2009-1469-Resolution No. 2009-117 Recorded 9/28/2009REVIE D
LEGAL COUNSEL
DESCHUTES COUNTY OFFICIAL
NANCY BLANKENSHIP, COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS' JOURNAL
RECORDS Q NOME
CLERK
09/18/2009 08;16;08 AM
For Recording Stamp Only
BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DESCHUTES COUNTY, OREGON
A Resolution Declaring Deschutes County's
Support to Seek Federal Funding for the US RESOLUTION NO. 2009-117
97 at Wickiup Junction Project.
WHEREAS, US 97 is a critical part of the State's transportation system, and is classified as an
expressway in the Wickiup Junction/La Pine area, and
WHEREAS, the at -grade railway/highway crossing on US 97 at Wickiup Junction is the only at -
grade crossing on US 97 in the entire state. Drivers on US 97 who are not familiar with the area do not
anticipate having to stop for trains. Nor are they anticipating have to stop for school buses and vehicles
carrying hazardous materials that are required to stop at all railroad crossings, and
WHEREAS, this at -grade crossing creates an extremely unsafe situation on the highway, and
WHEREAS, This safety problem has forced local school buses to avoid this section of the
highway and to have to travel out -of -direction to complete their routes. and
WHEREAS, the traffic volume on Burgess Road at its intersection with US 97, immediately south
of the railway crossing, is approaching capacity making access from Burgess Road on and off US 97
hazardous, and
WHEREAS, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is partnering with Deschutes
County, the City of La Pine, Bureau of Land Management, and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad to
develop a solution to address the safety problems at US 97/Wickiup Junction, and
WHEREAS, the proposed project to solve the at -grade rail crossing and Burgess Road
intersection problems is to realign US 97 to the east of its current location and build a railway
overcrossing and new connections for Burgess Road, and
WHEREAS, ODOT, Deschutes County, and the City of La Pine do not have adequate resources
to fund the proposed US 97 at Wickiup Junction project, and
WHEREAS, the upcoming federal surface transportation funding reauthorization provides an
opportunity to submit highway program earmark requests, now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DESCHUTES
COUNTY, OREGON, as follows:
Section 1. That the County hereby supports ODOT's proposed project for the railway
overcrossing and Burgess Road connection at US 97/Wickiup Junction.
PAGE 1 OF 2- RESOLUTION No. 2009-117
Section 2. That the County hereby supports efforts to seek federal funding assistance for the US
97 at Wickiup Junction project.
Section 3. That this resolution be presented to the Central Oregon Area Commission on
Transportation and to the Oregon Transportation Commission.
Section 4. That this resolution be presented to Oregon's congressional delegation members.
Dated this 6- of 2009
J
ATTEST:
Recording Secretary
PAGE 2 OF 2- RESOLUTION NO. 2009-117
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF DESCHUTES COUNTY OREGON
TAMMY BANEY, CHAIR
DENNIS R. LUKE, VIC CHAIR
ALAN UNGER, COMMISSIONER