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H I S T O R I C C O L U M B I A R I V E R H I G H W A Y C O N G E S T I O N A N D T R A N S P O R T A T I O N S A F E T Y I M P R O V E M E N T P L A N
Page 1
Stakeholder Group – Workshop 1 Agenda
MEETING DATE: Tuesday, February 13th, 2018
MEETING TIME: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
LOCATION: Corbett Fire Hall ‐ 36930 Historic Columbia River Highway, Corbett, OR
Purpose:
Describe the Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety
Improvement Project and how it relates to both the Historic Highway re‐opening and prior
work
Share findings about existing conditions and ask stakeholders to verify findings and
implications
Inform stakeholders about the range of safety and congestion management tools available
and invite stakeholders to identify key considerations for applying these tools along the
Historic Highway
Agenda:
Timing Session Leads
8:00 a.m. Arrivals, registration, tea and coffee Everyone
8:20 a.m. Welcome, overview and meeting logistics
Agenda and workshop overview
Meeting logistics
Working agreement
Attendee introductions
Facilitator: Alice Sherring, EnviroIssues
8:30 a.m. Opening remarks
Speakers: Terra Lingley, ODOT
H I S T O R I C C O L U M B I A R I V E R H I G H W A Y C O N G E S T I O N A N D T R A N S P O R T A T I O N S A F E T Y I M P R O V E M E N T P L A N
Page 2
Timing Session Leads
8:50 a.m. ODOT Update
Historic Highway closure and re‐opening and how it relates to this project
Presenter: Terra Lingley
9:05 a.m. Project overview
Purpose of project
Project scope and timeline
Vision, goals, and performance measures
Presenter: Kirsten Pennington, WSP
9:20 a.m. Existing conditions findings – presentation and discussion
Overview of existing conditions findings
Workshop Session: Is there anything we’ve missed?
Presenter: Ray Delahanty, DKS Facilitator: Alice Sherring
10:00 a.m. Break
10:15 a.m. Congestion and safety tools – presentation and interactive exercise
Range of tools available to manage safety and congestion
Workshop Session: What are the key considerations for applying these tools along the Historic Highway?
Presenter: Kate Drennan Facilitator: Alice Sherring
11:30 a.m. Meeting summary and closing comments
Review outcomes achieved
What happens next
Facilitator: Alice Sherring
11:50 a.m. Closing remarks
Reflections on the session
Next steps for the project
Speakers: Terra Lingley
Adjourn
Historic Columbia River Highway Congestion and Transportation Safety
Improvement Plan
February 13, 2018
Welcome!
Agenda
8:20 Welcome and overview
8:30 Opening remarks
8:50 ODOT update
9:05 Project overview
9:20 Existing conditions findings
10:00 Break
10:15 Congestion and safety tools
11:30 Meeting summary
11:50 Closing Remarks
Opening remarks
ODOT update
Project overview
Plan background
• High levels of congestion, particularly on summer weekends
• High demand for parking
• High volumes of pedestrians accessing trailheads and walking on Historic Highway
• Frustration with delays and visitor experience
• Project builds on lots of work to date
• Oregon Solutions, etc.
• 2017 fires
Plan goal
Develop a vision of how visitors and residents travel to destinations
in the project area and develop actionable steps to make traveling in
the project area safer and less congested
Plan study area
Schedule and milestones
Decision‐making structure
Public involvement throughout
Public outreach
Throughout Website
Coordination with existing groups
Nov 2017 Stakeholder interviews
Feb 2018: Workshop on existing conditions and solutions
Spring 2018: Workshop on alternatives and implementation
Online open house and survey
Pop‐up kiosks
Focus groups
What we’ve heard so far . . .
Congestion is an issue
Safety for all travelers is of the utmost importance
Parking is a big issue (demand, mis‐use)
The 2017 fires and aftermath are a tragedy
From tragedy could come opportunity
Build on what has already been accomplished
Technology, fees, vehicle restrictions, permits, more frequent transit are promising
Communication is key
Time is right to bring people together and have a meaningful discussion about what
could be done differently in the future
Plan vision
Preserve the historic and scenic integrity of the Historic Highway by reducing roadway congestion and improving safety throughout the corridor by:
• Creating a plan to improve safety, reduce vehicular congestion, and enhance visitor experience in the Historic Highway corridor for all transportation modes.
