Hoquarten Slough bridge options to be discussed

Tillamook County residents will have two opportunities in January to learn more about plans to improve the US101-OR6 intersections in downtown Tillamook.

The Oregon Department of Transportation has been working closely with the City of Tillamook, Tillamook County, and community members to identify improvements to the congested intersections. Over the past three months, the project team has been working to develop bridge design options that minimize impacts to businesses while planning a bridge that would be above the 100-year flood elevation.

In December 2009, the team met with business and property owners to share the bridge options and is now planning more meetings to gather community input. The project’s Stakeholder Advisory Committee, a group of local elected officials, business owners, and community members that has been meeting for more than a year to provide advice to the project team, will meet on January 13, 2010. Time is set aside on each agenda for public comment.

Stakeholder Advisory Committee Meeting

5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Oregon Department of Forestry, 5005 3rd Street

The team will also host a public open house to review similar information. The open house will be a drop-in event at the Tillamook Library where community members can review information, talk with staff and provide input about the project.

Public Open House

5:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Tillamook Library, 1716 3rd Street

Later this winter, the project team will begin work on the project’s Environmental Assessment, a federally-required report that complies with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Environmental Assessment is expected to be available for review and comment in late 2010. The US 101/OR 6 Project received $27 million in funding from the Oregon legislature in 2009 and is expected to be constructed between 2013 and 2015.

For more information, contact Tony Snyder, ODOT Project Manager at (503) 986-2692.

Visit the project web site at www.tillamooktraffic.org.