Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 7, 2012)
2 *2» Wednesday, Nov.7,2012 __________________________________________________ P R IN T : News Joshua Dillen The Clackamas Print Kurt Schrader’s Policy Adviser Lynn Peterson, U.S. Congressman Schrader, Metro Councilor Carlotta Collette, Oregon City Mayor Doug McNeely and State Representative Dave Hunt participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony that marks the opening o f the Highway 213 Jughandle project on Oct. 24. Drivers on the busy stretch o f road south o f Interstate 205 can no longer make a left turn onto Clackamas River Drive or Washington Street from the highway. PRINT Traffic goes round and round Chris Morrow The Clackamas Print Local commuters have no choice but to put their rubber to ic , v g l s in c e c o n s tru c tio n on the Highway 213 Jughandle Project began in the spring of 2011, students, staff and other drivers have dealt with major changes on the busy road. The drive to Clackamas Community College comes with new liead- aches these days but relief may be just around the comer, as the project’s estimated completion in the spring of 2013 nears. The project is paid for with $22 million in binding from the 2009 Oregon Jobs and Transportation Act, as well as $2.3 million from Oregon City and another $2.5 million in fed eral funds. According to Oregon City’s website, thejughandlepro- ject.com, the aim is to reduce congestion, enhance safety and increase capacity to accommo date the current traffic demands and future growth. “If you come in from Estacada on Springwater Road, that turns into River Road or whatever, you can’t just go across to Home Depot anymore. You have to go ihiiì wrirri lo o p ,” said O abbi N em ken, a stu dent at CCC who uses Highway 213. “I don’t even know how to do that loop.” Confusion over how to navi gate the roundabout portion o f the jughandle has become a problem for many drivers. Commuters who use the inter section of Washington Street and Clackamas River Drive at the highway can no longer make a left turn from either direction from the highway to either of these roads. The layout of the new roadway forces a vehicle to make a right turn and navigate to a roundabout that funnels traffic in the appropriate direction, as long as a driver knows how to navigate the roundabout. The roundabout and divider may cause agitation for people who are new to the idea. But it costs less to maintain than the traffic lights at signalized inter sections aftd have been proven to have greater safety benefits over traditional intersections accord ing to the website. id p m r n iin d u h n iit fir g t made its way stateside in 1990, in Las Vegas, Nev. In the 22 years since then, the number of round abouts in the U.S. has exceeded 3,000. While they are common in other parts of the world, most American drivers still only have a tertiary understanding of how to navigate a roundabout. “The first couple of times that I used the jughandle part, I was in the wrong lane for what I wanted to do and I didn’t have enough time to make it,” said Tom Barrett, a chemistry instruc tor at the college. The first thing to know is that traffic in the roundabout moves counterclockwise around the cen tral concrete circle, and unlike its larger high speed cousin, the traffic circle or ‘rotary,’ drivers are meant to reduce speed as they Staff The C/ac/ramas Print aims to report the news in an honest, unbiased and professional manner. Content published in The Print is not screened or subject to censorship Email comments, concerns or tips to approach the roundabout, wait for a safe gap before entering, yield to drivers who are already in the roundabout as well as any pedestrians who may be crossing it and use your right turn signal upon exiting the roundabout. ..—■„..Some.,.. . . u J ti v e cs,......lj ke— Ric Jenkerson, resident assessment specialist, are already adapting. “I’ve gone down to get some products at Home Depot and stuff and it adds maybe a minute to your commute to get there. It’s „ actually nice, you just go under and do a little turn around there and go through, it actually keeps the flow pretty well,” said Jenkerson. “It’s very European. I like it. It makes sense because you don’t have to stop.” While confusion and frustra tion may be the sentiment of some drivers on this changing road, at least one sees the posi tive side of all the construction. However this massive highway project is viewed, it is here to stay. Its completion is imminent and the traffic surely is not going to stop. chiefed@ciackamas.edu ' or call us at 503-594-6266. 19600 Molalla Ave. Oregon City, OR 97045 Journalism Adviser: M e lis s a Jo n es me/issaÿ@clackamas.edu EDITORS Co-Editor-in-Chiefs: Joshua Dillen & Anna Axelson cfiiefed@clackamas.edu * Editor: Felicia Skriver JJ Associate: Emily Rask X itewsed@clackamas.edu Editor: Christopher Taylor * Associate: Luke Frank w 3çed@c/aekamas.edu S Editor: Andrew Millbrooke * Associate: David Beasley a, sportsed@ciackamas.edu > Editor: Steven Weldon £ Associate; Brittany Bell ” copyed@clackamas.edu . Photo Editor: Brad Heineke Associate: Brian Steele photoed@clackamas.edu ' Production Manager: James Duncan webeditor@ciackamas.edu Ad Manager Caylee Miller admgr@clackamas.edu Oct. 18 - A misdeneanor theft was reported at the bus stop some time between the hours of 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. WRITERS At PHOTOGRAPHERS Breanna Craine Hannah Duckworth Kelli Luke Heather Mills Chris Morrow Taylor Oster Oct. 26 - Unautorized use of a motor vehicle was reported. Oct. 29 - Tools and other equipment were reported stolen from the Barlow tool room. The .Campus Safety Patrol Jeep was stolen and subsequently recovered. Construction continues on Highway 213 behind Clackamas Community College. The Jughandle project has been going on since the spring o f 2011. PRODUCTIOM ASSISTANTS Robert Crombie •MandieGavitt Jonah Hannett Caitian Honer Janae Horsley (Nov. 3 - Graffiti was reported in the Rook men’s bathroom. Kim Irving Kathleen Karpal Sierra Smith Shaylyn Struna Lucas Watson 1 Correction: A story in the Oct. 25 issue of The Clackamas Print incorrectly reported the source of funding for a track improvement. The funds came from a grant from the Innovation Grant. Nov. 5- Barlow 233 and 226 were broken into and burglar ized. V lsi + us o n U r w ctf www.TheClackamasPrint.coni tb facebook TheClackamasPrint t u L iit te r @ClackamasPrint
