Planning and Project Delivery in Lincoln Planning and Project Delivery in Lincoln City and NewportCity and Newport

Presentation to the ODOT Planner’s WorkshopOctober 2014

A Difficult History• Entering 2011, ODOT and Lincoln City’s political and

working relationship had been strained for at least 15 to 20 years

• The City’s last comprehensive transportation planning effort was completed in 1995 – it was never acknowledged by DLCD

• Problems and conflicts – both real and perceived – ranged from access management concerns to the local desire for improvements to US 101 and a bypass of US 101

A Difficult History• ODOT and Lincoln City had no shared vision for how

to manage and develop US 101

• The City gained approval through OTIA 1 in 2001 to fund a $12 million project on US 101

• The project was to add center turn lane, bike, and pedestrian facilities on a two-lane section of US 101 between 23rd and 32nd Street

• The lack of any consensus about US 101 eventually led to conflict as the OTIA funded project went through the development process

Poor Prior Planning Produces…• Project design team discussions led to the project

being designed to a length more than double the original proposal and expanded from a center turn lane/bike/ped project to a full five-lane cross-section

• Cost estimates for the expanded project ranged up to $50M (vs. the $12M budget)

• ODOT asked the City to secure additional ROW for a future expansion in accordance with the expanded project concept

Poor Prior Planning Produces…• The City was not willing to change their code to exact

setbacks/ROW dedications to enable development of a project concept that neither ODOT or the City considered likely to be funded within the 20-year planning horizon

• The project and relationship came to an impasse in early 2011

• At the urging of the Regional Solutions Team, ODOT and the City agreed to take a step back and redefine our mutual expectations

Crafting a New Direction• ODOT and the City established common TSP ground

through a MOU:

– Funding constraints are real, will likely continue, and must define our realistic expectations

– Lincoln City did not have a Transportation Planning Rule (TPR) compliant Transportation System Plan (TSP)

– The State and City will work in a collaborative and cooperative manner to complete development and adoption of the City’s first TPR-compliant TSP

Crafting a New Direction• ODOT and the City established common TSP ground

through a MOU:

– TSP expectations for state and local transportation system performance and management will be based on:

• a realistic assessment of funding possibilities• the potential to expand multi-modal transportation choices• the need to balance local community values with state

transportation system operational and management responsibilities

– State and local performance standards and targets will be adapted to reflect the outcome of applying this realistic approach

Crafting a New Direction• ODOT and the City also established common project

ground through a MOU:

– State and City will work together to collaboratively design and deliver project within the limits of the US 101: SE 16th – SE 36th Street project identified in the ODOT STIP using the funding that remains

– The project will be developed using Practical Design principles

Crafting a New Direction• ODOT and the City also established common project

ground through a MOU:

– Project development will be based on the following objectives:

• Add a center turn lane in the existing two-lane section approximately between 23rd Street and 32nd Street to restore capacity that is otherwise lost when vehicles turn within this highway segment

• Construct bicycle lanes and sidewalks approximately between 23rd and 32nd to address safety for bicyclists and pedestrians

Crafting a New Direction• ODOT and the City also established common project

ground through a MOU:

– Project development will be based on the following objectives:

• Ensure that the project design minimizes the relocation of the City’s underground utilities to the greatest extent practicable

• Minimize additional right of way purchase to the greatest extent practicable

• Re-investigate the possible placement of a traffic signal at 32nd Street to provide better access to neighborhoods, the local High School, and the Community College and to provide a safer highway crossing for pedestrians

What does the new TSP Address?

• Bike and Pedestrian Safety and Facilities

• Safe routes to school

What does the new TSP Address?

• Bike and Pedestrian Safety and Facilities

• Safe routes to school

What does the new TSP Address?

• Transit System development

What does the new TSP Address?

• Transit System development

What does the new TSP Address?

• Access to businesses and neighborhoods• Road system capacity and connectivity

What does the new TSP Address?

• US 101 Improvement Options

What does the new TSP Address?

• US 101 Improvement Options

What does the new TSP Address?

