Construction Update 8/17/21

Thank you to everyone for your patience during the recent major work at the Oakridge/Reese/Boones Ferry Road intersection! Reconstructing and paving this intersection was a major activity requiring a lot of coordination and resulting in significant traffic impacts. Crews were able to successfully complete the work on time, opening back the roads and signal by early Saturday evening 7/17!

Here are some photos of the work taking place.

Recent Work

Work is progressing well on excavating, forming and pouring the final portion of the new medians between the McDonald’s intersection and just north of the Post Office. Final portions of sidewalks are also being poured on some side streets and in the northern area of the project.

Electrical crews activated the new Lanewood signal last month, including U-turn movements and pedestrian crosswalks!

Landscapers continue to install irrigation sleeves and heads throughout the project corridor, in the new medians and planters. They are also working on repairing some irrigation lines that have been impacted on adjacent private properties.

Upcoming Work

Over the next few weeks, remediation and repair work will be taking place for specific areas where concrete curbs, ramps, gutters, or sidewalks may need to be replaced or fixed. Please watch for shifting lanes and traffic safety cones throughout the whole project corridor. Repair work is taking place between Madrona Street and Lanewood Street.

In late August/early September, several utility trenches will be permanently patched on Bryant Road between Boones Ferry and Upper Drive. This portion of Bryant will also receive a pavement overlay during the final paving expected in September.

The new mid-block crossings at Zupan’s and Wells Fargo are expected to be activated in September, along with the McDonald’s and Oakridge Road signals.  

Landscaping installation will likely resume in September and continue through fall.

One of the final major components of the project is the remaining two-inch top lift of asphalt. This “final lift” of paving is currently scheduled for mid-September. This work will take place at night to minimize traffic impacts. Weather permitting, lane striping will occur two weeks after the final paving. More information will be shared prior to the final paving.

Major construction work is on track to be complete early fall, with final punch list (landscaping etc.) activities complete soon after.

Traffic Reminders

U-turns

In Oregon, U-turns are allowed at signalized intersections when there is a “U-turn permitted” sign. U-turns are now active at Madrona, Lanewood and Bryant signals.

Once the new signals at Oakridge and McDonald’s are activated, U-turns will also be permitted at those intersections. If you are trying to get to a business on the opposite side of the street, just go to the next signalized intersection and make a U-turn.

Delivery Drivers & Large Trucks

Full sized passenger vehicles are able to make the U-turns, but larger trucks and delivery trucks aren’t able. There have been recent reports of delivery trucks driving through some private properties that have dual driveway access on Boones Ferry Road and side streets, to access other businesses.

For large trucks and delivery drivers that are unable to make U-turns, please plan your trips in a way that will allow you to access your destination by making right turns. This is common practice for truck drivers who make deliveries in urban areas on a regular basis.

Lanewood Signal

As part of the improvements for the project, a new signal was installed at Lanewood Street and the Lake Grove Elementary School driveway was realigned to meet up with the new signalized intersection.

The school driveway remains a one-way exit onto Boones Ferry Road – this condition has not changed. The northbound U-turn pocket at the new Lanewood signal is only permitted for U-turns, not left turns into the school driveway. Please follow the signage and drive safely.

Post Office Access – Use the Lanewood U-Turn!

Now that work is taking place on the new landscaped medians, there is no longer left-turn access into the Post Office driveway. If you are traveling northbound on Boones Ferry Road, instead of turning left into the post office parking lot:
⦁ Continue north on Boones Ferry Road,
⦁ Make a U-turn at the new Lanewood Street traffic signal,
⦁ From southbound Boones Ferry Road, turn right into the parking lot.

The Post Office will keep its current one-way entrance from Boones Ferry Road and one-way exit to Oakridge Road. The new access replaces a sometimes challenging and potentially hazardous left turn across multiple traffic lanes.

Metal Edging

We have received several inquiries and questions about the use of metal edging along some of the planters located in the project corridor.

Metal edging along stormwater planters near Zupan’s

The metal  edging provides a 4” high safety buffer between the pedestrian through zone and the stormwater planters – a necessary American with Disabilities Act (ADA) tactile warning for visually-impaired, ensuring that individuals using canes can detect the edge and not walk into the stormwater planters, which are recessed below grade.

Due to insufficient right-of-way width, the edging was installed as an acceptable alternative to the more traditional six-inch wide curbing typically found along stormwater planters. The thicker curbing is often used when there is adequate right-of-way width available. The metal edging allows the pedestrian through zone (accessible surface) of the new sidewalk to be 5.5 ft wide along the corridor, otherwise it would have only been five feet.

The edging was modified from the original design to make it more solid and cohesive. It also provides holes or “scuppers” for water to drain into the stormwater facilities for treatment.

There are several other locations in the metropolitan area that also use this metal edging on planters, including extensive areas in Portland’s South Waterfront district, a very heavy pedestrian area [pictured here].

Metal edging along Portland’s South Waterfront District
Metal edging along planters in Portland’s South Waterfront District

Many of the stormwater planters in the project corridor do not yet have plants installed, so some of the edging appears bare and stark. Our landscaper will resume planting this fall, when the weather improves. Once the plants grow in and develop more, the edging will also be less noticeable.

For more information about the landscaping plan and design, visit https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/bfp/2021/06/18/landscaping-update/ or https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/bfp/frequently-asked-questions/

ShopLakeGrove Raffle!

Interested in winning a $100 gift card? Enter our #ShopLakeGrove raffle today!
It’s easy to enter:

  •  Take a pic at a participating business (visit link in bio for the details)
  • Post it on social (make sure your post is public!) or email info@boonesferryproject.org
  •  Mention the business & use #ShopLakeGrove!

Remember, this raffle runs throughout major construction of the Boones Ferry project and each month it starts fresh. Over 30 businesses are participating!

More Information?

For more information, email info@boonesferryproject.org, call 503-697-6573, visit www.boonesferryproject.org or follow the city on social media with #BoonesFerryProject.