This phase of the Sunnyside Road Project reached Substantial Completion in December. However, as you may have noticed, there have still been some temporary lane closures in place and some construction activity going on. The reason for this is that Substantial Completion only means that the main work is done. This “main work” includes things like the underground utilities, the storm detention facilities, and roadway structures completed, including walls, traffic signals, signing, striping, and planter islands (not including plants), and temporary road closures being removed.

During the past month and a half, the contractor has been completing the other work on the project that didn’t fit under this category, such as landscaping, and some private property improvements (that were needed due to right-of-way negotiations). Additionally, they’ve been fixing or replacing work that didn’t get constructed right or got damaged during construction.

While the barrels are now off the project, you may continue to see small areas of construction, as small pieces are fixed or finished. We are excited for completion, but want to make sure it’s done right! Thank you for your continuing patience.

We are excited to tell you that Construction is Complete! We know you’ve all been as anxious as we have to see it come to an end, and we appreciate how patient you’ve been.

On October 26th, Clackamas County held the Sunnyside Road Phase 2 & 3A Grand Opening on the new Access Road between SE 130th and SE 132nd. This signified completion of all major components of construction, including all lanes of traffic, striping, signals, soundwalls, and underground utilities and detention facilities. Click on the links to the right to see the construction exhibits prepared for the Grand Opening, and look below for some pictures of the grand opening.

While the street is finally open, there are still some smaller tasks that need completed. You will continue to see small equipment and workers along the project corridor for the next month or two, as the contractor will be finishing up the landscaping in the median and planter strips, as well as making repairs to curb and sidewalk that got damaged during construction. I know it’s exciting to have construction completed and be able to drive more freely, but please remember to watch out for workers and equipment, and stay within the posted speed limits. Thank you.

Installation of the underground utility conduit is nearly complete. Crews have started transferring lines from above ground to this new underground system. Qwest, PGE and Verizon have begun to pull their lines through the conduits, starting at 162nd and working their way westward. NW Natural Gas is also transferring gas services from the existing main to the new lines. Comcast will soon begin to pull their lines as well. Once the new lines are completely installed and energized, we will begin seeing the utility poles and overhead utility lines come down.

Part of this construction project was to replace a portion of soundwall constructed during Phase 1 (located on the north side of the road, just east of Mt. Scott Creek), which had developed a crack. The contractor is working to replace 2 panels of wall affected by the settlement that caused this crack. Also, another soundwall has been completed in the Phase 1 area at the end of SE 118th Court. The contractors have also been working on finishing up the soundwalls between 140th and 142nd, and are starting new ones behind the Red Barn, and on the south side of the street between 125th and 128th.

Crews are continuing to work on installing storm system and the sanitary lines. Crews have completed the temporary widening of the road near the red barn, in order to shift traffic further south to complete storm work in that area. They have started placing catch basins and curbs, working their way from 162nd westward. Over the past few weeks, crews have started placing curbs along the north edge of the new roadway and along the median. Soon we will see sidewalks and asphalt paving on the north sides. For the most part, this paving work should not affect traffic, as it is in the construction area and is not currently used for traffic. However, they will need to connect new paving into the existing traffic areas at intersections, so please try to be patient while this work is being done.

As you all know, we have experienced an extremely wet winter. Large quantities of rain have kept the ground soggy, and temporarily delayed parts of the construction (like grading work, curbs, catch basins, and asphalt paving). The contractor has had to “adjust” the schedule to keep crews working on tasks that are not hindered by the weather, and to keep making progress. This explains why they have been working on some “south-side” construction tasks before completing work on the north side. Hopefully, we’ll start to see some nicer weather, so we can get the rest of this project completed. Also, weather conditions can hinder safe driving, especially in a construction area, so please continue to drive with caution at the posted 30 mph construction speed.

