Forest Grove's Transportation System Plan (TSP)

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Functional Classification Map (Figure 8-3)
• Road Improvements and Assessment of Need
• Recommended Improvement Plan (Proposed Projects)

Functional Classification Map (Figure 8-3):

The TSP proposes some changes to the Comprehensive Plan maps: The following map shows the new / realigned routes and functional classifications of streets (including the proposed new classification of "Neighborhood Routes").

The map is also available as higher resolution line art in GIF (150 KB) and TIFF (850 KB) formats.

Road Improvements

The improvements that would mitigate 2020 conditions are described in Tables 8-6 and 8-7. Prioritization should occur in coordination with the CIP process. All improvements on arterials and collectors shall include sidewalks, bike lanes and transit facilities. These improvement lists should be used as a starting point for inclusion in regional funding programs for streets.

Assessment of Need

Based upon the evaluation of intersection level of service, three of the studied intersections operate at or worse than level of service D in the 2020 evening peak hour with planned improvements. This compares with one intersection operating at this level today. The future growth caused by nearly 5,000 additional trips in the evening peak hour in 2020 as compared to today would be served substantially by the new Northern Highway 47 Bypass facility and improved connections north to US 26. The future travel demand forecasts showed that the bypass effectively served growth in the north and northwest portions of the city such that the current traffic volumes on the downtown couplet remain close to existing levels. The primary assessment of need for the future street improvements are based on implementing planned collector facilities that will serve new growth areas and improve local connectivity.

• Highway 47 Approaching TV Highway. The Northern Bypass will have a relatively high level of use during peak hours as a primary connection between the north and east portals of the city. The intended function of this facility was to relieve future congestion on the downtown couplet and provide preferred route for north-south truck traffic. The forecasted volumes on the Northern Bypass between Porter Road and TV Highway will require additional channelization at major intersections.
• TV Highway. The heaviest traffic volumes in the future will continue to be served by TV Highway at the east portal to the city. ODOT does not have plans to widen the capacity of this facility within the horizon planning year timeframe. Additional parallel facilities to service local land development and provide alternative connectivity for local origins and destinations will become increasingly important. This facility is a designated regional street and future improvements should include a raised center median to divide traffic flow and provide opportunity for street landscaping (see Figure 8-4).
• East-West Connector between Highway 47 and Thatcher Road. The planned growth in the northwest sector of the city will require a high quality collector or arterial facility between these two roadways. Past plans for these types of east-west connection have been modified such that the current plan via Bonnie Lane or Beal Road are no longer feasible. The first action that affected this connection was siting the high school on the previously planned Nichols Lane connection between Sunset Drive and Thatcher Road. The high school parking lot is located within a portion of the previous right-of-way and effectively severed this route. The next action was the disconnection of Beal Road at Sunset Drive that will occur as an element of the Highway 47 Northern Bypass construction project. The initial bypass concept plan included a direct connection via Beal Road onto Sunset Drive, and, with this subsequent design change, the route is circuitous and impacts additional fronting residences. In addition, Beal Road should [be] downgraded from a collector to a local street.

  The forecasted daily volume on this east-west connector will be 5,000 to 8,000 vehicles, a level typically served with a collector facility or a minor arterial. The current route for this connection (see Figure 3-l)would be via Hartford Avenue to B Street to Bonnie Lane, and there are a large number of fronting single family residences built and planned on this route that would not be suitable for such a traffic volume level. If the Hartford Avenue extension to Thatcher Road were not completed, the forecasted volumes would likely impact Willamina Avenue, the only remaining east-west connection in this sector of the city. This collector facility has very similar impact concerns, as does the other route. A new east-west connector route is indicated to serve this purpose beyond the facilities currently shown in the city's current transportation plan. It is recommended that an alternative route be developed with appropriate fronting land uses.

• College Way and Council Street. The future capacity analysis confirmed that the existing circulation provided via College Way and Council Street across Pacific Avenue is not needed to serve future traffic volumes. As noted in Chapter 3, this location had the highest observed pedestrian volumes in the city. The cross streets are also offset approximately 15 feet at the centerline, making for nonstandard vehicle movements north and south. It is recommended on a preliminary basis that the College Way connection to Pacific Way be closed to motor vehicle traffic, and that the Council Street traffic flow revert to two-way movement. A visual simulation of this proposed change is shown in the appendix.

  Further study may be necessary prior to closure to confirm this modification. It is recommended that traffic volumes be re-sampled after the new bypass is operational, and that the adequacy of alternative emergency vehicle routes is considered. One option would be allow a mountable opening for emergency vehicles, but prohibit general vehicle traffic.

