Charbonneau Villager May 2022 May, 2022 | Page 6

6 THE CHARBONNEAU VILLAGER May 2022 Details on toll road proposals

BY PATRICK DONALDSON
Anyone who travels on roadways in the Portland Metropolitan area knows firsthand that it is getting more and more difficult to get to work , to school and to entertainment and recreation . Those who live in Charbonneau or who travel to visit family and friends or enjoy various amenities know from daily experience the impact of traffic congestion along Interstate 5 at the Boone Bridge throughout the day . Interstate 205 can also be congested . Even short journeys to and from Wilsonville add extra time . For years the city of Wilsonville has advocated to state and federal officials for relief — to no avail .
However , recent actions by the Oregon Legislature , Metro and the Oregon Department of Transportation ( ODOT ) has led to a decision to toll I-205 as well as I-5 in both directions 24-hours per day . Possible tolls range from 50 cents to $ 4 each time you drive past a collection point . A monthly statement will be presented for payment .
ODOT ’ s own estimates believe that up to 40 % of freeway traffic will divert to surrounding roads and local streets , creating congestion there . No specific impacts have been determined or measured near Charbonneau along Miley Road at Airport Road . Apparently , tolls will come first before fixes of exiting bottlenecks along I-205 and I-5 .
It was also a surprise to learn that there is no guarantee that those fees will be spent to fix the problem area of the Abernathy Bridge on I-205 at Oregon City and the Boone Bridge along I-5 in Wilsonville . Elected leaders of
Transportation is a critical component in the quality of all our lives here in Charbonneau . It is also a complicated issue that requires all of our attention and involvement about how to proceed .
Clackamas County and all the cities within Clackamas County including city of Wilsonville Mayor Julie Fitzgerald sent another letter to the Oregon Transportation
Commission in January of this year requesting answers to these and other important livability questions and requesting a “ pause ” in further action .
The response from the Oregon Transportation Commission — silence .
In late February the entire Oregon Congressional delegation sent its only letter to the Oregon Transportation Commission requesting a revisit of basic assumptions around tolling before addressing and mitigating the adverse impacts . All members of the Clackamas Caucus of the Oregon Legislature , Democrats and Republicans , signed its own letter to the Oregon Transportation Commission asking for a pause in any implementation of tolling .
At a recent community meeting of 150 citizens , hosted by all south metropolitan chambers of commerce , only two people raised their hands when asked if transportation planners or officials had reached out to them or invited them to any meeting to engage around tolling as a solution of traffic congestions . That is both disturbing but encouraging . It says that public outreach efforts were not effective but that new efforts could be undertaken . Transportation is a critical component in the quality of all our lives here in Charbonneau . It is also a complicated issue that requires all of our attention and involvement about how to proceed . If we do , our roads and our community will be more livable .

EPPS

By JOHN MCLAIN

Welcome TVF & R Station 54

Two to three times a day , a team of two paramedics are dispatched to a Charbonneau residence . On behalf of all Charbonneau residents , THANK YOU .
Rescue Station 54 has six full-time staff : a captain , two lieutenants , two firefighters and an equipment specialist . All six staff members are trained as paramedics on duty at the new TVF & R Station 54 located near the Miley Road northbound on-ramp to I-5 . Recently TVF & R Station 54 Captain Karen Bureker and Equipment Specialist Amy Boyle met with a leadership group from Charbonneau ’ s Emergency Preparedness and Public Safety ( EPPS ) Committee : Sandy Batte , Patrick Donaldson and Jerry
Baker . The purpose of the meeting at Charbonneau ’ s new Activity Center building was to discuss ways that the Charbonneau EPPS teams can work cooperatively with TVF & R staff during a major emergency ( e . g . earthquake ). The important outcome of the meeting is that Station 54 is now fully aware of CCC ’ s emergency preparedness resources ( volunteer network , communications network and medical supplies ) that are in place for major emergencies . Station 54 desires to work with CCC EPPS to be part of future plans and emergency drills such as this year ’ s Oregon Shake Out drill in September . Of interest is that CCC is planning to purchase a backup generator to complement the future solar panels and battery system for the Activities Center building — Station 54 does not have a backup generator and may want to relocate staff and the rescue vehicle to Charbonneau ’ s new Activities Center during a prolonged power outage .
Below are some things learned
about the new Station 54 that residents might find interesting .
� Each staff member works shifts of 24 hours on duty and 48 hours off .
� The rescue vehicle is typically dispatched four to five times per day total , including Charbonneau and non- Charbonneau emergencies
� Station 54 sent their rescue vehicle on 546 calls between the station ’ s opening on Sept . 17 through Dec . 31 , 2021 .
� AMR ( American Medical Response ) has the medical transportation contract with Clackamas County and TVF & R subcontracts with AMR to provide transport services .
� Station 54 priorities are set by the “ 911 ” dispatch centers in Clackamas and Washington counties . Most calls are routed through the Washington County 911 system . AMR also
TVF & R captain and paramedic Karen Bureker ( right ) with equipment specialist and paramedic Amy Boyle .
COURTESY PHOTO
dispatches the Station 54 rescue vehicle for transport . Typical turnaround time for each dispatch is one to one and a half hours , depending on which hospital they go to .
� During a widespread emergency , the on-duty staff priority protocol : 1- Personnel check ; 2- Assess the station and apparatus ; 3- Report status to TVF & R management ; 4- Assess communication capabilities to dispatch centers ; 5- Check on stability of Boone Bridge ; 6- Do welfare check on most populated area nearest the station , which is Charbonneau .