ODOT will update this webpage as the project progresses. Check back soon for graphics showing the project elements and sidewalk locations. A summary of the comments from the open house and those received by email will be posted on this site by Dec. 17.
Learn More
Join ODOT for and open house to learn more about the project and provide your input.
Open House
Monday, Dec. 3, 2102
5:30-7 p.m.
Gladstone High School
18800 Portland Avenue
Gladstone OR
Accommodations will be provided to persons with disabilities and alternate formats of printed materials are available upon request. Please contact (503) 731-8281 48 hours prior to the meeting or statewide relay 7-1-1.
Project Overview
Lined with several different types of businesses and public transit, McLoughlin Boulevard (Oregon Highway 99E) between Roethe Road and the Clackamas River Bridge carries 33,000 motorists on a given day and serves numerous bicyclists and pedestrians along this nearly two mile stretch.
The roadway, however, is falling apart under the asphalt in several locations. Road users experience a bumpy ride along the entire stretch of highway. There are five traffic signals in this area and they are not connected. This means, traffic does not flow efficiently. There are also several long sections without sidewalks at all, leaving pedestrians on the shoulders of busy McLoughlin Boulevard.
ODOT is designing a project to preserve SE McLoughlin Boulevard for years to come by repairing failing sections of the road.
Project elements include:
- Rebuilding sections of the road under the pavement
- Repaving between Roethe Road and the Clackamas River Bridge
- Connecting sidewalks in 16 locations – see below for details
- Improving sub-standard ADA ramps to the sidewalks in 16 locations
- Constructing a crossing over Boardman Creek
- Striping bike lanes
- Connecting the traffic signals to improve traffic flow
Rebuilding Failing Sections of the Roadway
ODOT identified ten locations in the north and southbound directions of SE McLoughlin Boulevard where the roadway is crumbling beneath the asphalt. When construction is underway, workers will dig out the failing roadbed below the asphalt and rebuild the road surface. This work will require lane closures that could last for several days. ODOT is still identifying how this work will affect travelers on McLoughlin and will have more information in the spring of 2013.
Sidewalks
ODOT is planning to fill in the sidewalk gaps at the following locations. Some sidewalks will include planter strips, others will not due to the width available along the roadway.
Sidewalk Locations |
North of Ina Avenue |
Between Boardman Road and Ina Avenue |
Between Hull and Meldrum Avenue |
Between SE Mildred Street and SE Glen Echo |
South of SE Glen Echo |
|
How Did ODOT Determine the Sidewalk Locations
The $1 million funding for the sidewalks only meets a portion of the sidewalk need in the project area. For this reason, selection criteria have been developed to identify locations where sidewalks will provide the most benefit. Based on the objectives below, 16 locations have been preliminarily identified as priority locations for sidewalk in-fill.
Selection Criteria for Sidewalk Locations
Ø Take pedestrians out of harms way. Some areas now require pedestrians to walk on the highway shoulder for a hard surface. The locations selected will provide sidewalks where no safe, hard surface exists. Some areas are without sidewalks but have even asphalt pavement that provides an adequate walking surface. These areas will not include new sidewalks as part of this project.
Ø Provide sidewalks to improve access to bus stops.
Ø Improve the crossing over Boardman Creek.
Ø Cost-Benefit. The following factors come into play in terms of the cost of sidewalk installation and the benefit that results:
o Landscaped planter areas within the public right of way will generally not be landscaped. Citizens interested in landscaping in the sidewalks that have space for plantings can use ODOT’s adopt-a-landscape program.
o Existing curbs retained. Generally, the existing curb location will be maintained where it currently exist to allow the savings to be used on more rather than less sidewalk.
o Existing but substandard sidewalks (due to location or width) will be retained in order to focus on areas where no sidewalk currently exists.
o Redevelopment sites. ODOT will not install sidewalks where adjacent redevelopment is likely to occur and where there is a safe hard surface to provide access.
Other Important Factors
Ø Tree preservation – The type of sidewalks in certain areas were selected to avoid removing existing trees. Only tree will be removed in the project limits at because it has the potential of falling into the roadway.
Improving Traffic Signal Efficency
The traffic signals span this two mile section of SE McLoughlin Boulevard and do not function efficiently. Drivers may notice that they seem to stop at every signal. Interconnecting the traffic signals requires adding hardware and software to the traffic signals that will help improve traffic flow. When this work is complete, drivers will notice less stopping at every single traffic signal.
Construction Impacts
Most of the paving work will take place at night when traffic volumes are lower. However, rebuilding sections of the roadway require extensive lane closures. The details of this work is still being discussed and will be posted here when determined.
Project Schedule
Project will open for bid in October 2013. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2014.
Comments and Contact Information
Please contact us if you have questions, comments or would like us to come to your community meeting to discuss this project.
Kimberly Dinwiddie
ODOT Community Affairs
503-731-8281
Kimberly.Dinwiddie@odot.state.or.us