• Likely financial constraints and opportunities

– With no new revenue sources, about $2 million in City discretionary funding is forecast through 2035

– ODOT will stipulate that it is reasonably likely the City could secure approximately $5 to $10 million in State Enhance-type funds through 2035

What does the new TSP Address?• Future system performance expectations

– Projects desired beyond the identified reasonably likely threshold are identified on an aspirational project list and are not factored into future roadway performance expectations

– Alternative Mobility Targets (standards) for US 101 will be requested to match expected reality

• change the analysis baseline from 30th highest hour to annual average traffic conditions

• change the volume to capacity (v/c) ratio target to 1.0 for 8 hours at the US 101 and 32nd Street intersection

• change the v/c ratio target to 0.95 for unsignalized intersections on US 101 between NE Holmes and SE 29th

How is it Going?• Safety is foremost concern, but inflexible standards

have not driven the TSP process

• TSP is Values, Reality, and Outcome Based– Values – what is acceptable and desirable to the Community

and State

– Reality – both physical (built and natural environment) and fiscal constraints

– Outcome – performance expectations are based on what is both acceptable and realistic

• Will go to Council for adoption this Fall

• The City and ODOT are now communicating openly and working collaboratively

• The Project is under construction

• Located on the south side of the mouth of the Yaquina Bay and the crossing of US101

• Home to Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon Coast Aquarium, NOAA fleet and the South Beach Marina

Newport South Beach Peninsula

Refinement Plan Initiation

• Siting of a new NOAA facility prompted Newport to apply for Quick Response funds in 2009

• DLCD staff managed the project. ODOT staff participated in the development of the plan

• The Project Team worked with Port of Newport and other local stakeholders to prepare a Transportation Refinement Plan for the South Beach District

• The design team developed and refined circulation, street scape, parking and way-finding concepts

• Through a four day design Charrette stakeholders and the public worked with the design team to identify capital improvement projects consistent with the vision for the peninsula

• An Urban Renewal District was created to carry out the planned improvements

The Process

• Address local stakeholders and the general public’s needs

• Identify multi-modal improvements that improve the overall access, safety and efficiency of the peninsula

• Improve the aesthetics of the peninsula’s transportation system

The Vision

December 2009 Charrette

Outcomes

• Intersection and Vehicular Access improvements were identified

• Parking and circulation improvements along the marina were identified

• Bicycle and Pedestrian improvements were identified

• Five Newport Loop transit stops along the peninsula were consolidated to one strategic location adjacent to the new NOAA facility

2012 TSP Update

• “[D]ue to limited State transportation funding for bridge improvement or replacement, the capacity of the Yaquina Bay Bridge is expected to continue to be the major constraint in the operation of the transportation system south of the bridge.” 2012 Newport TSP Update

• Because of this, the City and ODOT worked together – to identify a transportation system and management

strategy that will support future growth in South Beach – to implement alternative mobility standards for US 101 – to fund strategic improvements to both the state highway

and the local roadway system which includes pedestrian and bicycle system enhancements.

Opportunities and Constraints

• Opportunities for development of vacant land and redevelopment of other parcels exist within this area

• Since the time of the study, OMSI has been working with the City to develop one of the vacant parcels and is slated to open a Youth Science Camp in 2016

• The Yaquina Bay Bridge is recognized as a constraint. This iconic McCullough bridge has two lanes, little to no shoulder and narrow sidewalks

• Region staff continue to work with City Staff and will do a full TSP update in 2015 using a new seasonal transportation modal under development through TPAU

2015-2018 STIP Process

• The Refinement Plan and TSP update had outlined the necessary improvements

• Newport had accumulated a substantial match for the project using Urban Renewal funds

• There were already agreements in place between ODOT and Newport to help guide the scoping exercise

• Project Initiation is underway and there are very clear, defined and agreed upon expectations

Moving Ahead

• The three C’s – Communication, Coordination and Collaboration are the key (even outside MPOs)

• Plan ahead. Refine as needed and complete the plan – then seek capital improvement funds

• Having Plans and Agreements already in place makes for a stronger project proposal

• Construction in Lincoln City will be complete in 2015. Construction is slated for 2016 on Newport’s system and 2017 on US101 in Newport