The new traffic signal at Sequoia and Hazel Dell, better known as the “Fred Meyer intersection” since it’s also the primary way into and out of the Fred Meyer complex, could be up and running by the fall of 2019. City Administrator Rick Robinson says his plan is to have the project out for bid in a few months and be under construction over the summer.
The project is desperately needed, Robinson says, with or without the increased traffic expected from the proposed Project Shakespeare, which has not even been cleared through the city’s planning process yet. If it is approved, the traffic it generates would represent only 5 percent of the total capacity at that intersection, which is comparable to the traffic counts from the nearby Sequoia Grove apartment complex.
Robinson also says he is proposing the project be paid for through the city’s urban renewal funding, since it’s not eligible for general funds because the project isn’t listed in the transportation system plan. He says the Project Shakespeare developers would be expected to pay a portion of the costs that is roughly equal to the percentage of their usage at that intersection, which is standard policy for the city of Canby.
The city will also seek grant funding to help with some of the cost.
One other note of interest: This will technically be the city’s first stoplight, meaning it is the first signal device built and operated by the city rather than the county or state.
“Canby’s finally going to get its first stoplight,” Councilor Greg Parker quipped at the last City Council meeting.
