City and ODOT near roundabout agreement

With the successful completion of the Cascade Avenue improvement project under their belts, the City of Sisters and Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) are currently in the process of crafting a Cooperative Improvement Agreement for the intersection of State Highway 20 with Barclay Drive and McKinney Butte Road.

At the August 20 City Council workshop, Gary Farnsworth of ODOT presented the latest - and hopefully final - draft of the intergovernmental agreement (IGA). City attorney Steve Bryant has reviewed and approved the draft, the Council reviewed it favorably with Farnsworth, and now the only thing left is a review by the State of Oregon's attorney. If there are no more changes, the IGA will be ready for signatures by all parties involved.

Once the agreement is finalized, planning can begin for the construction of a single-lane roundabout with a truck bypass lane for extra-long or large loads, a concession to the freight industry.

The IGA serves as the basic agreement between the City and State for the project. It outlines the partnership, assures public outreach, describes funding sources, who owns what when the project is completed, and spells out responsibilities for post-construction maintenance. This first IGA is only one of several that will be required during the project.

As with the Cascade Avenue project, ODOT will ensure there is continual community outreach with open communication and transparency in all phases of the construction project. The total cost of the project, the time involved, and the impact on the citizens and merchants, as well as through traffic, all have to be considered. One very big challenge will be keeping the traffic flowing through downtown on Cascade and not diverting it to outlying streets, thus impacting downtown businesses.

The actual management of the construction is one of the biggest challenges facing ODOT. They will construct a matrix to explore alternatives - from closing everything down for a specific time to limit the overall construction time, to spreading it out over four to six months. ODOT plans to have business owners help them figure out the best approach. They are looking for support in managing all phases of the project from the City Council and staff, the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce, the merchants and the citizens of Sisters.

ODOT is currently targeting winter 2016-17 to begin work. The bulk of construction could take place from January through spring 2017. A harsh winter could throw a wrench in the works with weather-related delays, something that didn't happen on the Cascade Avenue project. If all goes well, the roundabout would be ready for the summer 2017 tourist season.

"We can't build it in a vacuum. There will be some impact," said Farnsworth.

Public Works Director Paul Bertagna concurred: "There will be access challenges on the west side of town."

If the construction is done in stages, the approach used on Cascade, it can spread the difficulties of construction out and possibly increase costs. If concrete is chosen for the road material, it is difficult to install during the winter and takes more time. However, concrete is preferable to asphalt due to its longevity, thus reducing the need for more frequent repairs and their impact on traffic.

Farnsworth urged the council to hold a public hearing on the roundabout as soon as feasibly possible and he will be there to answer questions.

"Citizens' questions help clarify some of the design elements of a project," he said.

The Council and the citizens will be engaged in in-depth discussions with ODOT throughout the design phase, much as they were with Cascade. The type of decorative landscaping and illumination to be used in the roundabout is just one discussion that will take place.

The total proposed cost for the project is $3,192,599, with the City's share being $360,000, or just over 10 percent of the total cost.

The councilors were supportive of the agreement and the total project.

"Let's finish it up (the agreement) and get it on deck," said Councilor David Asson.

Councilor Amy Bergstahler asked for ODOT display materials on the project for the lobby of City Hall. She also suggested project notifications be sent out in City utility bills.

Bertagna, who will act as the City's construction manager for the project, assured council there will be ample information and signage. He especially highlighted the importance of adequate notifications and updates to the businesses located in the vicinity of the project.

Farnsworth also indicated that ODOT representative Rex Holloway will be onsite periodically during each week of the project to answer questions and hear concerns.

Farnsworth said the ODOT website will have up-to-date construction information available throughout the project.