Overview
OR 217, a 7.5-‐mile limited-‐access expressway in Portland, Oregon was the subject of several studies that recommended capacity and interchange improvements costing nearly $1 billion. Because of limited funding, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the DKS Associates Team evaluated, designed, and built Active Traffic Management (ATM) improvements to increase the highway’s reliability, mobility and safety. Improvements included variable advisory speeds based on current traffic and weather conditions, variable message signs on the freeway and surface streets to provide real-‐time travel time estimations and queue warnings, and targeted shoulder widening to provide space for disabled vehicles and improve emergency vehicle access. The OR 217 ATM project is a part of the ODOT RealTime project. It’s purpose is to: • Improve safety • Reduce secondary crashes • Provide real time travel information • Increase highway efficiency without the high cost of major new construction