A4 • Friday, November 12, 2021 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com
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State zeroes in on Highway 101 stretch in Gearhart
SEEN FROM SEASIDE
R.J. MARX
A three-lane roadway, access to public
transit, sidewalks, safer crossings and a pos-
sible roundabout at Gearhart Lane are among
the options being considered by the Oregon
Department of Transportation to improve U.S.
Highway 101.
The multiyear process will culminate with
delivery of a fi nal facility plan at the end of
2022.
“All of our solutions were built off that
2017 transportation system plan that was
adopted by the city, really focusing on this
three-lane cross section that provides traffi c
calming and then access to the residences and
businesses in the corridor by creating a contin-
uous center turn lane throughout the corridor,”
Kenneth Shonkwiler, a regional traffi c planner
with the Department of Transportation, said at
an update for the City Council last week.
Cost for lane reconfi guration, a 12-foot
multiuse path on the east side of the highway
and a 6-foot sidewalk on the west, along with
bicycle lanes, curb and landscape buff er, is
estimated at $14 million. An alternative using
a barrier to separate north and southbound
traffi c is estimated at $6.9 million.
Costs to improve crossing at the intersec-
tion of the highway and Pacifi c Way is pro-
jected at $2.1 million.
Gearhart’s stretch of Highway 101 has
safety issues for highway users and is not
comfortable for people walking, biking and
crossing the highway, Shonkwiler said.
“It’s diffi cult for people whether they’re on
foot, on a bike or in a vehicle to make turn-
ing movements to get across the highway and
get to the residences and their businesses,” he
said.
In conversations with Police Chief Jeff
Bowman and the community, what peo-
ple really desired were safe and comfortable
places for people to move up and down the
corridor, Shonkwiler said.
The three-lane design could make it safer
for both vehicles and pedestrians.
ODOT
Schedule of the U.S. Highway 101 Gearhart Facility Plan.
“In addition to this, we have a slew of
pedestrian crossings that are planned through-
out the corridor,” Shonkwilerhe said. “We
wouldn’t likely have all of these installed but
we want to know from the community which
ones are the priorities, and should we actually
pursue an engineering judgment to see what’s
feasible.”
The Department of Transportation’s web-
site off ers a virtual tour with an interactive
guide to diffi cult crossings, areas of speeding,
fl ooding concerns and turning crashes.
“We are about halfway done with the facil-
ity plan,” Shonkwiler said. “We had a round
of public outreach earlier this year and got a
lot of good feedback on what the issues were
in the corridor and right now we’re coming
up with a couple of diff erent alternatives that
we can give to council and give to the public.”
At that point, the city and the state will
come up with a draft, followed by additional
public comment. “Then I go back to the of the
Oregon Transportation Commission and then
get this adopted,” Shonkwiler said.
An online open house is available through
Nov. 24, with an opportunity for people who
live in or travel through Gearhart to share
information and off er feedback.
R.J. Marx
Intersection of U.S. Highway 101 and Pacifi c Way in Gearhart. The intersection is one of several
along the highway facing transportation review.
ODOT
The area of U.S. Highway 101 in Gearhart, with areas of hazard or concern identifi ed.
GUEST COLUMN
Face masks and kids
GUEST COLUMN
WHITNEY LATHAM
A face mask is a simple thing, yet it’s
one of the best tools we have to help protect
one another from COVID-19.
That’s why public health experts say
almost everyone should wear a mask until
they’re fully vaccinated — including chil-
dren as young as age 2. Many areas have
mask mandates in addition to recommen-
dations. And children may need to wear a
mask at least part of the time while they’re
at school.
Tips for masking up
Wearing a face mask can be challenging
for children. You can help them adjust with
these suggestions:
Make it fun. Put a face mask on a stuff ed
animal. Give your child’s mask a cool dec-
oration. Point out that many superheroes
wear masks.
Practice together. Help your child get
used to wearing the mask before you go
out.
Show your child pictures of other kids
wearing masks. This will help your child
avoid feeling diff erent or singled out.
Talk about the importance of masks.
Using age-appropriate words, talk with
your child about face masks and why your
family wears them: to avoid spreading
germs. Talk with them about how germs
can spread when people breathe, talk,
cough, or sneeze. Wearing a mask keeps
the virus from reaching others and it can
stop germs from reaching you! Addition-
ally, contaminated hands are a way for the
virus to spread and masks stop people from
touching their mouths and faces, adding
another level of protection.
Right mask, right fi t
You can buy a face covering for your
child. Or if you sew, you can fi nd DIY
mask patterns online. A pleated cloth mask
with elastic ear loops usually works best for
kids.
Just make sure the mask you buy or
make will fi t your child’s smaller face and
can be securely worn over your child’s nose
and mouth. Adult face masks are too large
for kids.
Also, children often need to be reminded
to:
Wash their hands before and after wear-
ing the mask.
Avoid touching the mask while wear-
ing it.
Remove the mask by taking it off from
behind rather than from the front.
When to talk to your child’s doctor
Some children have a developmental or
intellectual disability or a health condition
that may make it harder to wear a mask.
Ask your child’s doctor for advice.
Call your CMH clinic or visit colum-
biamemorial.org to request an appointment
or learn more information.
Dr. Whitney Latham is the in-house
pediatrician at CMH-OHSU Health Pedi-
atric Clinic — Seaside.
CIRCULATION
MANAGER
Shannon Arlint
ADVERTISING
SALES MANAGER
Sarah Silver-
Tecza
PUBLISHER
EDITOR
Kari Borgen
R.J. Marx
PRODUCTION
MANAGER
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
John D. Bruijn
Skyler Archibald
Joshua Heineman
Katherine Lacaze
Esther Moberg
SYSTEMS
MANAGER
Carl Earl
CONTRIBUTING
PHOTOGRAPHER
Jeff TerHar
Neal Maine/Pacifi cLight Images
Elk make their way across U.S. Highway 101. Wildlife add an additional concern to local road
planning.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Contact local agencies for latest
meeting information and atten-
dance guidelines.
Seaside Airport Advisory Com-
mittee, 6 p.m., 989 Broadway.
hart.com.
MONDAY, NOV. 29
MONDAY, NOV. 22
Seaside City Council and Plan-
ning Commission workshop,
vacation rentals, 6 p.m., 989
Broadway.
Seaside Improvement Com-
mission, 6 p.m., 989 Broadway.
Seaside City Council, 7 p.m.,
cityofseaside.us.
TUESDAY, NOV. 23
Sunset Empire Park and Rec-
reation District, 5:15 p.m., Bob
Chisholm Community Center.
TUESDAY, NOV. 30
Gearhart City Council, special
meeting, 6:30 p.m., cityofgear-
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 1
Gearhart City Council, 7 p.m.,
cityofgearhart.com.
THURSDAY, DEC. 2
Seaside Parks Advisory Com-
mittee, 6 p.m., 989 Broadway.
Seaside Signal
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