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07/16/1992 - Packet 99W TASK FORCE AGENDA JULY 16, 1992 7:00 P.M. TIGARD CITY HALL - TOWN HALL 13125 SW HALL BLVD TIGARD, OREGON 97223 1. Call to Order/Introductions 2. Roll Call: Clark _ Cook _ Deuth _ Eddy _ Edwards _ Hawley _ Holland _ Moore _ Reilly _ Schwartz _ Schweitz Alternates: Carver _ Hopkins 3. Visitor's Agendas and Comments 4. Proposed Interim Improvements • Staff recommendation • Task Force discussion and recommendation to City Council 5. Subarea Analysis • Staff recommendation • Task Force discussion and recommendation to City Council 6. Adjourn br/WWAgend.Mst �j /-4)YzI7 A-a-so 99W TASK FORCE MINUTES JUNE 25, 1992 1 . Meeting was called to order at 7:05 PM. 2. ROLL CALL Present: Clark, Deuth, Jervais in place of Eddy, Edwards, Hawley, Holland, Moore, Reilly, Schwartz, Schweitz, and Hopkins. Also Present: City Staff: Community Development Director Ed Murphy, City Engineer Randy Wooley, Task Force Secretary Ellen Fox. ODOT: Ted Keasey 3. INTRODUCTIONS Clark welcomed everyone and asked the members of the audience to introduce themselves. 4. PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT o City Engineer Randy Wooley provided an overview of the current status of 99W including daily traffic volumes and accident rates. He talked about the short-term and long-term planning and funding. Regarding the proposed projects under consideration, he advised that any of the projects could be chosen or rejected. He explained there were two major types of improvements: 1 ) projects aimed at improving safety; and 2) projects to improve capacity. He noted that there was sometimes an overlap, as some projects tended to influence both types of improvement. City Engineer described the projects and their benefits. These projects included: a median barrier curb on 99W from Hwy 217 ramps to Hall Boulevard; Warner Avenue cul de sac; restriping on 99W which would result in 6 lanes total ; and added turn lanes at Hall and 99W. He provided cost information for each of the projects. o Ernie Munch, representing Speaker Partnership, stated he is a transportation planner hired by Park 217. He handed out copies of a report describing Park 217 with details of the size, occupancy rate, and tenants. He noted that there are 681 people employed there currently. Mr. Munch explained why a raised median would be disasterous for the businesses at Park 217. The main concern was that access would be limited. He described a frontage road project proposed to connect Garden Place with the ramp to Highway 217. He showed aerial photographs of the site. He provided details about peak hour analysis and accident rates for this type of a connection, including comparisons with statistics from other similar frontage roads. 99W TASK FORCE MEETING MINUTES - JUNE 25, 1992 PAGE 1 o Ted Keasey of Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) talked about the funding for projects and the acquisition of property. He noted that the 6-year plan has been completed for this area, and he said there is no funding identified for the proposed projects. He said it was possible that some shifting of approved projects may occur which would make it possible within 2 or 3 years to work on these projects if funding can be found. He explained the process for acquisition of property; and he provided brochures on relocation of properties and acquisition procedures. He discussed the proposed frontage road at Park 217 and explained ODOT's viewpoint regarding protecting integrity of the freeways. o Mayor Jerry Edwards commented on the letter the City sent to Metro and the lack of funding available. Discussion followed regarding Metro projects and the tight competition for funding. 5. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC o Clark clarified the purpose for the Task Force and he asked for comments from the public. o Gary Barrett, 11959 SW Garden Place, Tigard, asked for details about signage. He expressed concern that access to Park 217 would be limited. Community Development Director Ed Murphy answered questions regarding state and City requirements and mentioned the variance process. o Don Watkins of Smith's Home Furnishings asked Ted Keasey about the proposed widening of 99W. Mr. Keasey discussed this plan which is being studied for the whole corridor; however, he said there are no plans on the table at this time. o Steve Roos of Russ Chevrolet expressed concern about losing square footage from their main display area. There was discussion regarding the amount of space lost with various improvements. RECESS - 8:00 PM RECONVENE - 8:10 PM o Jim Nicoli , PO Box 