in half. The proposed bridge, which seeks $2.25 million in MTIP funds for the $2.9 million project, leverages Wilsonville’s extensive and existing pedestrian and bike path and trail network to help fill a gap in the developing regional trail network that would connect the Ice Age Tonquin Trail from Tualatin/Sherwood with the Stafford Trail from West Linn/Lake Oswego.
Technical scoring by transportation professionals using federal MTIP criteria ranked the proposed Wilsonville I-5 Pedestrian & Bikeway Bridge as the No. 3 of the 27 project applications. A full description of Wilsonville’s proposed project is available www.oregonmetro.gov/sites/default/files/app-interstate-5-bridge.pdf, and more information about all the projects under consideration is available at www.oregonmetro.gov/33mil.
For more information on the City’s proposed I-5 Pedestrian & Bikeway Bridge, contact Zach Weigel, Civil Engineer, at 503-570-1565 or weigel@ci.wilsonville.or.us.
