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!

- Light Refreshments Served www. charbonneaucountryclub. com