The culvert at Sieben Creek has been completed. The existing 4’ x 4’ culvert was replaced with an 8’ x 8’ culvert just in time for the upcoming rainy season. The detention pond and swale at 145th have also been completed. Exposed soils at both of these areas have been covered with erosion control matting and/or seeded to provide protection from erosion during the winter months. The contractor is now working to raise the road grade at the crossing to its final design elevation.

Another major part of construction that has seen a lot of progress lately is the relocation of above ground utilities to underground conduit and vaults. Nearly all the conduit in the utility trench on the north side of the road (for utilities such as PGE, Comcast, Verizon, Qwest, NW Natural Gas) has been installed. The coming weeks will bring some night work and short traffic delays as the contractors work to provide crossings for these utilities to new vaults on the south side of the street. Once this is completed, the private utilities will be able to install their cables underground, and remove utility poles that are no longer needed.

The Sunnyside Elementary School has also seen big changes. A portion of the new frontage road has been completed from 132nd Avenue, providing a new access to the baseball field behind the school. The frontage road has sidewalk on the south side (by the school), and a decorative wrought iron fence to protect school children from any traffic on the road. The road also provides driveway accesses to the businesses on the south side of Sunnyside Road that will be impacted during construction next year and will eventually tie into Sunnyside Road at 130th. Also, the school’s parking lot was enlarged and reconstructed to accommodate better bus and parent circulation. The bus pickup/dropoff area has been moved to the east side of the school, and there is a new parent pickup/dropoff area along the southeast entrance. School officials are very happy with the changes.

The contractor is currently working to install the new storm system in the roadway. The mainline is located mostly on the north side of the road, so it can be constructed while traffic is shifted to the south. Construction is starting at the east end of the project (around 162nd) and working westward. Also, they are working to complete the sound walls on the north side of the road. These should all be done in the next couple months.

Construction is underway! Signs are up, barrels are out, and crews are working. This is the beginning of construction on Phase 2 (SE 122nd to SE 152nd) and 3A (SE 152nd to SE 162nd) of the Sunnyside Road Improvement Project. The crews are starting to construct sound walls at the west end of the project, working their way east. Property owners affected by these walls have been contacted and informed in advance of approximate dates for wall construction in their neighborhood. The public has also been informed of upcoming scheduled night paving dates on the message boards located at both ends of the project. This will enable motorists to plan ahead when traveling during those nights. Night paving was scheduled during the end of June for temporary roadway widening and installation of temporary sidewalks. Most of the temporary sidewalks are now completed along the south side of the project. This will create a safe place for pedestrians to walk during construction. The temporary roadway widening is also on the south side of Sunnyside Road; mainly from 152nd heading east. This widening will enable the contractor to work on the north side of the project, while traffic travels safely on the south side. During the middle of July, the contractor has scheduled more night work, in order to restripe areas of temporary roadway widening and place concrete barriers separating the crews and motorists. The contractor is also beginning to place utility vaults in the ground at the east end of the project. Vaults will be connected by buried utility trenches, which will combine Verizon, Comcast, NW Natural Gas, and PGE lines, in order to replace existing overhead utility lines. Many of the utility companies are working to complete their portions of the project to keep the project moving along at a steady pace. At Sunnyside Elementary, a section of the existing parking lot has been removed. The crews are working on installing new electrical conduit, storm lines, and irrigation before the new parking lot can be paved. With school starting on September 6, crews are working hard to finish the parking lot. Starting July 15, the crews will begin installing the culvert located at Sieben Creek. The contractor has only 45 days to complete the culvert and this section of the roadway. Remember that speeds have been reduced to 30 mph throughout the construction work zone. As construction continues through December 2006, be cautious when driving through the project.

