A jurisdictional transfer assessment was identified in the Regional Transportation Plan as a necessary step to help our region meet its equity, safety and multimodal goals. In greater Portland, ownership patterns of streets, roads and highways reflect historical patterns but do not necessarily reflect current transportation, land use and development needs.
Several arterials in greater Portland were originally constructed by the State of Oregon as a rural or farm-to-market roadway, sometimes transitioning into highways connecting one town to another – with few businesses or homes in between. But as city limits expanded, many of these roads became surrounded by an increasingly busy urban environment. These changes in the character of the roadway may warrant a change in ownership to better meet current and future uses and demands for neighborhoods, commutes and moving goods.
Assessment
This project identifies which state-owned routes in greater Portland should be considered and evaluated for jurisdictional transfer. The Regional Framework for Highway Jurisdictional Transfer Study report provides an assessment of gaps and deficiencies on these routes, transfer cost methodology, identification of barriers and opportunities for transfer from state ownership to local ownership, and tiered technical rankings of the transfer candidate routes. The decision framework in the report will serve as a tool for state, regional, and local jurisdictional leaders to identify roadways that could be good candidates for transfer and facilitate that process. This project will not result in specific transfers.
Timeline
- September to December, 2019: Route identification
- January to July, 2020: Facilities needs assessment and tiering
- August to September, 2020: Feasibility assessment
- September to December, 2020: Implementation plan development