SW Boones Ferry / Stephenson Intersection

Current Proposal - Intersection Realignment

Highlights of the proposal:

• Realign intersection  further south  on SW Boones Ferry to improve sight lines and make it safer for vehicles turning off of Stephenson Street. ROW acquisition would be required for this new alignment and to improve sight lines along Boones Ferry Road.  The east end of Stephenson CT would be redesigned to make a new right-angle connection with Stephenson ST.  ROW acquisition would be required on the SW corner of Stephenson CT to accommodate large vehicle turning movements onto/off of Stephenson CT as part of this new design.
• A left turn  pocket  would be added  to accommodate vehicles on Boones Ferry turning left onto Stephenson  (as well as vehicles turning left onto Boones Ferry from Stephenson).  Drivers would use this turn pocket if and when volumes are high and are unable to turn directly into the travel lane. 
• Stephenson ST would have stop sign with both left and right turn lanes onto Boones Ferry and space for future bike lane.  Striping small segment of bike lane at this intersection may also be possible.
• A Tri-met bus pad on the west side of Boones Ferry south of new intersection.  Possibly one on the east side of Boones Ferry also.
• Sidewalks on south side of Stephenson to Boones Ferry on new part and on west side of Boones Ferry to connect to existing sidewalk south of intersection. 
• City staff have also identified the need to fix the pavement design on Boones Ferry to improve sight lines and fix the horizontal curve of the road.  This will help drivers to see the curvature of the road and help prevent the type of "run off the road" accidents that are occurring today.

SW Stephenson Drainage and Road Shoulder Improvements

The Fanno and Tryon Creeks Watershed Management Plan (BES, 2005) identified roadside ditch improvements as an important management tool to help protect southwest streams, improve roadside drainage, and address recurring maintenance problems. Starting in 2001, the City's Bureau of Environmental Services improved roadside ditches to address specific drainage problems. Ditches that are deep and/or have recurring drainage problems are good candidates for drainage improvements. Existing ditches are converted to swales by installing perforated pipe and filling the trench with drain rock. The surface is completed with either soil planted with vegitation or drain rock.
 
The Fanno and Tryon Creeks Watershed Quality and TMDL CIP Pre-design Report (BES, 2008) identified potential roadside ditches for improvements along SW Hamilton, SW Stephenson, Garden Home Road and some other local streets. These ditches were identified in collaboration with the City's Bureau of Transportation and community representatives. Recently, work along SW Garden Home Road has been completed.
 
View the SW Stephenson Drainage and Road Shoulder Improvements plans (2-page PDF)
 
Existing road shoulders will be preserved and enhanced where possible to allow for improved pedestrian use.
 

Major Benefits

The drainage improvements help filter pollutants and reduce peak flows, helping to protect stream channels. They also improve roadside drainage and may reduce maintenance needs.
 

Timeline

The city plans to construct the SW Stephenson and SW Hamilton projects through December 2012.
 

Contact

For more information contact: Jennifer Devlin (503) 823-6182
jennifer.devlin@portlandoregon.gov