23784, Tigard, expressed concern that the proposed improvements would result in a bottleneck at Greenburg Road. City Engineer explained that capacity would be improved at Greenburg Road. o There was discussion as to whether Warner Street should be allowed access to 99W. Discussion followed regarding the options. o John McQuillan, III, 11520 SW Fairview, Tigard, said he was uncertain if there was any bike traffic to consider; and City Engineer advised that Regional State Planning required that bike and pedestrian standards be met. 99W TASK FORCE MEETING MINUTES - JUNE 25, 1992 PAGE 2 o Hal Fitzke, 121 M SW Garden Place, was also concerned about maintaining sufficient access into Park 217. o Clark read a letter received from Mike Stevenson of B and B Litho expressing concern about lack of planning in which he requested that the City take a leadership role with regards to transportation. He noted there needed to be access from Murray Road to 99W. o Larry Bissett advised that the Tigard Chamber of Commerce resolution supports an area analysis or study to look at alternatives to widening 99W, looking at other routes to improve traffic. He requested that the Task Force support that type of study. o There was further discussion of traffic volumes; and John McQuillan suggested that the proposed frontage road connection at Park 217 would improve safety along 99W. Discussion followed concerning the percentages of through traffic and the purpose for putting in a median. Ed Munch verified that their traffic study indicated the proposed frontage road would eliminate accidents. o Joe Schweitz, 11020 SW Cottonwood, Tigard, pointed out that improved traffic flow is important as it will encourage people to come to Tigard. o Wendy Hawley, 14790 SW 79th, Tigard, asked if it was possible for the Committee to put together a plan to forward to Metro to get funding. Ted Keasey explained that the 6-year plan is updated every 2 years. City Engineer said the new plan process will begin 6 months from now: and if there is a plan, this will put Tigard in a better position among the competition for funding. o There was further discussion concerning each of the proposed projects with the businesses in Park 217 opposed to having a median if there is not an alternative access connection to Park 217. o Craig Hopkins, 7430 SW Varus, Tigard, favored having legal U-turn points along 99W to add a little flexibility. Ron Holland agreed with this. Discussion followed regarding a Hunziker connection. o Regarding the 20 feet to be added to Hall Boulevard for right turn lane and bike path, Don Watkins and Steve Roos were opposed to this project. Todd Mains with Flowers by Donna agreed with this. o There was discussion concerning traffic cutting through Warner to Hall from 99W. There was strong support for the Warner project. 6. SUMMARY AND WRAP UP o In summarizing the comments and concerns, Clark noted that there was support for the median if an alternative access could be built to Park 217. He said there was no support for the Hall northbound right turn lane. He advised there was strong support for the Warner project. 99W TASK FORCE MEETING MINUTES - JUNE 25, 1992 PAGE 3 o Neil Handyside, Ch2M Hill , discussed the Kittleson proposal for the Darmouth extension. He provided information about cost and compared different options and the cost for each. He handed out information about this proposal . ADJOURNMENT - 9:15 PM 99W TASK FORCE MEETING MINUTES - JUNE 25, 1992 PAGE 4 JUL 71992 CITY OF TIGARD July 3, 1992 Mr. Randall R. Wooley City of Tigard 13125 SW Hall Boulevard P .O. Box 23397 Tigard, Oregon 97223 SUBJECT: Access Control Options for Pacific Highway (Hall Boulevard to Highway 217) Dear Randy: I read with interest about the Highway 99 Task Force' s recent request for public input regarding access control options for Pacific Highway between Hall Boulevard and Highway 217 . Unfortunately, I was unable to be present for the public meeting on this issue. I will also be out of town on July 16 when the Task Force meets again. