Project Abstract

Interstate 84 in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area (CRGNSA) is a critically important corridor that serves as a primary regional transportation artery, a key interstate freight route, and a scenic highway.

Courtesy of Greg Westergaard, ODOT Photo/Video

-- Excerpt from I-84 Corridor Strategy Design Guidelines --

Vision

Interstate 84 is envisioned as:

• A corridor where the traveling through is as important as the traveling to
• Providing safe and effi cient movement of people and goods while respecting and highlighting the magnifi cent landscape through which it passes
• A route with a distinct and cohesive identity that refl ects the character and the values of the CRGNSA
• A vital connector serving social and economic needs by providing access to and between communities, services, recreation areas, and tourism destinations
• A model of design and management for interstate highways in scenic rural landscapes.

Goals

Goal A

Improve safety along Interstate 84 in a manner that is consistent with the strategy for the corridor.

Goal B:

Maintain the ongoing functionality of Interstate 84 as the most important east-west highway moving people and freight through Oregon.

Goal C:

Establish a distinct visual character for Interstate 84 through design continuity for the common elements of highway features.

Goal D:

Blend the design and management activities of Interstate 84 with the natural landscape setting and historic context consistent with scenic resource provisions of the Management Plan for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

Goal E:

Protect and enhance scenic, cultural, natural, and recreational resources through careful planning, design, and development of projects and long-term maintenance practices.

Goal F:

Improve access between Interstate 84, local communities, and other destinations to support local and regional economic development.

Goal G:

Ensure that projects are developed through an interagency, interdisciplinary process from initial planning stages through implementation.

-- Excerpt from I-84 Corridor Strategy Submission Form --

CSS Qualities: Process

Each of the 21 bridges along the I-84 corridor offers a vantage point from which to observe the beauty of the Columbia River Gorge and also provides a critical economic link for local communities. The I-84 Corridor Strategy was developed to provide a framework of design guidelines to help ODOT manage and improve the interstate in ways that meet public safety and transportation needs while also meeting National Scenic Area provisions.

To ensure that the needs of a broad range of stakeholders were met, intensive public involvement in the design phase of the project was critical in the development of the strategy. Representatives of state and federal agencies, adjacent counties and the private companies consulting on the bridge program worked together to develop the design guidelines. These groups—described earlier as the Gorge Committee Level One Team—collaborated on design guidelines with local citizens, who participated via a series of public meetings throughout 2005.

ODOT secured the opinions of those communities closest to the projects through outreach that took place in three stages. The first stage involved interactive workshop sessions and public meetings that included nearly 400 participants. The workshops were designed specifically to gather input from the public and stakeholder groups throughout the CRGNSA to develop a draft vision and goals to direct the development of the strategy.

Nearly 200 people participated in the second series of workshop sessions, public meetings, a design charrette, and an open house. In this stage, draft design guidelines, goals and a vision statement were presented, all of which the local community enthusiastically supported.

Finally, in the third stage, the agreed-upon draft bridge guidelines and the overall draft I-84 Corridor Strategy were unveiled at two public open houses.

Throughout the process, discussion of design elements ranged from abutments and railings to landscaping and wildlife crossings. The overall model for construction was based on the Historic Columbia River Highway, with its arched bridges that mimic the basalt rock features in the Gorge.

The strategy’s objectives stated that all designs must have the flexibility to vary according to site-specific conditions and opportunities, while maintaining continuity. Two different bridge styles emerged through development of the guidelines and images to support these objectives.

The final guidelines constitute a comprehensive I-84 Corridor Strategy used as a decision-making tool for the design and construction of transportation infrastructure throughout the CRGNSA.

ODOT public involvement activities in the CRGNSA are ongoing. The agency developed the Columbia Gorge Bridge Projects Web site as a public involvement tool that allows ODOT and its partners to communicate with Gorge-area citizens and stakeholders on topics ranging from how a bridge will look to how traffic restrictions will be structured.

Finally, with the design guidelines finalized, ODOT began planning for the impending construction on the I-84 corridor. As the bridge program was developed, the agency determined that by grouping, or “bundling,” the projects, it would be able to expedite construction to limit the impact on freight and commuter mobility. In addition, bundling provided opportunities for local contractors to bid on appropriate-scale projects, thus supporting the local economy.

By using CS³ principles in developing the strategy, ODOT was better able to preserve Oregon’s scenic, aesthetic, historical, cultural, economic and environmental values while building safe and enduring projects. The strategy helped produce bridges designed to limit impacts on the natural environment throughout the CRGNSA.

CSS Outcomes

The 21 bridges addressed by the strategy are a central feature of I-84 through the CRGNSA, and their repair or replacement greatly benefits the surrounding communities and traveling public. Aesthetically, the I-84 bridges remind drivers they are crossing over significant natural and human-made features. Bridges over I-84 provide connections between the interstate and other modes of travel between local communities, businesses and recreation areas. They provide the essential links that prevent I-84 from being a barrier to accessing the Columbia River for residents and visitors alike.

The strategy’s aesthetic guidelines for these structures are very important for stakeholders because of their visibility: Bridges over I-84 are focal points for Gorge visitors, unlike railings and other peripheral highway features that are viewed only indirectly. During public outreach events, Gorge residents expressed enthusiasm for bridges that mirrored the designs of the Historic Columbia River Highway and the surrounding areas. The guidelines will lead to a distinct and cohesive suite of transportation facilities through the NSA that reflects the character and values of its communities and landscape.

In addition to ensuring cohesive aesthetic elements, the strategy also provides stakeholders with better long-term mobility and safety because of improved roadside guardrails and median barriers and the use of permanent de-icing systems.

Improvements extend beyond those for interstate drivers. Two projects highlight ODOT’s efforts to incorporate pedestrian and bicycle passages along the I-84 corridor: the Moffett Creek and Sandy River bridges.

When ODOT replaces the I-84 eastbound Moffett Creek Bridge, a new paved, shared-use path will be included to connect Moffett Creek and Warrendale. This 1.25-mile-segment, dual-use trail will also provide a missing link in the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail.

On the eastbound I-84 bridge over the Sandy River, ODOT will include a 16-foot-wide bicycle and pedestrian pathway with a traffic barrier. The bridge will also be designed to accommodate planned north-south connections to existing and future trail networks on both sides of the bridge.

The strategy also includes environmental guidelines that require usable space for ecological and aesthetic improvement. Bridges crossing water will extend beyond the water body to span streamside riparian landscape sufficiently to allow wildlife passage. These wildlife crossings improve the quality of habitat and minimize potential conflict between animals and motorists. By incorporating wildlife crossings in the bridge designs, both the safety of the traveling public and sensitive natural area of the Gorge are protected.

Finally, the strategy provides for aesthetic improvements throughout the Gorge. As the bridge structures are repaired or replaced, the new spans will more closely mimic their surroundings and the bridges from the Historic Columbia River Highway, allowing residents and visitors alike to be greeted with a more natural and historic setting for scenic exploration.

   I-84 Corridor Strategy Submission Form

   I 84 Corridor Strategy Design Guidelines