A massive road improvement project has made vehicle and pedestrian traffic safer in Lake Oswego, Ore.

A Lake Grove Village plan was formed in 2008 by neighbors and business owners and headed by a project advisory committee. The area is a major arterial roadway made up of primarily commercial buildings, with an average of 20,000 daily trips.

The goal was a roadway improvement project that promoted safety, accessibility and mobility. The city wished to switch the utilities underground, create a more attractive streetscape and minimize the impact to local businesses.

The project was approximately 20 years in the making. From 2008 to 2016, much of the core planning took place. Construction took three years, with a cost of approximately $38 million. It took two years to acquire all of the necessary right of ways due to negotiation with 54 property owners.

Everything was finalized in early 2019. The city worked with nine utility companies to underground all their assets in the limited right of way space, and only one business had to be relocated when acquiring the right of ways. Construction began in summer 2019 and was completed in 2022.

Previously, the area featured small, 2-foot-wide sidewalks engulfed by overgrowth. The sidewalks needed curb ramps and were not ADA compliant. The four-lane roadway had long distances between crosswalks, and there were no left turn lanes into business driveways, which caused a high collision rate. The roads also had almost no stormwater infrastructure, which led to frequent flooding.

New landscaped medians and dedicated U-turn lanes were installed, along with three new traffic signals. Before, there were no bike lanes: Now, there are 5-foot-wide lanes on both sides of the street.

Two mid-block pedestrian crossings were added, with beacons and artwork. These crossings allow pedestrians to cross two lanes of traffic, wait safely at the median and then wait for a signal to cross the other two lanes of traffic. More street lighting and highly visible road striping was also installed.

At Bryant, Boones Ferry and Firwood streets, the intersection was widened in order to add another turn lane. A crosswalk was added to the north. A longer left turn lane was also included. A small turn lane at the Oakridge, Boones Ferry and Reese streets intersection allow access into a busy post office for which there is only one way in and one way out. An additional traffic signal was added to allow U-turn access in order to get to the post office, instead of the small left turn lane.

A safe crossing was added to the intersection near a local school. The driveway coming from the school was realigned so that it lined up with the light signal. A new signal was also added at Madrona and Boones Ferry streets, allowing nearby businesses more opportunity to redevelop.

In order to help with flooding, over 40 stormwater planters were installed to treat runoff and clean the water before it enters the city’s creeks. In order to move water to these median planters, the roadways were rebuilt and re-graded with additional stormwater piping.

Once the pandemic hit, the city encountered problems with the project. Supply and equipment delays altered the project timeline. Contractors and subcontractors experienced staffing issues, and the city had to ensure everyone involved was properly adhering to all safety protocols.

There were also bad wildfires in the area, ice storms and challenges with coordinating power shutoffs to ensure businesses had electricity during business hours. However, the city was also able to take advantage of some of them temporarily closing and get construction completed in that area without worrying about driveway access or impacting the business.

The reduction in traffic the first few months of the pandemic also made it safer for the road crews to work. Since school was out, the city was able to do all the work around the school and have that area reopened by the time in-person schooling resumed.

“Originally we had it phased to complete one section then move on to the next,” Katy Kerklaan, project manager and Lake Oswego Public Works engineering communications specialist, explained. “That didn’t work. Utility companies had to work in one section while construction was working in a different section. We really had to expand the work area to ensure everything still stayed on schedule. There were multiple crews working on an area at once, day and night, in multiple areas.”

The entire project was split into two phases. Phase one is complete. Phase two will extend all of the improvements to Kruse Way.

Dividing the project into two phases was done due to reduce the cost as well as impact to local businesses in regard to construction time.

Funding for the project came from a combination of sources. The village center plan was brought before the council and adopted. As part of this plan, two phases were established. The majority of the funding came through the Urban Renewal District.

A general application bond for $5 million was also used. The city then received a $4 million grant from the federal government through the Oregon Department of Transportation.

The city’s efforts won 2023 Project of the Year from the American Public Works Association Oregon chapter and the 2022 Award for Excellence by the League of Oregon Cities for Shop Lake Grove.

“We spent a lot of time working on the project and, after so many years, it was nice to be recognized by peers and these organizations and to know we did a good job,” Kerklaan stated. It has also been deemed successful by the community. “Everyone loves the new sidewalks,” she continued. “It was great to connect with the community and community members. People can get to and from the businesses easily and safely, and many bicyclists are happy to have dedicated bike lanes. Overall, it has been a huge stimulus for the area.”

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