Salem, Oregon
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Julie Warncke
Transportation Planning Manager
Public Works Department
503-588-6211
jwarncke@cityofsalem.net
Salem River Crossing
2019 Update
On January 30, 2019, the Salem City Council held a work session to discuss the Salem River Crossing project. A report summarizing the project was prepared to address questions from the City Council and the public.
Following this work session, on February 11, 2019, the City Council voted to send a letter to the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration requesting no further action on the remaining land use steps needed to complete the Final Environmental Impact Statement for a new bridge.
As a result, the City decided to move forward with the "No Build" alternative as the preferred option. This means no new bridge will be built, and the Environmental Impact Statement process will conclude with the decision to take no action.
- Salem River Crossing Project, Presentation for Salem City Council Work Session January 30, 2019
- Letter to ODOT and FHWA from Mayor Bennett, February 13, 2019
Current Bridge Options and Traffic Challenges
Currently, there are only two bridges for crossing the Willamette River in Salem:
- Marion Street Bridge for westbound traffic
- Center Street Bridge for eastbound traffic
With increased traffic and population growth, both bridges are now exceeding state and local traffic standards.
According to 2006 traffic data:
- About 46 percent of bridge traffic comes from or is headed to western Polk County and beyond
- The remaining 54 percent originates from West Salem
Project Goals
The Salem River Crossing Project aimed to address the growing transportation needs of the Salem-Keizer area. The goals of the project were to:
- Meet current and future transportation demands
- Ensure compatibility with urban and natural environments
- Achieve broad support from the community and region
Decision Points
The Salem River Crossing Project was organized into seven key decision points:
- Management Structure and Decision Process: Completed September 2006
- Purpose and Need: Completed March 2007
- Evaluation Framework: Completed March 2007
- Range of Alternatives: Completed August 2007
- Alternatives for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): Completed early 2008
- Preferred Alternative: Completed February 2014
- Record of Decision: In progress
Land Use Actions
To demonstrate consistency with statewide planning goals and the Salem Area Comprehensive Plan, the City needed to process several land use actions. These actions were grouped under Land Use Application Case No. CA16-04.
Conclusion
The decision to adopt the "No Build" alternative means no new bridge will be constructed at this time. While this option concludes the Salem River Crossing Project, the City continues to face challenges with traffic congestion on the Marion and Center Street Bridges due to population growth and increased demand.
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