City of Madras Public Works Department

Oregon Department of Transportation &
The City of Madras

US Highway 97 Madras South Y Relocation Project

Intersection of U.S. Highway 97 and J Street Looking West

On Tuesday, October 28, 2008 the Madras City Council adopted Modified Option B as the preferred alignment for the South Y Project. The project team will take the preferred alignment and complete preliminary engineering and design work in order to develop cost estimates.

With these costs estimates in hand, the City and ODOT can be more deliberate and successful in obtaining the necessary funding.

Madras Pioneer article from November 6, 2008

Project Team Recommendation

Why is this project needed?
Providing a safe, efficient transportation system that supports economic opportunity and livable communities is important to both the City of Madras and ODOT.  US 97 and J Street are critical part of the State’s and the City's transportation system. US 97 is classified as an “Urban Principal Arterial” through the town of Madras and carries a high volume of freight and tourist traffic between the Washington and California borders. Both US 97 and J Street are important roadways for local traffic.  

J Street in the City of Madras intersects US 97 at the southern end of the 4th/5th Street Couplet.  Currently the section of J Street located between the 4th and 5th Streets  is only 50 feet in length, which creates an unsafe condition because it does not provide adequate room for vehicles waiting to cross the intersection or turn onto US 97.  Recently the City has constructed an extension of J Street to the east and northeast of the intersection with US 97 and this street now functions as a major east-west route. An increase in traffic volumes along J Street and at the intersection with US 97 is driving the need for the installation of new traffic signals and a redesign of the intersections.

The City and ODOT are also proposing to solve safety issues at the intersections of US 97 and J Street.  Based on vehicle crash data from 2004 through 2006 (10 total accidents, 3 of which resulted in serious injuries), in 2007 this site was ranked as one of top 10% worst crash sites in Oregon based on crash frequency, crash rate, and crash severity.
 
Through a Cooperative Improvement Agreement, the City of Madras and the ODOT have teamed up to prepare a design for the intersection of J Street and US 97 in Madras (aka the “South Y” Project).  The design will be primarily based on the options adopted in the City of Madras TSP [Transportation System Plan] Refinement Plans and Amendments.  ODOT and City staff will evaluate two options (A and B) identified in the TSP (ref. attachment, “Alternative Concepts of US97 Realignment Shown”).  The final alignment recommendations could include either option or a variation somewhere in between the two (see Project Vicinity Map).  Either alternative will result in further separation between US 97 Northbound and Southbound intersections with J Street, and the signalization of those intersections.

Project Timeline
The City and ODOT expect to have a Final Alignment and Intersection Layout selected by no later than July 2008.  With the decision, the footprint and the costs of the final alignment “in-hand”, the City of Madras and ODOT can then be more deliberate and successful in their efforts to obtain the necessary funding for completion of the design, preparation of construction contract documents, acquisition of required right of way, and construction of the project.

Budget for Analysis of Options
$350,000 – 100% City funded

Project Team
The multi-disciplined Project Development Team was formed early in 2007 and meets on at least a monthly basis.  The Team is made up of technical experts in Right-of-Way, Surveying, Planning, Traffic Engineering (including Access Management), Utility Engineering, Roadway Engineering, Engineering Geology, Environmental, Hazardous Materials, Construction, and Public Affairs.  The City of Madras representative on the Team is the Public Works Director, Gus Burril.  The Project Leader from ODOT is Brad DeHart.

Public Involvement
The City and ODOT expect to select a preferred alignment in the Fall of 2008 (Option Modified B was selected in October 2008). Once the preliminary design is completed in the Spring 2009, the City of Madras and ODOT can then be more deliberate and successful in their efforts to obtain the necessary funding for finalizing the design, preparation of the construction contract, acquisition of required right of way, and construction of the project.

For a printable version of the US 97 J Street Project, click the link below.

US 97 J Street in Madras Information Sheet

US 97 J Street in Madras Realignment Project Concept Drawings

If you would like to learn more about this project or provide comments on the options or Preferred Alternative being developed, please contact Brad DeHart at (541) 296-2215 or Gus Burril at (541) 475-7672.