Initial Ranking of Pre-Apps for the 2024-2029 Cycle: At the MPO

The technical committee for our Metropolitan Planning Organization meets on Tuesday, and they've got an initial swag at priorities for funding in the next cycle, 2024-2029. 

You may recall the initial list of 31 project pre-applications.

An initial scoring sorted into three buckets

Committee members assessed each pre-application with an initial "high," "medium," or "low" priority, and staff compiled the scoring.

The four projects for completion funding generally scored highly, but the Delany Road project near Turner was only rated a "medium" priority.

On the new projects, except for the new South Salem Transit Center project, which was the number one rated project, the transit pre-applications did not score well, and Cherriots suggested that the scoring system might have a systemic bias against transit.

The Cordon Road projects and one for Delaney Road near Turner did not score highly. These would be traditional widening projects for capacity.

Two walking and biking projects that here seemed worthy were not scored highly by the committee: Both the sidewalk at the 12th Street Cut-off on Commercial and the path on 25th between Mission and Madrona ranked low. The City path between Commercial Street and Riverfront Park along the creek also ranked low.

Here is the full preliminary ranking for the new pre-applications, with the scored rank in parenthesis since there were ties (the whole list also included the four completion funding requests, three of which shared the top score, which is why the list here jumps from 1 to 4):

• (1) South Salem Transit Center Land and Construction
• (4) Pedestrian Crossings
• (6) Center St. NE North Side Improvements (45th Pl. NE to Cordon Rd NE)
• (7) Wheatland Road Multi-Modal Improvement Project
• (7) Lancaster Drive: Monroe Avenue to State Street Improvements
• (7) State Street: 46th Avenue to Cordon Road
• (7) McGilchrist Street SE: East end
• (12) Paratransit Vehicle Replacement (SAMTD)
• (12) McGilchrist Street SE: West end
• (14) Winter St NE: Winter-Maple Greenway Improvements
• (15) Broadway Street NE: Hood to Pine
• (16) River Rd S: Overheight Truck Detection and Turn-Arounds
• (16) State St.: 14th St NE to 17th St NE
• (16) Cherry Avenue NE - Bicycle Facility and Intersection Improvements
• (19) Delaney Road Street Improvements
• (19) River Road NE and Brooklake NE Intersection Improvements
• (21) Orchard Heights Rd. NW Pedestrian Improvements
• (22) Kennedy School Area Pathway and Sidewalk Improvements
• (23) 25th Street SE Multi-Use Path
• (24) Cordon Road: State Street to Center Street Widening
• (25) East Salem Transit Center (SAMTD)
• (25) Delaney Rd Widening: Battle Creek Rd to Turner
• (27) Commercial Street SE: Promontory to Sunnyside
• (27) Pringle Creek Multi-use Path, Phase II
• (29) Motor Pool Vehicle Replacement (SAMTD)
• (29) Cordon Road and Hazelgreen Road Intersection Improvements
• (31) Salem Industrial Drive Extension 

The City clarified their own priorities. McGilchrist at the top.

City of Salem priorities

Having the Center Street between 45th and Cordon Road higher than the close-in State Street project is interesting and that ranking internal to the City deserves more explanation. We went through the whole State Street Corridor study, and that now is punted for this outer Center Street project? There may be equity considerations in play, but the City should make this weighing more explicit. 

About the path along 25th, they said, "This is not a high priority project to the city."

The Salem enhanced crosswalks are proposed for:

• Commercial Street at McGilchrist
  
• Fairgrounds Road at Columbia Street NE
• Market Street NE at 15th Street NE

Last month a reader suggested that the Wheatland road project deserved more positive consideration here, but in the minutes from last month it did not sound like the project team and City of Keizer had landed on a preferred design:

The preferred solution from the planning study is anticipated to be selected soon. In response to a question from Karen Odenthal, Mr. Witham confirmed that the city of Keizer is likely to have a preferred option prior to making the full application request. Ms. Odenthal suggested that phasing of this project might be beneficial.

I'm still a little cautious about seeing this as a fully "multi-modal" project and expect the balance of it will go to more autoist design features. The pre-app drawings are likely on the optimistic and greenwashy side. Nevertheless, the committee put it in their "high" priority bucket, at least initially. We'll be watching this.

Looking for additional funding

Separately, for some extra funds in the 2021-2026 cycle, one of the projects adjacent to (but important to note planned for wholly prior to) the Meyer Farm is applying for some additional completion funding. There are some other projects also applying and this will get decided next month.

Also on the agenda, in the formal work plan there is a stronger emphasis on climate that is nice finally to see. After years of resisting and slow-walking on climate, the MPO is not exactly embracing it, but at least is recognizing the reality now.

Climate in the formal work plan

One of the major projects is gearing up for a new Regional Transportation System Plan. This includes a likely slight change in name to make it more distinct as a document and plan. It is also another opportunity to strengthen Goal 7 on the environment. You may recall the saga last time.

The TAC zooms at 1:30pm on Tuesday the 11th. The agenda and packet can be downloaded here.

Meeting information