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to express my concerns about one of the options currently being considered by the Task Force. I would also like to suggest an alternative that may merit further consideration by the Task Force. Comments on the Proposal for Direct Signalized Access to Park 217 I do not support the option to provide a new access road to the Park 217 complex via the existing signalized intersection of Pacific Highway with the southbound Highway 217 ramps for the following reasons : • If the gore point for the new roadway into the Park 217 complex is located at the intersection with Pacific Highway, then driver confusion is likely to result . Effective signing will be very difficult, and is an important issue that has not yet been addressed. There are two major effects associated with this driver confusion: 1) Drivers will be slower to make their decision, reducing the capacity of the intersection and increasing delay to through traffic on Pacific Highway. { Mr. Randall R. Wooley July 3, 1992 Page Two 2) There is potential for serious safety problems, because drivers making a wrong decision have no easy way to recover from their mistake. In such situations, drivers have been observed doing extraordinary and sometimes dangerous things, including sudden maneuvers and stops, backing up, and/or making a U-turn on the freeway on-ramp in order to recover from their mistake. • If the gore point for the new roadway into the Park 217 complex is sufficiently separated from the Pacific Highway/Highway 217 intersection to allow adequate decision time for the drivers (typically at least 4-5 seconds) , then it is likely to interfere with any ramp metering operations that may someday be implemented by ODOT. • If constructed, the new access road could eliminate the potential for any future collector-distributor road system on Highway 217 . The size of the potential impact associated with losing this possibility, on both a city-wide and regional basis, is enormous . Concurrent with the writing of this letter, I spoke with Ernie Munch in order to apprise him of my concerns, and to suggest an alternative that I think would also meet Park 217' s access needs, but without the attendant operational or safety problems . He disagrees with my assessment of his proposal for signalized access to the Park 217 complex. Specifically, he cited what he believes to be adequate historic data from around the metropolitan area indicating that, if implemented, this option would operate safely and efficiently. I respectfully disagree with Mr. Munch and his consultant team' s assessment of his proposal . I would like to encourage you, the Highway 99 Task Force, and ODOT staff to thoroughly examine the supporting data before considering adoption of this proposal . I have not had the opportunity to review Mr. Munch' s data in detail, but from the information he provided to me over the phone I believe the locations used are not at all comparable to the Pacific Highway/Highway 217 interchange with respect to safety, operating characteristics, or functional importance. Alternative Access Strategies I believe there is a very simple, cost-effective, and flexible solution to Park 217' s access needs which also addresses the Mr. Randall R. Wooley July 3, 1992 Page Three inherent safety and operational concerns regarding the existing Garden Place/Pacific Highway intersection. It involves the use of channelization as shown schematically in Figure 1 to allow inbound left-turn movements, inbound right-turn movements, and outbound right turn movements . It is simple and inexpensive to install, and requires virtually no additional right-of-way. Further, it is very effective in eliminating the undesirable and unsafe outbound left turn movement . Finally, it is also very effective in preventing the right-turn only lane into Garden Place from becoming an auxiliary through lane to Highway 217 . From information provided by the Oregon Department of Transportation, it appears that this proposal will reduce the intersection accident rate to less than one-fifth of its current level (from 0 . 70 accidents per million entering vehicles to less than 0 . 17 accidents per million entering vehicles) . Furthermore, by allowing inbound left turns to occur at mid-block instead of at Hall Boulevard (which is already capacity-deficient) , peak period capacity at the Pacific Highway/Hall Boulevard intersection can be recovered for other uses . I certainly understand the desire of the Park 217 complex owners and their representatives to have a direct signalized access into the facility. And if such signalization can be provided safely, efficiently, and with positive beneficial effects to through traffic, then I would also support this concept . Unfortunately, I do not believe all these conditions can be met through the current Park 217 proposal . Therefore, I hope the owners, their representatives, and Highway Task Force members will look to alternatives such as the one I have suggested as a means for meeting the needs of all concerned parties . Thank you for your consideration. Please feel free to contact me if you believe there is any further assistance I might be able to provide. Sincerely, Wayne Kitte cc: Ernie Munch I I II I I I I II�1�1� r�S 4 O� c G v'a � v v � z � � v V Q 1 ! 