The Salem River Crossing project is working toward on a solution that will reduce traffic congestion for on the two bridges that cross the Willamette River and the connecting roads in downtown and West Salem.
The Salem River Crossing refers to the environmental planning process that the City of Salem has been participating in to identify the preferred location for a new bridge across the Willamette River in the Salem-Keizer area.
Required land use actions
The State Agency Coordination Rule (Oregon Administrative Rule 731-015-0075(3)) requires that the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) rely on affected cities and counties to make all plan amendments and zone changes necessary to achieve compliance with the statewide planning goals and compatibility with local comprehensive plans prior to completion of the Final Environmental Impact Statement.
The City must take a number of land use actions in order to demonstrate consistency with statewide planning goals and compatibility with the Salem Area Comprehensive Plan which include:
- Amending the Salem Transportation System Plan
- Modifying the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB)
- Taking an exception to Statewide Planning Goal 15 (Willamette River Greenway).
These land use actions are being processed together as Land Use Application Case No. CA16-04. The UGB amendment must also be concurred in by the City of Keizer, Marion County, and Polk County.
Key action timeline
Key actions include:
- The joint public hearing for the land use actions held on October 12, 2016
- The written record was held open for submission of additional written testimony including new evidence until October 19, 2016.
- Salem City Council held deliberations on December 5, 2016, where they voted to adopt the proposed amendments.
- Land Use Board of Appeals case (LUBA No. 2016-126) Final Opinion and Order on August 9, 2017.
Final adopted ordinances