• Understanding existing conditions by creating a baseline from which to measure improvements/solutions.
• Understanding the policy and regulatory environment and potential implications for congestion mitigation and safety projects.
• Developing adaptive demand management strategies that meet the project objectives.
• Enhancing coordination between affected agencies and communities to implement congestion and safety projects.
• Recognizing that the Eagle Creek Fire has had a major impact on the area and will likely affect conditions along the Historic Highway for some time.
Plan goals
Listed in no particular order:
• Protect the scenic, natural, cultural and recreational features within the Historic Highway.
• Reduce conflicts between Historic Highway users and reduce excessive delay.
• Reduce congestion and delayed emergency response/rescue due to parked cars and cars accessing parking areas.
• Identify sustainable funding sources for congestion and safety solutions.
• Enhance safe and convenient pedestrian access, biking and public transportation opportunities that reduce congestion, increase public safety, and enhance visitor experience.
More plan goals
• Provide access for legal recreational and scenic enjoyment of scenic, natural, cultural and recreational resources within the corridor.
• Reduce impacts from congestion and parking on the scenic, natural, cultural, and recreational resources.
• Consider and address safety, parking, and congestion impacts on Multnomah County‐owned facilities in the study area.
• Develop solutions and scenarios that complement Eagle Creek Fire‐related rehabilitation and planning efforts.
Existing conditions findings
Data collection overview
• Growth trends and forecasts• Vehicle volumes• Vehicle speeds• Vehicle parking data collection• Bike access and volumes• Pedestrian access and volumes• Columbia Gorge Express ridership• Crash data• Gorge visitor surveys
Key issues ‐ congestion
• Most significant congestion and delay occurs in eastern segment, between Bridal Veil Road and Ainsworth State Park
• Traffic volumes demonstrate a preference for eastbound travel
Key issues ‐ congestion
• Congestion results not from traffic volumes alone
• Parking maneuvers• Idling• Pedestrian activity
• Multnomah Falls
• Solutions should address parking management and delays due to pedestrian crossings
Key issues – traffic volumes
• Number of vehicles on the Historic Highway fall within norms for a 2‐lane highway
• Vehicles cannot pass when others are waiting in the travel lane to turn or park
• Solutions should focus on accommodating directional traffic flows
0
20
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60
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12:00 AM 3:00 AM 6:00 AM 9:00 AM 12:00 PM 3:00 PM 6:00 PM 9:00 PM 12:00 AM
Traffic Volumes at Bridal Veil | Typical SaturdayTotal Eastbound Westbound
Rates shown are per 15 minutes
Key issues – pedestrian volumes
• 1,000‐1,600 people walking across HCRH at Multnomah Falls per hour (typical weekend day)
• Leads to excessive delays and safety concerns while vehicles wait for the roadway to clear
• Parking at Historic Highway and I‐84 lots requires travelers to cross the highway
• Solutions should address pedestrian conflicts with Historic Highway traffic
Rates shown are per 15 minutes
Key Issues – parking
• On summer weekends, parking lots along the Historic Highway tend to fill as early as 8:00 AM (Angel's Rest), with most lots full and overflowing by 10:00 AM, including Multnomah Falls
• Circling and idling cause congestion and frustration for visitors
• Reflects high demand for access to Gorge attractions
• Solutions should include addressing demand for parking, and actively managing parking
Key Issues – future growth and seasonality
• Traffic demand varies seasonally, with summer volumes over twice as high as spring and fall seasons
• Demand for gorge travel increases when school is out and weather is warm
• Solutions should be tailored to seasonal and weekly peak travel periods 0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Traf
fic
volu
me
Month
Seasonal Traffic by Month
Average Weekday Traffic Average Daily Traffic
Key Issues – future growth and seasonality
• Traffic demands have increased significantly in the last five years
• Up 50%!
• Demand for gorge travel has increased with regional growth, low fuel prices, and economic prosperity
• Solutions should anticipate continued increase in demand as Portland metro region grows 0
200
400
600
800
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2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
AD
T
Year
Historical ADT By Year
Key issues – visitor experience
• Perception of crowded conditions, time required, and lack of information are top reasons people choose not to visit
• Solutions should include improved traveler information and messaging about travel conditions and transportation options
Cited barriers to visiting the gorge
Workshop session
• Do these findings reflect your experience on the corridor?
