Future Oregon toll road?

[Stephane Dumas]

There was some on and off talks of a proposed tollway to link I-5 with OR-99W near Newberg. I spotted that article on Tollroadnews http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/6398

[sp_redelectric]

If my recollection serves, that proposal is basically dead because there is insufficient traffic volume to support tolling on that road (currently about 25,000-30,000 vehicles per day on existing Oregon 99W).

The existing road would also have to be tolled, in effect requiring this one narrow corridor's residents (between Newberg and McMinnville, including Dundee, Dayton and Lafayette) to pay a toll just to leave town, while still being subject to all of the usual taxes and fees that pay for roads anywhere else in the state.  Significant traffic would end up detouring north on Oregon 47, 219 and 240 to reach Hillsboro and then east to Portland, and those roads (in particular 219) are incapable of handling much more traffic (219 is a steep road with multiple 20, 25 and 30 MPH switchbacks over Chehalem Mountain and also is weight and length restricted for trucks.)  From Newberg, additional pressure would result in county-maintained Wilsonville Road as well as Marion County maintained McKay and Ehlen Road.

The Newberg-Dundee Bypass is a ridiculously overdesigned and unnecessary road; Oregon 99W through Newberg has been widened in recent years (six through lanes in downtown Newberg, quite rare in Oregon), and McMinnville is already bypassed by Oregon 18/Three Mile Lane.  All ODOT needs to do is widen 99W from the McMinnville Airport to the north end of Dundee to two through lanes in each direction, with access improvements/restrictions, and a grade-separated interchange at McDougall's Corner (which would only require one single-lane viaduct for northbound 99W traffic to fly over east/northbound 18 traffic - identical to the existing 18/Three Mile Lane and 18/99W interchanges in McMinnville) as well as possibly a grade-separate interchange at 18/Lafayette Highway (Oregon 154 and 233).

A much, much smaller bypass around Dundee (about 3 miles) could alleviate community opposition to widening 99 through Dundee, but frankly 99W in Dundee is in such poor condition, the community would benefit from a new highway with full streetscaping treatment - sidewalks, bike lanes, landscaping (including a landscaped median), improved crosswalks (with signals)...

Instead of a multi-hundred-million-dollar toll road project, a much better, faster, safer upgrade can be had with more benefits; in Dundee, only a tiny number of businesses (all of which are located between current 99W and the Portland & Western Railroad) would need to be relocated (either by pushing them closer to the railroad track, or a total relocation) along with the city's fire station and public works buildings - and what city would turn down free state and federal money for a brand new, state-of-the-art fire station to replace a 1940s era cinder-block warehouse and some tin-metal garages?

[Lytton]

If there is going to be a toll road, it better not be expensive.  Or else I would be 

[Bickendan]

If you have to ask how much the toll will be, you can't afford it.

[sp_redelectric]

If you have to ask how much the toll will be, you can't afford it.

Or, you had better own a winery and make some pretty damn good wine.

[Bickendan]

If you have to ask how much the toll will be, you can't afford it.

Or, you had better own a whinery and make some pretty damn good whine.

Sorry, couldn't resist

[sp_redelectric]

OUCH!!!!