Hood River Heights Streetscape Plan gets $30.6-million recommendation
From the City of Hood River:
By Will Norris, Urban Renewal Administrator
Hood River, Ore., Oct. 9, 2024 — The section of the ODOT-controlled highway, OR 281, in the Hood River Heights District was recently recommended for $30.6M in funding by the Oregon Legislature’s Jurisdictional Transfer Advisory Committee (JTAC).
“This is really the type of project that we are aiming to forward to the legislature for funding” JTAC Chair Sarah Iannarone commented during the committee’s deliberation on Hood River’s request, “I have great confidence in forwarding this”.
ODOT has been a partner with the City throughout the Heights Streetscape planning process but is unable to bring this local vision to reality, citing design exceptions and budget constraints. A jurisdictional transfer of the roadway with legislative funding to make necessary roadway improvements will allow the Hood River community to take ownership of this important thoroughfare’s future. The JTAC’s recommendation will be considered by the Oregon Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation for funding in the upcoming legislative session.
The JTAC was created to make jurisdictional transfer funding recommendations to the Oregon Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation. The recommendation was in response to a request for jurisdictional transfer from the City of Hood River to implement roadway improvements in the Heights Streetscape Plan.
Currently, the OR-281 section in the Heights District, a couplet of the two one-way streets of 12th and 13th, is a vehicular-focused corridor. The roadway has no bicycle infrastructure, minimal pedestrian infrastructure, and much of the pavement condition is listed as poor by ODOT.
As a result of the current conditions and local initiatives, the City of Hood River through its Urban Renewal Agency administered a multi-year planning effort to re-imagine the Heights, resulting in the adopted Heights Streetscape Plan.
The Heights Streetscape Plan is a comprehensive vision that includes changes to the existing one-way traffic circulation with new amenities like enhanced crosswalks, medians, gathering spaces, bus stops, a key intersection roundabout, and protected cycle tracks in alignment with Hood River’s Safe Routes to School Plan.
Jessica MacClanahan, JTAC member and Redmond City Engineer described Hood River’s plan as a “very impressive proposal. As a City Engineer myself, I am really excited to see these types of plans.”
The full report and recommendation from the JTAC is posted on the Oregon Legislature’s website at:
The Heights Streetscape Plan is available at: cityofhoodriver.gov/urban renewal/heights/
The Hood River Safe Routes to School Plan is at: https://cityofhoodriver.gov/wp content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2022/09/ODOT-SRTS-Plan_Hood-River_FINAL.pdf
