Highway 26 improvements planned

Join us at the next meeting of the Cedar Mill Business Association, where we’ll hear from ODOT representative Steve Harry about the current work and future plans for Highway 26 (Sunset Highway). The meeting will take place at the Community Room of the Cedar Mill Community Library.

The Oregon Department of Transportation has completed the environmental impact study and is moving forward with design work for improvements on the Sunset Highway (U.S. 26) between Murray Boulevard and Oregon Highway 217. The department estimates that the project will go out to bid in early to mid 2004. The currently estimated cost for the project is $24 million.

The improvements are designed to continue the widening that has been underway east of Highway 217. Highway 26 will be widened to three lanes in each direction with extra lanes for traffic exiting to Highway 217, Cedar Hills Bl. and Murray Bl.
The Barnes Road westbound on-ramp to Highway 26 was removed during the West Side Light Rail and Highway 217 Interchange realignment projects. It will be replaced as part of this project.

The project will eliminate the “weaving” conflicts for westbound traffic between the Highway 217 on-ramp and the Cedar Hills Boulevard off-ramp, where cars must weave right to exit onto Cedar Hills and left to enter 26.
These traffic improvements will be accomplished using an elevated ramp to separate conflicting traffic from the westbound mainline. Also known as a braided ramp, this structure will create some visual impacts in the area. According to the current design proposal, the Cedar Hills Bl. offramp will pass under the 217-Sunset ramp.

Traffic entering westbound Highway 26 from Highway 217 will merge with mainline traffic west of the Cedar Hills Bl. interchange. Traffic from northbound Highway 217 can merge with U.S. 26 traffic, but traffic going to Cedar Hills Boulevard must exit and turn west on Barnes Road.
The intersection of Barnes and Cedar Hills Bl. is already congested at peak times. It is unclear what the impact may be on traffic on Barnes Road. Although all the 217-to-Cedar Hills Bl. traffic will be routed onto Barnes, the traffic currently coming down Barnes to access 26 westbound will now be able to enter 26 near the Sunset Transit Center.

The Environmental Impact Study, completed in January 2003, found that there would be little impact on the existing environment. Most of the widening will take place within the existing roadbed, by eliminating the center median strip.

New “wetland enhancement” is planned for the area where Cedar Mill Creek will pass beneath the highway which, according to ODOT, “will be beneficial to downstream water quality and hydrology. They will also provide habitat improvements for resident fish and wildlife.”
During the initial round of public hearings, there was much testimony from residents of nearby housing regarding traffic noise. ODOT is planning to add noise walls along the north side of the addition between Cedar Hills Bl. and Murray.

There are no public meetings scheduled at this time, but once the design process is further along, more meetings will be announced.

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