Phases 2 (SE 122nd to SE 152nd) and 3 (SE 152nd to SE 172nd) of the Sunnyside Road Improvement Project were originally planned for construction on different schedules, with Phase 2 construction in 2005/2006 and Phase 3 construction in 2008/2009. However, plans changed as developers began submitting designs for new commercial and residential areas both north and south of Sunnyside Road (3 developments between 147th and 162nd). Typically, the developer of a subdivision would be required to update the roads in front of their property as part of their development. This would have resulted in 3 different contractors, in addition to the one used for Sunnyside Road - Phase 2, being on the project at the same time. As you can imagine, this could have created a nightmare for both the contractors and the residents who use the road or live in the area. Thus, Clackamas County decided to break Phase 3 into two parts and construct Phase 3A (SE 152nd to SE 162nd) concurrently with Phase 2. The developers of each subdivision will still be paying for the cost of construction in front of their properties, but by using one contractor for all work, the county will eliminate much of the potential headache and coordination conflicts and ensure a uniform design throughout the project.

The design for Phases 2 (SE 122nd to SE 152nd) and 3A (SE 152nd to SE 162nd) of the Sunnyside Road Improvement Project has been completed and is currently being bid on by numerous contractors. The bids are due on March 17th and we anticipate construction beginning by early May. Construction will progress in a similar pattern as occurred during Phase 1, with work on the north side during Summer and Fall, 2005, switching to the south side in 2006. Construction should be complete by Winter, 2006.

The final design is now at 90% completion. It's time for you and other community members to review it again and give your comments to the project team. We are holding a Public Open House on June 22, 2004, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, at Creator Lutheran Church, 13250 SE Sunnyside Road. Please come and join us. There will be many similarities in the look of the final project with the completed Sunnyside Road Phase I Project from I-205 to 122nd Avenue. The design consists of two lanes of traffic in each direction with enough width for a left turn lane at intersections. Utilities will be relocated underground and streetlights will be installed. Sound walls will be constructed between Sunnyside Road and nearby neighborhoods where needed. Medians will be planted with shrubs and trees, and street trees will be planted in planter strips next to the sidewalk. Sidewalks and bike lanes will be located along the north and south sides of the road. A large box culvert will replace the existing smaller one under the road where it crosses Sieben Creek. Stream buffer enhancements will include planting of native trees, grasses and shrubs in the area surrounding the creek.

The big red barn located on the curve at about 136th and Sunnyside Road will be removed (moved or torn down) because it is in the way of the new road alignment. The barn is not listed as a national or state historic building, however, it is on the County’s list of historic landmarks. This listing requires that a four week long public notification be posted by notice on site, and advertised in the local Oregonian, Clackamas Review, and Historic Preservation League of Oregon Field Notes Quarterly. This notification searches for interested parties and allows time for an organization or individual to acquire and relocate or remove portions of the barn prior to roadway construction.

After the Public Open House on June 22, 2004, right of way purchasing will continue and the team will make final modifications to the design and prepare it for the construction bidding process. Construction is expected to begin in late Spring 2005 and continue for approximately 24 months.

Project team members continue to meet with adjacent property owners concerning additional land (right of way) needed for the project. The right of way process is approximately 25% complete starting with the west end of the project and heading east. Most of the necessary large parcels of land, that include residents being relocated are complete.

Environmental permits have been completed and submitted to the various governing agencies. Coordinating agencies have agreed upon an 8’ by 8’ concrete box culvert to pass under Sunnyside Road at Sieben Creek.

The design team is currently undertaking a “fatal flaw” analysis including the construction schedule and traffic staging. They are looking at a number of issues concerning cost, ease of construction, and impacts to the traveling public. They are also searching for ways to cut costs and make wise choices regarding taxpayer dollar expenditures.

What's Been Happening?

• The final design from 122nd Avenue to 152nd Avenue is currently 50% complete.
• The final design for Sunnyside Road from 122nd to 152nd features five lanes, sidewalks, bike lanes, a new crossing at Sieben Creek, streetlights, and raised medians. Sound walls will be constructed in some areas.
• A draft wetland delineation and mitigation report addresses Sieben Creek and other wetlands in the project area.
• A new intersection for 139th and Sunnyside will be relocated approximately 300 feet west of the existing intersection.
• 130th Avenue will be extended south of Sunnyside in an access loop that connects with 132nd Avenue along Sunnyside Elementary School property.
• Right of way negotiations have begun early with residents whose property will be acquired for project needs.
  

