- Authored by: J. Strathman
- Co-authored by: T. Kimpel , P. Leistner , K. Dueker
Strathman, J., T. Kimpel, P. Leistner and K. Dueker, Comprehensive Plan Amendment Impacts on Interchanges in Oregon, Portland State University, Oregon Department of Transportation (2005)
This report includes a review of interchange area management policies and practices in Wisconsin, Florida, Texas and Oregon. It notes that changes in the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Developments Transportation Planning Rule provide for direct involvement of ODOT in the review of plan amendments in interchange areas. It also summarizes interchange area management plans in two Oregon communities. Findings are presented from a series of interviews with staff from ODOT transportation planning, DLCD and Oregon Department of Justice relative to ODOT policies and practices for interchange area management. ODOTs traffic forecasting procedures were also reviewed with respect to their treatment of the structural changes that plan amendments represent in the regulation of development. Findings included:
a 25 percent greater likelihood of plan amendments occurring near interchanges than elsewhere in urban areas;
plan amendments led to statistically significant increases in traffic on rural and urban fringe interchanges equivalent to about five (rural) and two (urban fringe) years of historic traffic growth on these facilities – a rationale for interchange area management plans;
traffic impacts on interchanges were rarely given serious consideration in local evaluations of plan amendments; and
a need for greater ODOT participation in the plan amendment process.