Oregon

[pderocco]

There has recently been some talk among the City of Hillsboro about improving the 185th corridor. I don't know what this would exactly mean for the road as a whole, but one of the mentioned upgrades was the 185th/Baseline intersection, which is infamous for having a railroad crossing right next to it on 185th. What's also interesting about this intersection is that in order to access 185th northbound from Baseline eastbound, a large set of slip lanes must be used. This is problematic because this means that traffic heading onto 185th NB from Baseline EB must go through the intersection twice, creating a long slog of an intersection.

Another reason this intersection is bad is because of the light cycle, the MAX combined with the intersection itself makes things once again, a slog to get through, specifically for southbound 185th traffic. Also, having your railroad crossing right near a major intersection of 2 arterial roads that both carry significant amounts of traffic, specifically Baseline, which is a straight shot into Downtown Hillsboro, is nearing on, if not IS gridlock.

185th is well known around the west metro for being one of the most significant, heck, maybe THE most significant(along with Murray, CornPass, and OR 217) north-south arterial. It is jammed all throughout rush hour as lots of it's traffic diverts onto southerly east-west arterials(such as the aforementioned Baseline and TV Hwy, but also OR 10/Farmington), it also serves the unincorporated community of Aloha, and provides access to southern and eastern Hillsboro as well as western Beaverton via smaller, more niche collector and arterial roads.

Another problematic intersection is 185th and Evergreen Pkwy, which is once again, a gridlock mess. Evergreen has a traffic signal literally ONE BLOCK to the east which is incredibly problematic especially if the lights are not synced. This intersection is also located right near Highway 26, and obviously, along with this intersection being located in Tanasbourne, that is a recipe for business and traffic disasters. There's also a signal at 185th and Cornell not too far south from Evergreen. I don't even know how to fix this mess, and even though this wasn't included in the mentioned proposals from what I saw(despite this being the only major intersection on 185th that is fully in the Hillsboro city limits), it is desperately needed.

The City of Hillsboro is definitely eyeing up this corridor for a reason, and I think these two intersections, along with some other smaller issues with the road, are definitely part of the reason why. Admittedly, I do not go on 185th much, so I can't speak as well as some others possibly might, but these are my thoughts.

I used to live right next to 185th St back in the late 90s, but I'm sure traffic's much worse now.

I'm glad they're talking about "improving" it, but I hope that doesn't mean putting in roundabouts, or replacing car lanes with segregated bike lanes.

[xonhulu]

I used to live right next to 185th St back in the late 90s, but I'm sure traffic's much worse now.

I'm glad they're talking about "improving" it, but I hope that doesn't mean putting in roundabouts, or replacing car lanes with segregated bike lanes.

https://apps.hillsboro-oregon.gov/News/News/Article/fa507788cbd44f41bed1be06021e3e92

Improving travel near the MAX crossing at the intersection of SW 185th Avenue and Baseline Road remains a priority for Washington County, TriMet, and the Cities of Hillsboro and Beaverton.

The City of Hillsboro has submitted a project proposal for Metro 2028-30 Regional Flexible Funding that would install Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technology along the SW 185th Avenue corridor.

This new artificially intelligent (AI) or "Smart" combined traffic and rail signaling system would reduce traffic congestion and pedestrian delays at the busy intersection of SW 185th Avenue and Baseline Road.

The Smart SW 185th Avenue ITS and Better Bus Project would:

    Install new intelligent sensors, such as radars, cameras and detectors along the corridor

    Coordinate traffic signals and rail transit signals into an integrated system

    Adjust traffic signal timing based on real-time traffic detection —
    reducing delays for people walking, riding or driving on SW 185th Avenue

    Improve pedestrian and bicycle safety by ensuring pedestrians are not
    stranded on corners when trains disrupt the intersection signal timing

Better traffic signal coordination will also accelerate bus service along the SW 185th corridor by providing priority access for TriMet buses traveling through the intersection. The project would build a slip lane allowing southbound buses to use the right turn lane more efficiently.