Construction on 147th and 152nd north of Sunnyside Road began this summer and is expected to be completed by October 2004. The project includes a new three-lane roadway connecting SE 147th (700 feet south of Monner Road) with the Sunnyside/SE 152nd intersection. The roadway will have bike lanes, sidewalks and street lighting on both sides with a landscaped center median and street trees.

For the last six months, team members have been meeting individually with numerous property owners, both residential and business. The meetings have been very important in keeping adjacent property owners informed and involved in specific discussions regarding impacts and access to their specific property, and will continue on an as-needed basis throughout the life of the project.

The team held the first project Community Open House on the section of Sunnyside Road from 122nd Avenue to 132nd Avenue on March 11, 2003, when the final design was 30% complete. It was announced by mailing more than 2000 Project Updates to properties within a half-mile in all directions of the project, and was attended by 62 residents and business owners. After reviewing the project design, most of the community comments centered on median maintenance, sound wall locations, and limiting left turns to signalized intersections only. The second Community Open House will be held on October 23, 2003, so citizens can review and comment on the 50% completed final design.

In recent years, community members and Clackamas County have worked together through numerous public workshops, open houses, public hearings, and neighborhood meetings to develop some reasonable solutions to the ever-increasing traffic congestion on Sunnyside Road. The project's Environmental Assessment, covering Sunnyside Road between I-205 and 172nd Avenue was completed in 1999. The EA process developed preliminary designs based upon general studies and evaluations. Phase I construction from I-205 to 122nd Avenue will be completed in November of 2003.

Clackamas County is now beginning final engineering design work and the right of way acquisition process on the Sunnyside Road Improvement Project, Phases II, III, & IV. Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc., and OBEC Consulting Engineers are leading the final design team. This project will widen and improve Sunnyside Road to five lanes from SE 122nd Avenue to SE 172nd Avenue. The completed Sunnyside Road Improvement Project, Phases II, III, & IV, will include: five lanes, sidewalks, bike lanes, new bridges across Sieben Creek and Rock Creek, street lights, raised medians, newly signalized intersections at 162nd Avenue and 172nd Avenue, and landscaping. Sound walls will be constructed in some areas.

Numerous detailed studies will be conducted over the next year and will be incorporated into the final design. They include: traffic, wetlands, noise, air, geotechnical, pavement, etc. Every effort will be made to minimize impacts to adjacent properties; even so, some property will need to be acquired for the project. Right of way specialists will contact property owners individually as the design develops and indicates additional right of way needs.

Some accesses along the roadway will be changed to provide right turns only onto and off of Sunnyside Road, and some driveways will be rerouted onto other local streets. In some instances, where there is no other reasonable alternative, an entire property may be purchased so that vehicle access is closed. These access changes will make a significant contribution to relieving future traffic congestion and will provide drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists with a safer trip along Sunnyside Road.

You may have noticed surveying team members (in orange vests) working along Sunnyside Road in recent weeks. They are mapping property and buildings, and identifying physical features such as, trees, driveways, sidewalks, utilities, and ground slopes. This mapping will greatly assist our engineers with final design decisions about retaining walls, sound walls, property acquisitions (where necessary), storm drainage facilities, and the exact location of the street improvements during final design. This information also will help minimize impacts to adjacent properties, and will assure the most cost-efficient roadway design.

You will see more and more team members in the project area over the next year or so, as the design is readied for construction. Expect to see workers, vehicles and equipment alongside the roadway as work progresses. The project team will make every effort to minimize project impacts to drivers, nearby residents, and businesses. We ask you to be extremely cautious and patient and to continue to drive safely through the area. The team thanks you in advance for your patience and understanding during the remainder of this important project.

