MWACT Smuggles Hope to Revive the SRC into New Funding Request

The Mid-Willamette Valley Area Commission on Transportation, MWACT, meets Thursday the 3rd, and the one item of real interest is a revision to the priorities for the new round of Federal funding.

You might remember the letter that our Metropolitan Planning Organization, SKATS, sent. (And on the OTC meeting.)

MWACT has mainly highway expansion in mind.

They also added a new item in the last week or two, with hopes for a revival of the SRC.

Zombie hopes for the SRC

But significantly, neither SKATS nor the City of Salem shares this sentiment.

January 20th, City Manager Update

Here are the priority lists as of January 19th, the day before the OTC meeting on the 20th.

MWACT and SKATS had (and still have) slightly different focus areas it is worth noting. 

First MWACT:

1. ADDITIONAL “ENHANCE” FUNDS to complete projects on the state and interstate system. This includes completing the I-5 INTERCHANGE AT AURORA/DONALD; more funds for Phase 2 of the NEWBERG-DUNDEE BYPASS; funds for developing an interchange on HIGHWAY 22 AT HIGWAY 51 in Polk County (where thousands of vehicles every day make left turns across oncoming 70 mph traffic); and funds for OR18/VALLEY JUNCTION to FORT HILL near Grand Ronde.
2. Additional funds for TRANSIT SERVICES IN BOTH URBAN AND RURAL AREAS, which benefit Oregonians without access to private transportation, in addition to reducing greenhouse gases.
3. Additional funds for FIX-IT and SAFETY projects

You'll notice that under No.1, there is no "New Salem Bridge." That has been added in the last week or two.

Now SKATS:

1. Support ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION (sidewalks, sidewalk infill, bicycle projects), PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, and SAFETY PROJECTS, especially in communities with a higher proportion of BIPOC persons.
2. Provide capital funding for CONSTRUCTION OF TRANSIT CENTERS to make transit more efficient, convenient, comfortable, and safe for all riders.
3. Develop a new program and/or FUNDING FOR LOCAL PROJECTS THAT REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, particularly for active transportation and transit projects.
4. ALLOW CITIES AND COUNTY TO COMPETE FOR ENHANCE FUNDS, particularly for projects that demonstrate advancing multiple of the goals of Oregon Transportation Plan and the Commission’s Strategic Action Plan, such as economic vitality and addressing climate change.

It's very unlikely that a "New Salem Bridge" would attract any funding at the OTC. There is no plan in force, since the "no-build" alternative was chosen in the final Record of Decision. With the actual need to replace the I-5 bridge across the Columbia River (distinct from ODOT's current desire to enlarge the bridge and nearby highway, which is not an actual need and is just a misguided want), and with seismic work necessary on many other bridges, it is very hard to imagine any plausible scenario in which a "New Salem Bridge" is at all competitive with any sort of "high priority" rating.

Still, the fact that MWACT is not able to give it up and move on bears watching. 

MWACT zooms at 3:30 in the afternoon on Thursday the 3rd. The agenda and meeting packet can be downloaded here.

Meeting info