By SUE RYAN
News staff writer
June 28, 2007

Cascade Locks city and port commissioners have both come out in opposition to the proposed closure of the East Cascade Locks Interchange Exit.

Port commissioners passed a resolution June 21 and city councilors approved theirs Monday night.

“It’s to show council’s firm commitment to the project but also opposition to the closure,” said City Administrator Bernard Seeger.

Cascade Locks has three interchanges, all of which are partial. Besides East Cascade Locks in the center of town those include West Cascade Locks, next to the port’s Bridge of the Gods and Herman Creek/Forest Lane near Government Rock.

The Oregon Department of Transportation said in a March presentation to the port commissioners that the exit could be closed. That is because of a request for a new interchange at the east end of town. If the new interchange were built, the old one would close under federal highway and state standards.

While ODOT’s policy for interchange spacing is three miles between interchanges within an urban growth boundary and six miles in a rural setting, federal regulations define it slightly differently.

The federal standards are two miles between interchanges in rural areas, with an urban area being defined as a place with a population of 5,000 or more. Cascade Locks has slightly more than 1,000 residents.

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs has requested a new interchange off of Interstate 84 for a proposed Bridge of the Gods Resort and Casino. Their proposed site is located on port industrial land at the east end of the town.

The project is expected to create 1,700 jobs and provide $2.1 million annually in local revenue sharing to the city, port, and Hood River County.

City and port representatives also stated in the resolutions a request for a waiver for the project. These requests can be made to the Oregon Transportation Commission but must also be approved by the Federal Highway Administration. Both port and city officials said they remain supportive of the proposed resort and casino by the tribes.

Port Director Chuck Daughtry said the issue would come about sooner or later no matter what the project is because the port must have freeway access to its industrial park to make it developable.

“It just happens that the tribes are the funding mechanism for this project but the reality is there is the need for an interchange at the industrial park for the community anyway. That is important for the town,” Daughtry said.

If the East Cascade Locks exit were closed, it would affect travelers coming from the east. The west-bound ramp would probably remain open because of needed truck access from the Port of Entry station. Both councils have heard multiple concerns from the community over putting so much traffic onto Forest Lane through the residential core of Cascade Locks.

“The biggest concern we have is to face the issue. If taking traffic off the highway a mile early and shift it on to a local system a mile early, it’s just not safe for the community,” Daughtry said.