Survey crews are now in the project area completing necessary investigative work. The surveyors will provide accurate mapping information to the engineering design team. This information will help minimize project impacts to adjacent properties, and will assist in designing the new road in the most cost-efficient way. The surveying team has been mapping the existing roadway, County right of way, creeks, wetlands, building corners, trees, property corners, driveways, sidewalks, utilities, ground slopes, and other physical features. There may also be geotechnical engineers and wetland specialists conducting studies and testing within the corridor in the coming months.

Numerous project meetings (with both large and small groups) will be held over the next few months as the final design is being completed. Public open houses will be held at key points in the final design process so community members can review and discuss the design and its various options with team members. Project team members will meet with adjacent property owners (in neighborhood groups or individually) and with nearby business owners and tenants to discuss design options, project scheduling, and access and construction issues. Project team members will also be meeting with adjacent property owners as needed to discuss specific property issues. Project updates and meeting notices will be sent to community members as the work progresses.

Funding is now in place for final design work from 122nd Avenue to 152nd Avenue. Construction to at least 142nd Avenue and perhaps 152nd Avenue is also in place, and is anticipated to begin in Summer 2005. The team will determine costs for construction over the next few months and then it will be decided then how far construction may extend in the coming years.

In September, the Design team met with the Historic Review Board to apply for a permit to demolish the Edward Ott Barn. While we would certainly prefer to (and are working aggressively to) move the barn, we need to have permission to demolish it if a reasonable plan to relocate it is not accomplished. The Creator Lutheran Church on Sunnyside Rd. is interested in moving the Red Barn, but still lacks sufficient funding to do so.

Notice of intent to demolish the barn has been posted in publications in the area and the design team is in the process of working with interested parties to evaluate the feasibility of the relocation of the barn. The design team is planning to take the relocation/demolition proposal to the county historic review board early this fall.

Notice of Intent to Demolish
Cultural Resource Survey Form
Oregon Preservation Contractor Directory

As part of the widening process, the Sunnyside Road Improvement Project will construct a new culvert at Sieben Creek. The new culvert will be twice the size of the current one (8'x8' instead of 4'x4') and will remove two 45-degree bends in the culter alignment. The area immediately north of the road widening will be re-graded to repair the stream channel and create a healthier riparian vegetation area. The stream restoration effort will also include channel and bank stabilization, and the planting of hundreds of native trees, plants, grasses, and shrubs. Overall, the changes will improve fish and wildlife habitat, increase flood storage and water quality, and provide a more aesthetically pleasing environment for nearby residents and motorists along Sunnyside Road.

The widening of Sunnyside Road will unavoidably disturb several small, low quality wetlands. Any wetland area impacted must be mitigated by replacing or enhancing an area three times the size of the original displaced wetland. This means that if one acre of wetland is displaced, three acres of restored and enhanced wetlands will replace it. Wetland mitigation will occur in two locations along this project, at Sieben Creek, and near the new detention ponds east of SE 142nd.

Water quality swales and detention ponds will be constructed at several locations along the Sunnyside Road project to reduce the impact of the additional impervious area (paved surfaces) within the drainage basin. These ponds and treatment swales will remain dry during the summer months because they are designed for temporary water treatment and storage during periods of heavy rain. During months with higher rainfall, they release water slowly into the creeks and tributaries over time, allowing sediments to settle out and be filtered in the process. Also, special grasses are planted in the swales that are better at absorbing pollutants and filtering them from the water. As a result, flooding is reduced and substantially cleaner water is released.

The Sunnyside Road Improvement Project will improve the air quality along the roadway corridor. Traffic congestion is a major contributor to air pollution because of the excessive "stop and go" movements. The improvements to Sunnyside Road will increase the capacity of the roadway and will thereby improve the flow of traffic.