New technology to help traffic flow smoother is coming to several busy sections of Interstate 5, Interstate 84 and U.S 26 in the next several years in the Portland area. The $15.9 million effort is one of eight projects selected for the 2024-2027 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program's "Enhance" funding. Projects in this category are aimed at improving safety and reducing congestion on some of Oregon's busiest roadways.

Critics have voiced concerns that the money would be better spent on road improvements and that messaging technology often creates more congestion than it resolves.

In Portland, traffic management systems will be added to I-5 between Southwest Capitol Highway and OR 217, I-84 westbound between Troutdale and Interstate 205, and U.S. 26 westbound from Sylvan to Cornelius Pass Road. These systems include variable advisory speed signs, advanced directional signage and more.

Reducing congestion - and greenhouse gas emissions - is a goal in ODOT's 2021-2023 Strategic Action Plan. See a drone video of traffic congestion on I-205. Learn more about traffic management systems, known as Intelligent Transportation Systems or ITS, and the work involved in this video.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

The Statewide Transportation Improvement Program is the state's regular project identification and funding program. Last year, the Oregon Transportation Commission allocated $65 million for the "Enhance" part of the 2024-2027 STIP, which will fund a total of $2.2 billion in projects. The commission required several factors to be considered in selecting projects, including those that improve safety, support multimodal accessibility, are equitable and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The commission also required at least 30 percent of the projects selected to be located outside of a Metropolitan Planning Organization boundary, recognizing the need to serve highway users in non-urban areas.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-06-08 09:37:47

Last Update: 2022-06-08 09:58:03