New Approach to NW Cornell's Traffic Woes

Residents of the Hillside neighborhood know all too well that NW Cornell Road is a morning commute nightmare. Commuters from Washington County—looking for an alternative to the NW Burnside and Highway 26 backups—use NW Cornell as a shortcut into downtown. As cars back up on both NW Cornell and NW Westover, the result is congested neighborhood streets. It's not uncommon to see a neighbor's spouse blocking traffic just so they can get the car out of the driveway—hard luck for bachelors.

Studies conducted by the Portland Bureau of Transportation indicate that the bulk of the traffic originates west of NW Skyline Blvd in Washington County. The same studies show that 1000 cars per hour travel on NW Cornell during the morning commute.

More Than Just Traffic

The problem with NW Cornell is broader than the morning commute. Speeding is a problem and there isn't a stop sign on Cornell from NW Skyline Blvd to NW 25th Avenue. According to Tom Costello, Sanctuaries Director of the Audubon Society of Portland, "accidents happen as a car slows down when approaching the Sanctuary and the cars behind can't stop in time." He has seen three and four car pileups as a result. Asking the City for help hasn't worked. One official told Costello, "someone would have to die" before the problem would be taken seriously.

The high volume of traffic isn't simply frustrating—it's also damaging the environment along NW Cornell. Storm water runoff from upper NW Cornell Road drains directly into Balch Creek, one of the few remaining year-round creeks in Portland. When hiking on Lower McCleay trail it's easy to see the runoff's effect: cloudy water and unsightly foam. Costello points out that lichens, sensitive to poor air quality, don't grow for 100 yards on either side of Cornell Road: a good indication of the impact heavy traffic is having on park foliage.

The traffic has also taken a toll on recreation along NW Cornell.

• The Wildwood Trail in Forest Park crosses NW Cornell at a crest in the road, making it difficult for hikers and drivers to see each other.
• The Audubon Society has 50,000 visitors a year and speeding drivers puts those visitors in danger.
• NW Cornell was once a favorite for bicyclists, but inadequate bike lanes, heavy traffic, and speeding drivers have made the road too dangerous for most bicyclists to enjoy.

For years, the Hillside Neighborhood Association (HNA) has asked the City to address the traffic issue in their neighborhood, but no proposed solutions were implemented, because of the adverse impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.

A New Approach to the Problem

The HNA is building a coalition of neighborhood associations and organizations that are affected by the problems on NW Cornell. Mark Lerner, Chairman of the HNA Transportation Committee, has created the Cornell Coalition by banding together the HNA, Northwest District Association, Forest Park Neighborhood Association, Audubon Society of Portland, and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. The goal is for coalition members to evaluate alternatives and agree upon recommendations to present to the City. Finding alternatives that all can agree on is key to the coalition's success.

Lerner believes that there are two basic issues: Cornell is being used beyond its designed capacity and isn't managed as a multiple use road. Although Cornell was designed as a collector road— a road meant to move local traffic from neighborhoods to larger roads—it's actually being used as an arterial road. Arterials are designed for higher traffic capacities to move traffic between urban centers. With 1000 cars per hour during commutes, the traffic far exceeds the capacity for which Cornell is designed, and that's why traffic backs up at NW 25th and NW Lovejoy. NW Cornell also provides access to multiple recreational opportunities—hiking, cycling, and the Audubon Sanctuary—but, no improvements have been made to support these activities.
 

View Larger Map

The Cornell Coalition recognizes NW Cornell is needed to move traffic. The coalition is considering two approaches to address the problems: implementing traffic calming measures to encourage commuters to use proper routes and improving access for recreational users. The coalition believes that implementing these changes will balance the competing uses of traffic and recreation.

Traffic calming measures under consideration include:

• Shortening the timing of the eastbound traffic light on NW Cornell Road at NW Miller Road, encouraging drivers to turn right on NW Miller to NW Barnes.
• Installing traffic calming measures on Cornell Road, including speed bumps, stop signs, wider bike lanes, and installation of a queuing light at the eastern tunnel.
• Supporting Sylvan Highlands residents in their ongoing effort to install a traffic light at NW Skyline Blvd and W Burnside Road.

Access improvements for recreational users under consideration include:

• Managing storm water runoff
• Improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety
• Improving air quality
• Improving trailhead signage
• Widening bike lanes

The Cornell Coalition will have its first official meeting next week. The goal is for the coalition to explore alternatives, brainstorm ideas and work with consultants to define a plan. Once the coalition agrees on the final plan, it will be presented to City for action. By including all stakeholders in the process, and presenting the City with a recommendation that all stakeholders support, the Cornell Coalition is hopeful that the City will address this longstanding problem.

If you're interested in participating in this process, the Cornell Coalition asks that you work through your neighborhood association. If you don't know the contact at your neighborhood association, please contact Mark Seiber at Neighbors West Northwest, 503-823-4288, mark@nwnw.org. He's happy to help you make the right connection!