Alternatives advanced for further study in the DEIS
The alternatives below (grouped by river crossing location) were approved by the
Task Force and Oversight Team in 2008. Read the project schedule for the background on how the alternatives were
narrowed to those below. After the DEIS is completed, public comments will be taken at a public
hearing/open house.
Click on the colors below to learn more about each alternative.
Alternative 1
Alternative 1 (No Build) is a required part of a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS). It is used as a baseline,
or benchmark, to compare and measure the alternatives against what is on the ground now
and what is planned in the absence of the proposed project. The details of this alternative will be defined in the DEIS.
Alternative 2A
Alternative 2B
- Alternative 2A (Widen Existing Bridges): Alternative 2A would add two new lanes to the
westbound Marion Street Bridge and one new lane to the eastbound Center Street Bridge and make associated
changes to the ramps at both ends of the bridges, including connections to Highway 22 on the west end. A ramp
from the Marion Street Bridge to Marine Drive also would be included. In addition, this alternative includes
widening Wallace Road to six lanes (3 travel lanes each way and turn lanes) between the existing bridges and
Orchard Heights Road. A previous version of this alternative was referred to as the “Teal Light” alternative.
View a detailed version of the alternative (PDF, 4MB).
- Alternative 2B (New Bridge North of Existing Bridges): Alternative 2B would add a new five
lane bridge between the Marion Street bridge and the Union Street Bike/Pedestrian bridge. Ramps at both ends of
the bridge would connect to Highway 22 and Marine Drive on the west end, as well as to Commercial Street on the
east. This alternative also includes widening Commercial Street, Wallace Road, Glen Creek Road (between Wallace
and Marine Drive), and Orchard Heights Road. No changes would be made to the existing Marion and Center Street
Bridges.
View a detailed version of the alternative (PDF, 4MB).
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Alternative 3
Alternative 3 is a new bridge (Hope to Tryon Corridor) with a direct connection to Salem Parkway. A new bridge across
the river from the intersection of Wallace Road and Hope Avenue on the west to Tryon Avenue and the Liberty Commercial
couplet on the east and to Salem Parkway. Previously referred to as the "Orange" alternative.
View a detailed version of the alternative (PDF, 4MB).
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Alternative 4A
Alternative 4B
Alternative 4C
Alternative 4D
Alternative 4E
All of the alternatives below begin at Hope Avenue and Wallace Road on the west,
cross the river and connect to Pine and Hickory Streets on the east.
- Alternative 4A - New Bridge (Hope to Liberty via Pine/Hickory): a new bridge across the river from the intersection of
Wallace Road and Hope Avenue on the west to Pine and Hickory Streets and the Liberty/Commercial couplet on the east. The main bridge span
touches down to the existing street grade at Commercial Street. However, this alternative ends at Liberty Street. This was previously referred
to as the "White" option, but without ramps connecting to Salem Parkway.
View a detailed map of Alternative 4A (PDF, 4MB).
- Alternative 4B - New Bridge (Hope to Broadway via Pine/Hickory couplet) & Widen Existing Bridges:
A new bridge across the river from the intersection of Wallace Road and Hope Avenue on the west, to Pine and Hickory Streets
and Broadway Street on the east. The main bridge span touches down to the existing street grade at Commercial Street. However,
this alternative ends at Broadway Street. The existing Center and
Marion Street bridges will also be widened, in addition to having connections to Marine Drive. (This is the same as Alternative 2A.)
This was previously referred to as the “White” alternative.
View a detailed map of Alternative 4B (PDF, 4MB).
- Alternative 4C - New Bridge (Hope to Broadway via Pine/Hickory couplet) & Direct Connections to Salem Parkway and Highway 22:
Alternative 4B (with a main bridge span that touches down to the existing grade just beyond Liberty Street,
near 4th Street) plus a direct connection to Highway 22 (shown as “Red” on the project maps) and Marine Drive on the west. A direct connection to the Salem Parkway is
included on the east. The couplet extends to and stops one block past Broadway
Street. This was previously referred to
the as “White + Red” alternative.
View a detailed map of Alternative 4C (PDF, 4MB).
- Alternative 4D - New Bridge (Hope to Liberty via Pine/Hickory) without Pine/Hickory couplet, with Direct Connections to Salem Parkway and Highway 22: Same as Alternative 4C but the couplet extends to and stops at Liberty Street. This was
previously referred to as the “White + Red Light” alternative.
View a detailed map of Alternative 4D (PDF, 4MB).
- Alternative 4E - New Bridge (Hope to Liberty via Pine/Hickory) & Direct Connections to Salem Parkway and
Highway 22: Same as Alternative 4C but with an alignment for the direct connection to Highway 22 that avoids
Wallace Marine Park.
View a detailed map of Alternative 4E (PDF, 4MB).
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Transportation System Management and Demand Management (Transit and Roadway Efficiency)
During the alternatives development process, a stand-alone Transportation System Management and
Transportation Demand Management (TSM/TDM) alternative was studied and determined not to meet the
project Purpose and Need all by itself. Instead, the project team recommended that appropriate
(TSM/TDM) elements (including transit) be included as part of each alternative in the DEIS.
After greater study, it became clear that many of the strategies that would accomplish the
transit/TSM/TDM objectives are not within the control of the roadway agencies that would implement
the alternatives. To make sure the Salem River Crossing project still supports the goal of decreasing
single-occupancy vehicle travel across the river, the project team is pursuing the following approach.
First, the DEIS will assume that the future demand (year 2031) for vehicle trips across the river
is 8% less than otherwise forecast. Basing the project design on a reduced traffic volume anticipates
a high degree of success in increasing non-auto travel across the river and also helps prevent the
project from being overbuilt.
Second, the Project Management Team (PMT) has initiated the Salem River Crossing Alternative Modes
Study to identify potential transit and other alternative mode improvements that could be made either
at the same time as, or separate from, the Salem River Crossing project. This study will help assure
that all potential TSM/TDM options are fully studied and that they can be implemented independent of
the Salem River Crossing project if needed. The PMT will work closely with the Salem-Keizer Transit
District and other stakeholders to develop recommendations for increasing the use of alternative modes
as a way to meet the goals assumed in the DEIS. Preliminary results of this study will be
presented at the same time as, or before publication of, the Salem River Crossing DEIS.
Further details regarding this approach are documented in the two background documents below:
Approach to Analysis of Transit/TDM/TSM Options Memo (PDF, 206KB)
Summary: Demand Reduction Assumptions Used For Travel Demand Analysis (PDF, 309KB)
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