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Cornell care center project causes traffic concerns

In September 2015, Washington County completed a “Special Use and Development Review” for a proposal to build a five-story, 110-room Assisted Living and Memory Care Facility on the south side of Cornell Road, approximately 400 feet from the intersection with Ash Creek Drive.

The project involves extensive excavation that has been ongoing since September. To accommodate the excavation and other construction equipment, the developer received approval to close lanes on Cornell between 9 am and 3:30 pm, and to shift travel lanes during the 7-9 am time period, which typically affects commuters and parents and buses accessing Cedar Mill Elementary, just west on Cornell. Limited traffic stoppages can occur between 7-9 am to set up traffic control, allow trucks to enter or exit the site safely, or to allow cyclists or pedestrians to pass through the work zone safely.

A reader, David Chamberlain, contacted us about lane closures between 7 am and 7:30, so we followed up with Washington County. Director of Land Use and Transportation, Andrew Singelakis, helped us to understand the situation and further responded to Chamberlain’s safety concerns.

On December 30, Chamberlain reported, “This morning and on previous mornings there have been unsafe practices by the traffic control personnel, adjusting cones/lanes while not having traffic stopped, walking across Cornell in the dark while traffic is not stopped, and the latest incident, this morning, where a large moving truck mis-directed itself into the wrong lane and into oncoming traffic (this happened right in front of me). The sign holder then came out into the street and started adjusting cones as the truck reversed towards this person who was turned in opposite direction and in the truck's blind spot. The sign holder at this point was holding the Stop sign up towards me but kept waving/shouting at me to go.

“The thick fog on Cornell in the mornings the past week or so have caused very limited visibility and there aren't any warning signs of a lane shift or traffic control ahead of when you get there (which is what led to the truck incident this morning). As someone who has worked in the construction business for many years, I can tell you that I have seen many practices and procedural gaps in the past months on Cornell Rd. that would've had OSHA writing tickets—as it turns out, the Sheriff's department has kindly been writing the tickets instead).

“As school starts next week, I am hoping it doesn't have a huge impact on our school buses, driving parents, and those of us whose kids walk to school.”

Singelakis responded by sending an inspector to the site on January 3. He reported, “The inspector identified some concerns with the traffic control and advance warning signs that he is addressing with the contractor. Our recommendation is for the contractor to wait until daylight to begin shifting travel lanes and/or flagging on Cornell Road. If they begin these activities before sunrise, they will need to provide lighting of the flagging stations at each end of the work zone.” The county will continue to monitor the site periodically and work with the developer’s contractor to address concerns.

Singelakis notes, “In the event of any concerns with a project on a County road, we encourage residents to contact our Operations and Maintenance Division at 503-846-ROAD (7623), or lutops@co.washington.or.us anytime Monday through Friday from 8 to 5. We will be happy to send an inspector out to review any concerns, and residents will likely get a much quicker response that way.”

Once the project is completed, it will include a half-street improvement to Cornell that will provide a sidewalk, planter strip, curb and gutter, storm drainage, street lighting and a bike lane. Access to the Care Center will be via a new driveway along the western margin of the property. For more information on the project, you can download PDF copies of the approval documents: scroll down to Attached Documents on this page of the Washington County Geographic Information Systems site.

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