• 19th Avenue Extension to Bypass. The medium density land use north of 19th Avenue between Poplar Street and the Highway 47 Bypass was recently re-zoned to permit general commercial use. This type of use has more intense travel activity than residential uses, and requires better connectivity to the higher functional class street system. The travel demand model was used to test how much added traffic would be attracted onto 19th Avenue if it were extended easterly from its terminus at Poplar Street to connect directly onto the Bypass. The forecast showed approximately 1,500 to 3,000 additional vehicles. This volume level is consistent with a collector level facility. The extension would reduce travel volumes on Pacific Avenue near the Bypass by approximately five to eight percent during peak hours. The extension would also improve circulation for this neighborhood by providing an alternative route reach arterial facilities. The extension initially appears to be appropriate for this neighborhood. However, if this connection is made, there is potential for increased "through" traffic on the segment of 19th Avenue between the Bypass and Mountain View Lane. It is recommended that this local street be re-designated as a neighborhood route to maintain the residential character of the street. An outstanding issue to be resolved is the type of traffic control required at the 19th Avenue intersection with the Bypass. The proposed easterly extension of 19" Avenue would modify the existing "T" intersection to be four-legged intersection (another segment of 19th Avenue already intersects the Bypass on the east side then continue to Mountain View Lane). The spacing between the 19th Avenue intersection and Highway 8 is approximately 600 feet. This is too close to permit traffic signal controls according to ODOT access spacing guidelines. Further discussion and coordination with ODOT will be required to determine the type of traffic control and the possible restrictions to turning movements to maintain motor vehicle safety.
• Lack of intersection turning capacity. Several intersections are forecasted to have lower Levels of Service that would be best serve by turn lane channelization rather than through capacity. Several intersection turn movement improvements have been identified and are shown in Figure 8-12.

Recommended Improvement Plan

The mitigation measures for the street system are outlined in a series of graphics and tables. Figure 8-12 outlines the street and intersection improvements that are summarized in Table 8-6 and Table 8-7.

Proposed Projects (Figure 8-12):

This map is also available in GIF (148 KB) and TIFF (850 KB) formats.

Table 8-6: Future Street Improvements

No.	Location	Description	Funding Status
1	23rd/24th Avenue	Construct collector level roadway between Hawthorne Avenue and Quince Street	Planned
2	College Way	Close between 21st Avenue and Pacific Avenue to through vehicle traffic (to be re-evaluated after Bypass operational)	Not Planned
3	Council Street	Convert to two-way traffic flow. Modify traffic signal with Pacific Avenue	Not Planned
4	David Hill Road	Extend easterly from Thatcher Road to Sunset Drive (Highway 47) as a two-lane arterial facility with left-turn lanes at major intersections	Not Planned
5	Forest Gale Drive	Extend northeasterly to connect to David Hill Road	Planned
6	Goff Road	Extend westerly as a collector facility to connect to Willamina Avenue near Ballad Way	Planned
7	Hartford Avenue	Extend westerly as a collector facility to connect to Thatcher Road	Planned
8	Hawthome Street	Extend northerly to intersect Northern Highway 47 Bypass. Re-align Willamina Avenue to provide adequate intersection spacing	Planned
9	Heather Street	Extend easterly from existing terminus to connect to Heather Street in the City of Cornelius	Planned
10	Main Street	Extend through wetland area north of Willamina Avenue to connect past Bonnie Lane	Planned
11	Main Street	Extend north of Hartford Avenue to future David Hill Road	Not Planned
12	Yew to Holladay Connector	Construct east-west industrial collector from Yew Street easterly to connect to Holladay in the City of Cornelius	Planned
13	Thatcher Road	Re-align Thatcher Road at its intersection with Gales Creek Road to eliminate substandard angles and improve intersection spacing.	Not Planned
14	26th Avenue	Extend from terminus east of Sunset Drive to Oak Street	Planned
15	B Street	North extension from Hartford Avenue to David Hill Road	Not Planned
16	Laurel Street	Upgrade to collector standards and extend northerly to 26th Avenue	Not Planned
17	Brooke Street	Extend from terminus north to future David Hill Road	Not Planned

Note: All Projects include sidewalks, bicycle lanes and transit accommodations as required.
Planned = Current funding indicates that the project is reflected on the city, county or state transportation plans, and that full
or partial funding sources have been programmed to construct the project.
Not Planned = These projects are not on any local transportation plans and no funding has been identified at this time.

Table 8-7: City of Forest Grove 2020 Intersection Improvements:

No.	Intersection	Description
1	TV Highway / Quince Street	Southbound dual left-turn lane, and separate thru lane; Westbound right-turn lane; Westbound second left-turn lane; Northbound separate left-turn lane; Modify traffic signal for north-south concurrent movements
2	Highway 47 / Elm Street	Install Traffic Signal Controls
3	Highway 47 / Maple Street	Install Traffic Signal Controls
4	Sunset Drive / Willamina Avenue	Northbound left-turn lane; Southbound left-turn lane; Alternatively, consider roundabout for traffic controls
5	Highway 47 / David Hill Road	Northbound left-turn lane; Southbound left-turn lane; Eastbound left-turn lane; Install traffic signal controls
6	Traffic Signal Emergency Preemption	Install preemption equipment at all traffic signal controlled intersections (13 existing locations)

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