Presentation to ODOT Planners

April 25, 2012

Bill Johnston – Area 1 Planner (Astoria)

US 101: Camp Rilea to Surf Pines Lane Facility Plan

Overview of Presentation

Project overview

Practical design considerations

Alternate mobility standards

NEPA compliance

Study Area

4.6 mile section of US101

South of Warrenton, north of Gearhart

Project limits: Camp Rilea (Patriot Way) to Surf Pines Lane

Mostly a 2-lane section

4 lanes north and south of study area

Issues

Above average crash rate—50% involve turns

No median—Steep shoulders—Driveways

Inadequate sight distance in some locations

Excessive speed is not a factor—55 mph limit

Congestion from turns and seasonal traffic

Impatient motorists taking risks

Practical design considerations

Constructing 5-lanes is too expensive ($45M)

Full 3-lane is also too expensive ($31M)20-year funding assumption to establish

performance expectations: $15

Recommend improving north segment to 3-lanes plus lower-cost spot improvements in rest of corridor

Features

Raised medians to limit turning movements

U-turns and J-turns

Combining and improving intersections

Geometric improvements

Widening shoulders

Mobility standards, NEPA considerations

Can’t meet mobility targets at intersections

Establish alternate mobility standards by altering acceptable V/C or altering analysis methodology to exclude seasonal peaks

Need to show that spot improvements have “independent utility” for Categorical Exclusion

3-lane improvement must be evaluated through a single NEPA process (either EA or EIS)