Active Project Report

Peola Road is the main access road to the Blue Mountains (Umatilla National Forest) and is used extensively year around by recreationalists, logging trucks, farm to market, forest service personnel and rural residents. Winter driving conditions include fog, compact snow and ice, freezing rain and drifting snow. Long periods of low visibility driving conditions are common. The combination of extremely narrow roadway widths and long periods of low visibility driving during the winter months, make driving conditions extremely uncomfortable for the traveling public and snow plow operators, despite the lack of documented accident histories in the past 3 years. Many of the accidents in this section of road go unreported and usually involve non-injury type of accidents. The most recent fatality was in 1998. We receive many complaints from the public every year regarding this section of road. Most of the complaints received involve the road being to narrow for vehicles and equipment to pass safely, especially during the winter months. Existing Conditions The existing pavement conditions are poor with broken off edges, inadequate subgrade drainage, roughness and cracking. Existing surface drainage features are substandard with respect to inlet and outlet control, erosion and roadside hazards due to existing unprotected concrete head walls. The existing road has a 21' wide BST surface with variable width gravel shoulders. Majority of the project has no shoulder or shoulders with no structural support, which has resulted in extensive broken BST pavement edges. Existing fill slopes are on average are 11/2:1; however there are numerous locations (culvert ends and eroded slopes) where fill slopes are much steeper. Roadside hazards include steep slopes, unprotected concrete headwalls, trees, substandard guardrail, utilities, unprotected drainage structures and approach cross slopes. Many substandard Horizontal and Vertical curves exist within the project limits, some of which are Horiz/Vertical curve combinations. Three vertical curves and 9 horizontal curve have been identified which do not meet the 50 mph design standard. Existing vertical curves have stopping sight distances ranging from 130 ft. to 325 ft. (Safe speeds ranging from 22 mph to 44 mph). Proposed Improvements This project included widening, slope flattening, horizontal and vertical alignment correction, drainage, BST, hazard elimination (Substandard Guardrail, slopes, culvert ends, fixed objects, approach cross-slopes), etc. The proposed improvements will bring the roadway up to and/or exceed current design