Engaging the community to help choose the best freeway cover

May 31, 2019

For more information, contact Tom Fuller (Thomas.Fuller@odot.state.or.us), 503-480-5143

SALEM -- How do you put a cover on a freeway? That’s the central question the Oregon Transportation Commission and the Oregon Department of Transportation want to know. The department today released a request for proposals to find a consultant to do an independent assessment of the covers to help answer that question.

Part of the initial vision for the I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project included putting covers over the freeway, essentially a lid. The potential uses on top of the highway covers has not yet been defined and the department has committed to working with the community to define those future uses.

At a recent meeting of Rose Quarter stakeholders, the regional leaders asked for more study on how a freeway cover could help support and enhance connections in the Lloyd and Albina neighborhoods. This request for proposals is a direct result of that conversation.

The chosen firm will specifically “better define the length, and strength characteristics for the highway covers currently planned for the Project, and to openly describe the impacts and benefits of several different highway cover configurations. The goal is to generate feasible engineering and architectural options that will be based on the community vision and values, as well as the community and economic growth needs of the area around the Project.”

“You spoke, we listened,” says Oregon Transportation Commission Chair Tammy Baney. “We heard the concern from stakeholders that this project be built upon stronger partnerships and informed by our shared values,” Baney continued. “The results of this consultant work will help us achieve that goal.”

The consultant will:

• Discuss what accommodations a highway cover could offer for community development on the covers and immediately around them.
• How can the current preliminary designs be modified to “reflect a broader community vision for development.”
• How the design of the covers can promote economic development in the area.

Stakeholders, the department and the Oregon Transportation Commission will receive up to three different development scenarios for the highway covers from the consultant. The consultant will engage with the community, including holding public meetings to gain broader input.

The proposals are due to the department by June 27th with a contract awarded in July. This independent highway cover evaluation is expected to be completed by late fall 2019.

For more information on proposing for the solicitation, contact Melanie McMurrick at 503-731-8510.

Rose Quarter cover preliminary drawing