[xonhulu]

Just saw this single OR 370 shield today, posted at the junction of O'Neil Hwy and 17th St, near 370's west end:




I drove the entire length of 370 to Prineville and back, but this was the only 370 shield I saw. I'm pretty sure this was put up after October, the last time I drove the route.

Odd that only one shield was up. This is reminiscent of the nearby OR 380, where a single shield was posted for a couple of years, also at a side-road junction, before ODOT got around to fully signing the highway.

Still, another Oregon route finally officially gets some signage. Hopefully, there is more to come.

[bing101]

Here is a new segment on Portland's cancelled freeway plans. 

[PNWRoadgeek]

Sometimes I just randomly think to myself(like here at 12 AM) why is OR 217 such an awful, awful road? I need answers, I've been digging a little bit, but I need answers, because even with the construction(even though I said two years ago that it was "getting better" because "more lanes") it's still going to be a congested mess.

Like.. w-what? Nearby US 26 is a great freeway, and you just come in here and mess this one up. Poorly placed interchanges, lazy freeway design, and limited street lighting and landscaping(at least before the reconstruction) that make the freeway look like a chore. Why is this a road ODOT?

[Bruce]

Induced demand, too many weave cycles, too much demand, not enough local transit, etc.

Same as any other urban freeway, you can't just build your way to a solution. There has to be more thinking and planning.

[Sub-Urbanite]

I think ODOT tends to get too cute with its freeway design and then we get stuck with quarter-trumpets and braided interchanges and the mess that is Hall/Scholls Ferry/217.

Like, the formula is simple.

Three lanes in each direction.

One exit per mile.

Aux lanes between exits.

Sometimes, use a SPUI or a DDI.

Why does 26 work? Because it mostly follows that formula... and it's the only freeway in the area that does.

Sometimes I just randomly think to myself(like here at 12 AM) why is OR 217 such an awful, awful road? I need answers, I've been digging a little bit, but I need answers, because even with the construction(even though I said two years ago that it was "getting better" because "more lanes") it's still going to be a congested mess.

Like.. w-what? Nearby US 26 is a great freeway, and you just come in here and mess this one up. Poorly placed interchanges, lazy freeway design, and limited street lighting and landscaping(at least before the reconstruction) that make the freeway look like a chore. Why is this a road ODOT?

[PNWRoadgeek]

I think ODOT tends to get too cute with its freeway design and then we get stuck with quarter-trumpets and braided interchanges and the mess that is Hall/Scholls Ferry/217.

Like, the formula is simple.

Three lanes in each direction.

One exit per mile.

Aux lanes between exits.

Sometimes, use a SPUI or a DDI.

Why does 26 work? Because it mostly follows that formula... and it's the only freeway in the area that does.

Yep, it's exactly this formula. I think the 5 does this pretty well too, though it's gotta have more lanes in some parts. What I find interesting is that even though I-405 does not follow this formula at all, traffic still flows relatively smoothly on it(which can be attributed to it being loaded up with exits through Downtown so that traffic accessing that part of town can dash through fast)

I'd still say even with the new construction, 217 is still the worst freeway in the metro, I have a few plans that I may post in fictional soon to fix roads around the Portland area as a whole.

Induced demand, too many weave cycles, too much demand, not enough local transit, etc.

Same as any other urban freeway, you can't just build your way to a solution. There has to be more thinking and planning.

Agreed here as well.

[pderocco]

I think ODOT tends to get too cute with its freeway design and then we get stuck with quarter-trumpets and braided interchanges and the mess that is Hall/Scholls Ferry/217.

Like, the formula is simple.

Three lanes in each direction.

One exit per mile.

Aux lanes between exits.

Sometimes, use a SPUI or a DDI.

Why does 26 work? Because it mostly follows that formula... and it's the only freeway in the area that does.