11 � MEMORANDUM CITY OF TIGARD, OREGON TO: 99W Task Force FROM: Ed Murphy, Community Development Directo DATE: July 9, 1992 SUBJECT: Interim Improvements for 99W I. OVERVIEW A. Summary - What improvements to 99W, if any, should the 99W Task Force recommend to the City Council and the Oregon Department of Transportation? This memo presents a staff recommendation to the 99W Task Force. B. Policy Implications - In terms of widening on Hall Blvd. , there are no particular policy implications, although there are clearly impacts to businesses and financial considerations. In terms of restricting left-hand turns by adding a median barrier, there are policy questions regarding the real or perceived impact to adjoining businesses, as well as the extent to which the City or the State should go in order to provide additional access to these businesses. C. Financial Implications - The total cost of the project being recommended by staff is approximately $700,000. Although not a certainty, it is expected that the Oregon Department of Transportation will contribute the majority of these funds. C. Recommendations - It is recommended that the 99W Task Force recommend to the City Council the following: 1. Add additional turning lanes on Hall Blvd. , on both the north and south approaches to 99W. As an alternative to widening Hall south of 99W only on the east side (adjoining Russ Chevrolet) , request that ODOT seriously consider some widening on both sides, or widening only on the west side (adjoining Nine-T-Nine Towing Service Station) . 2. Eventually, install a barrier on 99W, without restriping or widening 99W. However, do not install this barrier until better signage for Park 217 is installed, and alternative access to Warner from Hall Blvd. is constructed. When the barrier is installed, allow U-Turns for southbound 99W traffic at Hall Blvd. Page 1 II. ANALYSIS A. Background - After listening to the comments received prior to and at the public workshop held by the 99W Task Force on June 25, 1992, the City and ODOT staff met to consider alternatives and recommendations. Included in that discussion were options of "doing nothing" at this time, as well as doing everything that had been proposed, including construction of a new street in Park 217 from the Highway 217 southbound on-ramp. The pros and cons of "doing nothing" seem to include the following: "DO NOTHING" OPTION Pros - • Any proposed project could be tied more closely into a longer range conceptual plan, if and when such a plan is developed. • The funding criteria may change, with the implementation of state and regional policies and regulations. • There would be no adverse impact on the adjoining businesses from the construction project. Cons - • To some extent, traffic experiencing difficulty in this area may avoid this section of the City and use other streets such as Durham, Bonita, McDonald, Pfaffle, Oak and other streets instead. • Funding may be more restrictive in the future than it is already. • The safety concerns related to this stretch of highway would not be addressed. • The City and ODOT might eventually have to go through this whole process again, with the probability of reaching basically the same conclusion. On the other hand, staff looked at "doing everything" , which basically means those improvements that were identified at the public meeting. The pros and cons of "doing everything" would seem to be the following: Page 2 "DO EVERYTHING" OPTION Pros - • Safety and capacity would both be improved. • ODOT is apparently supportive of most of the projects, with some notable exceptions. • There is generally support from the business community for the full project, again with some notable exceptions. Cons - • The proposed new road splitting off from the 217 entrance ramp conflicts with ODOT policy. In addition, it could interfere with possible future ramp metering, or possible future widening of Highway 217, or with the "collector/distributor" road system as proposed by Wayne Kittleson. • The proposed new street in Park 217 would not meet City standards for a public street, (although admittedly, the proposed design is conceptual, and there may be design alternatives that would be acceptable to the City. ) • If the proposed new street into Park 217 was a private street, there would likely be even more opposition from the Oregon Department of Transportation from a policy standpoint. • The proposed road coming off the freeway ramp would increase congestion at the 99W intersection with the 217 ramps. • Narrowing of the lanes on 99W would not meet ODOT's