Page 12 April 2018

The City of Wilsonville is held a meeting in Charbonneau in March to discuss southbound I-5 traffic-congestion mitigation concepts . The event provided community members an opportunity to provide input on a proposed rampto-ramp , auxiliary-lane concept to help alleviate evening rush-hour traffic congestion on southbound I-5 and Wilsonville Road interchange area . The City offered an online survey from at the project website , www . ci . Wilsonville . or . us / I-5BooneBridge .

The City of Wilsonville Planning Commission is scheduled to hear an update on Wednesday , April 11 at 6 pm , at City Hall on the results of the online openhouse survey held during March .

Starting on April 12 , the City and the Oregon Department of Transportation ( ODOT ) are holding a 45-day public-comment period on the proposed ramp-to-ramp congestion-mitigation solution Option C that would add a short auxiliary-lane to southbound I-5 from Wilsonville Road past Charbonneau / Miley Road exit to the Canby / Hubbard Highway 551 offramp . In June , the City Council may consider a resolution of support for the project , which would then advance for adoption by the Oregon Transportation Commission for inclusion in the updated Metro Regional Transportation Plan .

Three I-5 congestion-mitigation alternatives are proposed by the ODOT and the City in the joint study :

Option A : New ramp-to-ramp I-5 lane south from Wilsonville Road on-ramp to the first exit for Charbonneau / Miley Rd .

Option B : New ramp-to-ramp I-5 lane south from Wilsonville Road on-ramp to the second exit for Canby-Hubbard / Highway 551 .

Option C ( the City ' s preferred alternative ): Same as B , plus a second , I-5 turn-lane added to the Canby-Hubbard / Highway 551 exit off-ramp .

The meeting providee attendees with an opportunity to learn more about recent I-5 congestion studies , the possible benefits and impact of a ramp-to-ramp lane solution and the preliminary recommendation of the project leaders .

According to ODOT , similar projects that have added ramp-toramp auxiliary lanes for merging on / off highways in the Portland region have reduced crashes by 30 to 50 percent .

Currently , evening commute speeds on southbound I-5 near Wilsonville Road can drop to 25 mph ; and evening traffic backs up onto Wilsonville Road , Boones Ferry Road and Town Center Loop West . Travel times on the South Metro section of I-5 have become increasingly unreliable , resulting in unpredictable commutes and delay in the timely shipping of freight .

Analysis indicates that about 60 percent of all traffic getting on I-5 at Wilsonville Road exits at either the Charbonneau or Canby- Hubbard exits . A ramp-to-ramp lane is expected to improve reliability on I-5 southbound , reduce congestion , make it easier for drivers to change lanes and generally smooth-out traffic flow . Improved I-5 operation should positively impact traffic flow through the Wilsonville Road I-5 interchange area .

After close of the online survey , project leaders will consider public input and prepare a draft I-5 Wilsonville Facility Plan that includes a final alternative recommendation . The draft plan is scheduled to be released for a 45-day comment period starting in early April . City Council approval of the plan is expected in May , with adoption this

Charbonneau residents are very familiar with scenes like this back up on I-5 Southbound . A meeting was held in March to discuss possible solutions . Photo provided by the City of Wilsonville .

Jay Puppo , Agent 9375 SW Wilsonville Rd Wilsonville , OR 97070 Bus : 503-582-8181 email @ jaypuppo . com

The 2018 Session has just ended !

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