The Dalles Urban Renewal meets Sept. 15 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss Federal Street Plaza
The Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal Agency will discuss the future of Tony’s Lot, including ideas for markets, food vendors, entertainment and flexible community space near the Federal Street Plaza.
File Photo - Looking down on Federal Street and the now-graveled site where Tony’s Town & Country was located. Urban Renewal will discuss possibilities for the site on Tuesday, Sept. 15.
The Dalles, Ore., Sept. 9, 2026 — The Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal Agency Board will meet Tuesday, Sept. 15, with the future of the former Tony’s Town & Country property — commonly known as Tony’s Lot — expected to be the primary discussion.
The board will review recommendations developed by University of Oregon students through the Sustainable City Year Program. Six student teams studied Tony’s Lot and proposed ideas ranging from permanent commercial development to a flexible public space for markets, food vendors, entertainment and community gatherings. Staff is asking the board whether the property should remain primarily positioned for eventual redevelopment or whether the agency should pursue interim improvements and programming that could complement the nearly completed Federal Street Plaza.
The student report generally favors keeping Tony’s Lot flexible. Among the concepts is a community pavilion with rotating vendors and year-round programming, designed to draw people downtown without locking the property into a permanent use or competing directly with existing restaurants and businesses. No formal action is scheduled, and the discussion carries no immediate budget impact; any future improvements or redevelopment would return to the board for consideration.
The board will also receive staff updates on the Exterior Pilot Refresh and Urban Renewal Incentive programs. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, at The Dalles City Hall Council Chambers, 313 Court St., with a Zoom option available.
White Salmon considers Fed grant to remedy city’s highest crash risks
White Salmon will pursue federally funded safety upgrades at high-crash intersections and along Jewett Boulevard, targeting stop-controlled intersections and lighting improvements outlined in the city’s 2025 safety plan.
Intersection of Dock Grade Road and Oak Street is one intersection under consideration for improvement.
White Salmon, Wash., March 2, 2026 — White Salmon City Council will consider pursuing federally funded roadway safety upgrades targeting intersections and downtown corridors identified as the city’s highest crash risk locations.
At its March 4 meeting, the council is scheduled to authorize the Public Works Director to apply for Highway Safety Improvement Program funding for two related efforts: systemic improvements at stop-controlled intersections and downtown corridor lighting upgrades along East Jewett Boulevard.
The grant program offers up to 100% federal funding with no required local match if authorized within the eligibility window. The meeting packet does not include a total estimated project cost, but it does provide general planning-level cost examples for common safety treatments, including:
• Intersection lighting: estimated $75,000
• Signal hardware improvements (lenses, back plates, mounting, size, number of heads): estimated $40,000 per intersection
• Signal timing improvements (coordination, phasing, clearance intervals): estimated $1,000 per intersection
• Left-turn lane/turn phase-related signal improvement: estimated $12,000 per intersection
• Pavement marking and raised pavement markers through an intersection: estimated $2,000 per installation
City crash analysis for 2019–2023 documented 76 crashes, including two serious injury crashes. The city’s safety plan reported that 56.6% of crashes were intersection-related, and that dark, dusk and dawn lighting conditions were overrepresented in crash data. High-crash concentrations were identified along Tohomish Street, Washington Street, Main Avenue and intersections along Jewett Boulevard (SR 141).
The proposed application includes two primary components:
• Systemic stop-controlled intersection improvements, including oversized stop signs, doubled-up signage, stop-ahead warning signs, high-visibility sign sheeting and enhanced pavement markings.
• Downtown corridor lighting improvements along East Jewett Boulevard (SR 141) to reduce crash risks tied to low visibility.
Intersections identified for potential improvements include:
• SR 14 and Dock Grade Road
• Tohomish Street and Estes Avenue
• Oak Street and Dock Grade Road
• SR 141 and Dock Grade Road
• SR 141 and Wauna Avenue
If authorized, staff must submit the application by March 6. The projected schedule shows preliminary engineering beginning in 2027 and construction potentially completing in 2028 if funding is awarded.
The White Salmon City Council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, at City Hall, 119 NE Church Ave., with remote participation available via Zoom.