• Are there findings we missed that would impact potential congestion and safety tools?
Break
Congestion and safety tools
Tool Categories
There are five different categories:
We will explore a range of tools that fit into one or more of these categories.
Tool categories: capacity improvement
Capacity improvements refer to tools that allow a greater number of people to use a facility.
Traditionally that has meant more space for vehicles, but can also mean more seats on transit, space for bicycles or pedestrians, etc.
Capacity improvement tools may help bring more people to attractions without adding more vehicles to congested parking conditions.
Capacity improvement tools
• Provide transit and shuttle services
• Add capacity to the transit system
• Limited access‐only lanes at entrances
• Expand park‐and ride facilities; use satellite lot agreements
• Shuttles to provide access to and from satellite parking lots
• Tour promotion
• Tour bus use
Tool categories: technology systems
Technology systems refer to tools that use computers, detectors, sensors, or other forms of technology to collect or provide information to system users or administrators.
Technology tools can help to better manage congestion caused by circling and idling for parking, and can provide better visitor information.
Technology system tools
• Limited access‐only lanes
• Automated gate access
• Entrance fees and transit fees payment; parking fees
• Closed‐circuit cameras
• Dynamic and variable message signs
• Electronic fare payment system
• User‐generated parking information
• Transit technology
• Traffic monitoring, data collection and analysis
• Reserved parking stalls
• Media, social media, and apps
• Real‐time parking information, user‐generated parking data, and dynamic parking occupancy counters
Tool categories: transit
Transit refers to public transportation such as buses or shuttles. It can also include private transit like a tour bus.
The transit category includes tools or programs that support transit usage.
Transit tools help to alleviate congestion issues that stem from parking shortages.
Transit tools
• Entrance fees and transit fees prepayment
• Electronic fare payment system
• Provide transit and shuttle services• Add capacity to the transit system• Transit technology• Shuttles to provide access to and from satellite parking lots
• Tour bus use
Tool categories: mobility improvements
Mobility improvement tools refer to operational improvements or programs that reduce delay for roadway users.
That could include less congestion for vehicles, or the ability for transit or bicycles to move more efficiently.
Mobility tools may help address congestion that stems from vehicles being stuck behind other waiting vehicles in a single lane, may separate users and improve congestion from crossing pedestrians, or support more efficient transit travel times by taking private vehicles off the road.
Mobility improvement tools
• Add entrance lanes, stations, and booths
• Limited access‐only lanes at entrances
• Expand and/or improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities
• Automated gate access
• Provide transit and shuttle services
• Crossing guard at busy pedestrian locations
• User‐generated parking information
• Parking area access management
• Traffic enforcement and management
• Grade separated bicycle and pedestrian crossings
• Incident management
More mobility improvement tools
• Lane separation and delineation
• Traffic circulation changes (2‐way to 1‐way)
• Parking management and parking area improvements
• Roadway pullouts
• Vehicle use restrictions
• Tour promotions
• Parking fees
• Promoting bicycle and pedestrian travel
• Parking enforcement
Tool categories: visitor experience improvement
Visitor experience improvements refer to any program, tool, or operational change that are focused primarily on improving visitor experience in the corridor. This can address frustration visitors feel from lack of information, delay, or uncertainty about where to park once they arrive.
Visitor experience improvement tools
• Dynamic and variable message signs
• Electronic fare payment system
• Provide transit and shuttle services
• Add capacity to transit system
• User‐generated parking information
• Grade separated bicycle and pedestrian crossings
• Parking management and parking area improvements
• Add entrance stations or booths
• Improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities
• Signage and wayfinding
More visitor experience improvement tools
• Traffic monitoring, data collection and analysis
• Reserved parking stalls
• Vehicle use restrictions
• Tour promotion
• Media, social media, and apps
• Promoting bicycle and pedestrian travel
• Real‐time parking information, user‐generated parking data, and dynamic
parking occupancy counters
• Required parking permits for users in Historic Highway corridor
• Transportation Management Association
Workshop session
• What are the key considerations for applying these tools along the Historic Highway?
• Opportunities • Considerations • Tradeoffs
• Where should they be applied?• Where on the Historic Highway?
Meeting summary
Closing remarks
Adjourn
http://tiny.cc/HCRH‐plan