HOOD RIVER — The Oregon State Traffic Engineer provided the City of Hood River with conceptual approval for a roundabout at Mt. Adams and Cascade Avenue. The formal approval, issued on July 15, follows a lengthy intersection control evaluation where multiple traffic control alternatives were evaluated. The city can now move forward with additional engineering and permitting. Construction of a roundabout is tentatively targeted for 2030.
“Increasing the safety and capacity of the Mt. Adams intersection is the Westside Urban Renewal District’s top infrastructure priority,” Urban Renewal Administrator Will Norris said. “A roundabout at this location allows the city to accommodate growth and utilize the remaining buildable lands within our urban growth boundary to address Hood River’s severe housing deficit. A roundabout will also improve freight mobility and increase safety for all users.”
A roundabout at Mt. Adams and Cascade Avenue was first identified locally as the preferred intersection alternative in the 2017 Westside Area Concept Plan. The City has since incorporated a roundabout at Mt. Adams into its Transportation System Plan and created the Westside Urban Renewal District in 2023 in part to fund the project.
Cascade Avenue is an Oregon Department of Transportation roadway, and as such, the State of Oregon’s approval is needed for any modifications. State concept approval for a roundabout allows the City of Hood River to move forward with additional design and permitting work.
The proposed roundabout design initially has a single traffic lane. However, the curbline is designed for future expansion to a partial multi-lane roundabout. The initial smaller roundabout will reduce upfront costs and vehicle speeds. The roundabout can expand as future traffic volumes demand, eventually accommodating the full buildout of Hood River’s westside under current zoning.
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