On February 25th the I-5 to 99W Connector Project Steering Committee (PSC) voted 6 to 2 to recommend to Metro that Alternative 7 be included in the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) as the most viable alternative to reduce congestion and improve access to and between OR 99W and I-5 in the southwest metropolitan area.

The recommendation includes 8 conditions for advancing Alternative 7 that are summarized below, to view the complete text please click here.

1. Impacts of advancing some project elements before others must be considered in future project implementation phasing plans;
2. The timing and priority of an I-5 corridor study must be considered in the RTP adoption process;
3. Access between I-5 and the southern arterial must be resolved;
4.  Further development of major project elements is subject to compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA);
5. Local land use planning is coordinated with refinement of the transportation project elements;
6. The design of Alternative 7 must incorporate conditions that may come out of a goal exceptions process;
7. State highway system routing and mobility standards must be considered in project development; and
8. Strategic protection of right-of-way should be considered.

Alternative 7 identifies a variety of transportation modes, including roads, transit and trails. The PSC’s recommendation now goes to the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT) as part of the current RTP update process. A final RTP is scheduled to be approved by the Metro Council in early 2010.

The PSC includes elected and appointed officials from Washington County, Clackamas County, the cities of Sherwood, Tualatin, Tigard and Wilsonville, Metro, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). FHWA is a non-voting participant on the PSC. The two voting against the recommendation were Tim Knapp, the Mayor of Wilsonville and Charlotte Lehan, Clackamas County Commissioner. These jurisdictions continue to have concerns about the impact of the planned improvements on the functioning of I-5 through Wilsonville.

The majority opinion reflects recognition that Alternative 7 combines the best elements of the original six alternatives studied and is a more context-sensitive, cost-effective and sustainable way to solve the area’s ever-growing demand for travel. It addresses the project’s purpose by providing a network of connecting roads (three new or widened east-west arterials and one extended north-south arterial) along with walking and cycling facilities and transit improvements to distribute trips more evenly in and through the project area compared to a single, large new “connector” expressway. This recommended alternative has fewer adverse effects on natural resources and residential and commercial land uses than the other build alternatives studied and provides the flexibility to phase improvements over time as money becomes available and the region grows.

Click here to learn more about The Three Corridor Alternative (Alternative 7)

Alternative 7 Concept Map

Alternative 7 Analysis Results Now Available

At the direction of the PSC (Project Steering Committee), Alternative 7 was analyzed to compare its transportation performance and effects on the natural and built environments with the other build alternatives. Please Click Here to view an alternatives comparison matrix summarizing the supplemental analysis findings.

In general, Alternative 7 addresses the project's purpose by providing an extensive network of improvements that serve all surface travel modes with fewer adverse effects on the human and natural environment than the other alternatives. In addition, a significant advantage of Alternative 7 over the other connection options is the opportunity to phase Alternative 7's cost-effective system improvements over time to adapt to funding availability and rates of development in this part of the Metro region.

What's Next?

Public Participation in the RTP update

Metro is currently updating the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) looking ahead to the year 2035, to support community livability and promote regional economic prosperity. A main goal of this update is to better advance regional policies, public priorities and local efforts to implement the 2040 Growth Concept to keep the Portland metropolitan region a great place to live and work for everyone. Public input is essential to the success of this effort. To date, public and private sector leaders, community groups, business and freight interests and individual residents of the region have helped develop RTP goals and policies that will guide how the region plans for and investments in the transportation system. They have attended stakeholder workshops and advisory committee meetings, responded to public opinion surveys and participated public comment opportunities.
As attention turns in the final year to reassessing the region's investment priorities, the public will again be asked to help. Specific opportunities for input will be posted on the project web site shown below, where you may also find more information about the RTP update.

The Metro Council is currently scheduled to consider approval of the 2035 RTP update in November 2009 and final adoption in June 2010. Formal public comment periods will precede both of these major decisions.

Visit the Metro website to learn more about the 2035 RTP update www.oregonmetro.gov

I-5 to 99W Video Information (December 7)