Public workshop on couplet scheduled

Traffic in downtown Sisters -- both vehicle and pedestrian -- remains a controversial issue for residents and business owners. They will weigh in on the subject at a public workshop. photo by Jim Cornelius Sisters area residents will have another chance to weigh in on a proposed one-way couplet on Tuesday, August 31, 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Sisters Elementary School.

Over the last several months, City of Sisters staff and consultants along with a local Couplet Advisory Committee and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), have developed a "Couplet Refinement Plan." The work has considered input from a previous public workshop.

A draft plan, dated July 16, 2004, was prepared for the City of Sisters by Cogan Owens Cogan and CTS Engineers.

The preliminary draft summarizes the project background, concepts and objectives and includes a graphic overview of the couplet planning process. It presents four alignment alternatives and discusses options for east and west end alignments.

The preferred alternative retains Cascade Avenue as a through traffic option, while providing alternative routes through town.

This alternative assumes Cascade Avenue between Pine and Larch streets will retain the state highway (Highway 20) designation with Hood and Main avenues still designated as local streets.

Westbound traffic will use Locust Street to connect Highway 20 westbound traffic to the east end of the Main Avenue couplet.

From Locust, Cascade will be two-way past the new city hall and library, then one-way westbound from Cedar Street to Larch, connecting at that point to Highway 20.

The West End Option extends Main Avenue westward to merge with northbound traffic at Highway 20. The modification of the Highway 20/Highway 242 intersection originally called for in this option has already been completed.

Cascade Avenue will be extended to Hood Avenue at the west end of the couplet.

Two-way traffic will be allowed on Highway 20 between Cascade and Barclay Road.

The intersection of Highway 20 and Locust Street will be modified to allow for right-in/right-out access to Locust (southbound) from Highway 20.

Turn lanes will provide for access for both eastbound and westbound traffic to Locust (northbound).

Locust Street will remain a two-way street from Highway 20 to Main Avenue.

Some advantages of this proposal, according to planners, are:

• It preserves Cascade Avenue as the traditional route through Sisters.
• It reduces congestion along Cascade Avenue during peak traffic periods by spreading traffic out over three streets.
• It improves the design of key intersections such as Highway 20/Locust Street.

Numerous suggestions have been presented for improving the safety and flow of traffic at this intersection, even if a couplet is not considered.

• It allows the option of creating a secondary route for special event street closures.
• It allows for continued diagonal parking on Main and Hood avenues.

The proposal also discusses strategies for dealing with congestion at the couplet end points, increased traffic on Hood and Main and cross-traffic circulation between Hood and Main.

The proposal also addresses signage and both on-street and off-street parking.

If you go -- Public meeting on couplet draft proposal:

Sisters Elementary School Commons, 611 East Cascade Ave., Tuesday, August 31, 6:30 to 9 p.m.

For more information contact Eileen Stein, City of Sisters, 549-6022, Ext. 1.