standards for lane width. • There would be no bike lane in either direction on 99W. • There would be an impact on Russ Chevrolet in terms of their display area from widening Hall Blvd. south of 99W. • There would be a loss of parking in the Tigard Plaza parking lot from widening Hall Blvd. on the north side of 99W. • The construction of access to Warner would appear to be a relatively large cost with a relatively Page 3 small benefit from the standpoint of the Oregon Department of Transportation. Other options were then looked at, including adding a "protected left turn pocket" on 99W leading into Garden Place; (see letter from Wayne Kittleson dated July 3 , 1992) , extending the proposed new road into Park 217 as a public street further to the south; moving some of the improvements on Hall south of 99W more to the west, where Nine-T-Nine Towing Service Station is located; looking at Warner Avenue as a through street instead of as a cul-de- sac; and finally, just improving Hall Blvd. , with no improvements to 99W. Some of these ideas have been incorporated into what is now the staff recommendation to the Task Force. RECOMMENDATION The recommendation includes adding turn lanes on Hall Blvd. , for both northbound and southbound traffic. Although this project could be very much like what was illustrated at the public meeting, staff feels there is merit to the suggestion of moving the widening project more to the west on the south side of 99W, i.e. , adding the turn lanes on the Nine-T-Nine Towing side of Hall Blvd. , rather than on the Russ Chevrolet side. At this point, it is uncertain as to what the pros and cons of that idea are, but certainly cost would be one issue, as well as the potential for redevelopment of the southwest corner of 99W and Hall. At this point, staff is suggesting that ODOT seriously consider that option, but the specific decision does not have to be made at this time. As far as constructing alternative access into Park 217 from the southbound on-ramp goes, as much as staff is supportive of the general concept, there appears to be too many factors which weigh against that option for staff to recommend it. Besides the concerns raised above regarding the physical aspects of the proposal, the staff is not convinced that restricting left hand turns at Garden Place would significantly reduce the customer traffic to Park 217 - particularly if a U-Turn was allowed, and if the signage was significantly improved. Regarding the barrier on 99W, it is recommended that it be installed eventually, but without the restriping (which means that a bicycle lane is retained) , and that such a barrier be installed only after signage for Park 217 is improved and further that alternative access to Warner Avenue from Hall Blvd. is constructed. Page 4 It should be noted also that staff is suggesting that the project be split into at least two parts, with the first part being the improvements to Hall Blvd. , and the second part being the installation of a barrier on 99W and related improvements. It appears that addition of the turn lanes on Hall will bring the intersection capacity into balance with the adjoining intersections. It also appears likely that the turn lanes would be needed as a part of any long-term plan that may be developed for 99W. B. Alternatives Considered - The Task Force has several options in terms of a recommendation to the City Council: 1. Propose a project along the lines of the one proposed by the staff as described above. 2. Propose that no "interim" project is constructed at all, and that the idea be held until a long term transportation, design and economic development plan is completed. 3 . Propose that the interim project include the construction of an alternative access into Park 217 along the lines as proposed by Ernie Munch. 4. Request that the staff review and analyze other proposals not yet considered. C. Conclusions - There are projects that could be undertaken on Pacific Hwy. and Hall Blvd. that are achievable in terms of potential financing, and that would improve the safety and reduce congestion, without unduly harming the businesses in the general area. Those businesses that are directly impacted would be compensated for that impact when and if ODOT acquires necessary property. On the whole, it appears to staff that it is better to do something rather than do nothing, and to try to do everything that has been proposed runs into difficult policy and physical constraints. Therefore, staff is recommending what they believe to be a viable option in concept, with design details to be worked out if and when funding becomes available. br/99Report Page 5