Wilsonville, ODOT Partner To Improve Traffic On I-5, Boone Bridge

From the the City of Wilsonville: The City of Wilsonville and Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) are partnering to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion on the I-5 Boone Bridge heading south from Wilsonville.

The “Southbound I-5 Boone Bridge Auxiliary Lane Study” plans to examine the traffic impacts and costs for adding an additional lane on I-5 from the Wilsonville Road interchange (Exit 283) south past Miley Road (Charbonneau Exit 282B) to the Aurora/Canby/Hubbard Highway 551 interchange (Exit 282A).

For more information on the project and to sign-up for updates, see here.

The study is one component of several projects that the City is undertaking to reduce morning and evening commute-hours traffic congestion in the I-5/Wilsonville Road interchange area.

Additionally, the planning effort is part of the larger City Council-directed push for a more comprehensive “South Metro I-5 Corridor Study” that would examine the costs and benefits of a range of potential highway improvements to I-5 from Tigard/Highway 217 to Aurora/Donald Ehlen Road Exit 278, along with increased public-transit options.

After the Council approved a $50,000 City contribution to the study, the planning process started in October 2017 and concludes in the summer of 2018. The three phases of study work include:

• Technical analysis of benefits and impacts;
• Gathering of public input and preferences; and,
• A resolution of support by the City Council, then adoption by the Oregon Transportation Commission for inclusion in the updated Metro Regional Transportation Plan (RTP).

During legislative hearings on the successful “Transportation Investment Package” (House Bill 2017) passed in 2017, a Congestion & Freight Mobility Workgroup estimated that the “Boone Bridge & Lanes” project would cost $120 million and could be constructed in 10-15 years.

The City and ODOT seek to accelerate potential consideration of the project by obtaining a more accurate cost estimate and traffic-mitigation impact of potential improvements.

Image via City of Wilsonville