Heights Streetscape Plan Update: Jurisdictional Transfer of HWY 281 to City of Hood River Underway
An overview of the Heights Streetscape Plan concept. To view the full plan click here.
By Cole Goodwin
Hood River, Ore., May 30, 2024 — The Hood River Urban Renewal Agency (URA) has endorsed a letter of support to transfer the jurisdictional transfer of State Highway 281, from Oak Street to Pacific Avenue, in the Heights of Hood River to the City of Hood River. The jurisdictional transfer was recommended to the agency by ODOT in September of 2023. A jurisdictional transfer will be necessary in order for the Agency to move forward with The Heights Streetscape Plan.
The letter also voices support for legislative appropriations to “partially remediate the deteriorated condition of the roadway” and begin projects identified in the Heights Streetscape Plan.
A screenshot of Google maps shows the section of Hwy 281 between Oak Street and Pacific Ave that the City is looking to acquire jurisdiction of.
A Vision for the Heights
Timeline from the Heights Streetscape Plan. To view the full plan click here.
Timeline from the Heights Streetscape Plan. To view the full plan click here.
The Heights Streetscape Plan, incorporated into the Heights Urban Renewal Plan by Resolution 2024-URA-01, proposes numerous changes to current roadways, including rerouting traffic and enhancing pedestrian and cyclist accessibility. The plan envisions a walkable corridor along 12th Street, complemented by protected bike lanes, while 13th Avenue would accommodate the rerouted vehicular traffic.
However, the plan's alignment with state highway standards has been a point of contention.
According to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), while the urban design represents the very important goals of safety, business access, and creating a livable, walkable Heights they do not meet the highway design manual standards for a state highway and may not be approvable.
ODOT has been supportive of the Agency engaging in a jurisdictional transfer process.
Path to Jurisdictional Transfer
The URA has explored two main pathways to transfer the jurisdiction of this roadway segment from ODOT to local control. The first involves direct negotiations with ODOT, and the second, a more formal route, goes through the legislatively created Jurisdictional Transfer Advisory Committee. The URA is pursuing both avenues. The Jurisdeictional Transfer application is due by July of 2024.
Community and State Support
The collaborative effort for this jurisdictional transfer includes backing from several key local stakeholders:
The City of Hood River
Hood River County School District
Hood River County Transportation District (Columbia Area Transit)
Hood River Urban Renewal Agency
These organizations collectively support the transfer, emphasizing the need for legislative appropriations to support the initial phases of the adopted Streetscape Plan.
