Plan calls for alternate route

Truck traffic and other folks heading through Sisters and over the Santiam Pass will be diverted to an alternate route under the Sisters Transportation System Plan (TSP) presented to the Sisters City Council and planning commission Thursday night.

The plan calls for a total of $54 million worth of street and highway improvements over a 20-year period. The majority of the money, $41 million, would be dedicated to creation of an alternate route for westbound traffic.

Traffic would turn right on Locust Street and proceed north to Barclay Drive where it would turn left through a roundabout and take Barclay Drive through the Sisters Industrial Park and link back up with Highway 20 at the western edge of Sisters.

The plan also calls for some pedestrian and traffic improvements on Cascade Avenue, some of which are already underway.

The $160,000 plan will go to public hearings before both the planning commission and the city council this fall.

The plan left some items open for further study. In particular, the TSP recommends a feasibility study for roundabouts instead of traffic signals at Highway 20/Barclay Drive and Highway 20/Locust Street.

"Roundabouts are typically safer," said consultant Carl Springer of DKS Associates, who drafted the plan. "The downside is, they're larger and they cost more to construct."

The current estimate calls out $1.7 million for a signal (including street improvements) and $3.2 million for a roundabout. The main difference in cost, Springer said, is attached to land acquisition.

He noted that the difference in safety could make up for at least some of the difference in cost.

"The expense of additional crashes doesn't get worked into the cost," he said, because those costs are borne by individuals and insurance companies.

Traffic control, whether it's roundabouts or lights, is listed as the top priority for action in the plan.

The plan also calls for changes on Cascade Avenue in the downtown core. The biggest change would be the creation of left turn pockets at Cascade and Pine Street where DKS found a high demand for left turns.

This change would require removal of one block of on-street parking.

A few other parking spots would be sacrificed to create curb extensions for pedestrian crossings.

The Timber Creek Bridge over Whychus Creek is also featured in the TSP. DKS estimates that by the year 2030 the bridge will be handling 200-300 car trips per hour, roughly the equivalent of traffic on Main Avenue.

The Timber Creek Bridge, long delayed by legal wrangling between developers and the city, is regarded as vital for preventing traffic congestion on East Cascade Avenue, as well as for evacuation safety.

Springer acknowledged that traffic through the Timber Creek and Creekside neighborhoods will be a change from current conditions.

"There's no disputing that there will be impacts," he said.

In addition to motor vehicle traffic, the TSP addresses bike and pedestrian changes. Most of the pedestrian improvements are associated with safer, easier crossing of Cascade Avenue.

No bicycle improvements are planned for Cascade Avenue, but bike paths are planned for Hood and Main avenues, requiring a conversion to back-in diagonal parking. This type of parking allows for much better visibility and less likelihood of bike/vehicle collisions.

The draft TSP is available through City Hall (549-6022). The plan will be posted on the city Web site before public hearings commence in the fall.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 5415499941