Council authorizes ODOT agreement to deliver Willamette Falls Drive multimodal improvements

The West Linn City Council on April 14 authorized an intergovernmental agreement with the Oregon Department of Transportation to deliver federally funded multimodal improvements on Willamette Falls Drive between 16th Street and Osman/Ossman Road.

Public Works Director and City Engineer Eric Leisz said the city received a Metro Regional Flexible Funds Allocation (RFFA) award of $3,497,580 in the current funding cycle to continue multimodal work along Willamette Falls Drive, focusing on separated bike and pedestrian facilities and right‑of‑way design. Leisz said the IGA allocates approximately $940,000 for the current phase to cover federal funding and engineering design for right‑of‑way and acquisition; the city will match roughly 10.27% for this phase.

Councilors expressed appreciation that the bulk of funding comes from regional and federal sources and asked about schedule details. Leisz said the current phase is primarily design and right‑of‑way work and that the construction funding would follow later in the project sequence; staff estimated construction funding in a later phase and emphasized coordination with ODOT and Metro. "This is just for design, right‑of‑way acquisition and so on," Leisz said, noting the project continues the city’s Main Street improvements and advances the long‑range transportation plan.

The council moved and seconded the IGA authorization and approved it on a roll call vote.

What to expect: staff said the project will implement separated bike and pedestrian facilities and is expected to advance toward construction funding after right‑of‑way and design steps are completed; timing will depend on ODOT coordination and later funding allocations.