It was built as a freeway in the 60s when it was mostly flat farmland. 217 was built as a freeway in the early 70s, and I expect that area was already quite full of surface streets. 26 still goes through fairly empty land west of Cornelius Pass Rd, and had an at-grade intersection at Jackson School Rd until 2006.

[PNWRoadgeek]

I think ODOT tends to get too cute with its freeway design and then we get stuck with quarter-trumpets and braided interchanges and the mess that is Hall/Scholls Ferry/217.

Like, the formula is simple.

Three lanes in each direction.

One exit per mile.

Aux lanes between exits.

Sometimes, use a SPUI or a DDI.

Why does 26 work? Because it mostly follows that formula... and it's the only freeway in the area that does.

It was built as a freeway in the 60s when it was mostly flat farmland. 217 was built as a freeway in the early 70s, and I expect that area was already quite full of surface streets. 26 still goes through fairly empty land west of Cornelius Pass Rd, and had an at-grade intersection at Jackson School Rd until 2006.

That interchange definitely looks newer, I went through it not that long ago and it just felt well-designed, and thorough in pretty much every way. US 26 is just generally so fun to drive down, especially going westbound past 217, rarely backed up on westbound 26 as well. It's also, like Sub-Urbanite said, got amazing interchange spacing, definitely the best freeway on the Oregon side of the metro(WSDOT has it been overall though, 500 is an awesome east-west freeway over in Vancouver, not to mention the 5 over there as well)

Back to 217, should it have more fixes beyond what they are doing right now, or is it fine as is for the time being? Because I'm kind of for both, and let me explain why. I do think they should fix things more(especially the just downright ugly interchange with I-5), but I recommend ODOT waits until they're at a good position. Here's the thing though, with Washington County having quite a large amount of growth on the west side of the metro, should we just plummet more freeways/expressways entirely?

[Sub-Urbanite]

Everything in the Metro area is going to be incremental. ODOT comes out with a plan for a freeway widening, Metro and JPACT says "that's too many lanes," they go through a year of ritual dance and come back with something half-baked that only mildly pisses off the enviros, but also only mildly addresses congestion. The widening should have been all the way up over downtown Beaverton, and again, included aux lanes between all the exits.

If a new expressway comes to Washington County, it'll be connecting the Port / Kelly Point area directly to Intel. But the way Intel is going, it doesn't seem likely that there's going to be that level of need anytime soon. And, the enviros would freak out... See https://www.opb.org/article/2022/08/05/oregon-growth-management-system-state-freeways-highways-westside-bypass/

Back to 217, should it have more fixes beyond what they are doing right now, or is it fine as is for the time being? Because I'm kind of for both, and let me explain why. I do think they should fix things more(especially the just downright ugly interchange with I-5), but I recommend ODOT waits until they're at a good position. Here's the thing though, with Washington County having quite a large amount of growth on the west side of the metro, should we just plummet more freeways/expressways entirely?

[Bickendan]

The 217's simply a product of its time, and it's actually impressive that it wasn't affected by the fallout of the Mt Hood Freeway's demise, which took I-305 and I-505 and ultimately the appetite for the Westside Bypass with it. I've no opinion on the 217's current, in-construction state, though it looks like a southbound C/D carriageway or braided ramp is being built between some of the closer-together interchanges. Likely once it's all done, the 217 will be one of the busier freeways in the area because of induced demand.

As far as the Sunset goes, it was pretty bad before the widening that occurred concurrently with the Westside MAX construction in the late '90s, widening it from Sylvan out to 185th then to Cornelius Pass Rd. East of Sylvan -- down Canyon Rd to I-405 -- wasn't touched during the widening.

As far as the 5 goes, within the Portland city limits, while it's a fun drive, it's not a 'model' freeway, and per an Oregonian article about 20 years ago, the Terwilliger Curves were a result of political shenanigans instead of minimizing the number of turns and making the main curve under Briar Pl wider. That's to say nothing of the Eastbank Freeway, the missing Water Ave to southbound I-5 ramp, and the anti-freeway crowd fighting tooth and nail against the widening on the US 30 portion.