Once seven miles of construction improvements on I-205 are completed, it could reduce traffic congestion near Oregon City, Ore., from 14 hours daily to two hours, according to a study.
The reduction would stem from variable rate tolls used to manage the congestion.
Drivers could see a 25 percent decrease in travel time in the morning and a 50 percent decrease in the afternoon. Travel times also would become more reliable, reducing the number of accidents and improving efficiency and safety.
Not implementing the tolling and not completing the I-205 Improvements Project by 2045 would result in 14 hours of congestion daily and an increase in accidents, according to the technical modeling based on regionally adopted traffic data.
“Reduced congestion means reduced emissions, which provides climate benefits and is good news for I-205 travelers and freight haulers,” Mandy Putney, I-205 Improvements Project director, said. “We are now focused on mitigating impacts on local roads and intersections where congestion could be worse. We invite members of the community to learn more and discuss how to address these issues at our upcoming webinars.”
The Oregon Department of Transportation shared and discussed preliminary findings during Tuesday and Wednesday’s public webinars. Officials answered the public’s questions.