362nd Avenue / Bell Street Extension

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Sandy is a growing community with increasing transportation infrastructure needs. For many years, the Sandy City Council has recognized the importance of extending Bell Street west from its existing end near Sandy High School, to intersect with an extension of 362nd Avenue north of Highway 26, and has identified the project as an official Council Goal.

This project is a key element of the City’s Transportation System Plan.


WHY CONNECT BELL ST AND 362ND AVE?

Connecting 362nd and Bell will provide multiple benefits for our community, including:

  • Relieving a chronic traffic bottleneck: We need additional ways for vehicles to navigate the northwest quadrant of our city, particularly to provide relief to the often-congested Bluff Road / Highway 26 intersection.
  • Economic development: Extensive economic development opportunities will be created by connecting 362nd Avenue and Bell Street. The immediate area is zoned C2 (General Commercial) and R2 (Medium Density Residential), and the quick access to a major state highway and transit infrastructure will facilitate new retail / commercial development on long-vacant land that will stimulate the local economy and create new local jobs.
  • Providing access to schools: This new road connection will provide an additional route to access Cedar Ridge Middle School and Sandy High School, particularly for those coming from Boring and the west end of Sandy. The high school is currently located at the end of a dead-end street; a major safety concern in the event that emergency vehicles need to access the school.
  • Promoting resiliency: Highway 26 is an essential transportation corridor in our area. Connecting 362nd and Bell will allow first responders to avoid the busy highway and will also create a more efficient evacuation route for local residents in case of disasters.


HOW IS THIS AREA ZONED?

The land surrounding the new road is mostly C2 - General Commercial (shown in red); with some R2 - Medium Density Residential (shown in orange). Click here to review the full zoning map for Sandy.


HISTORY AND CONTEXT

This road connection has been identified as a critical link in the city's future transportation system as far back as 1994. City leaders have long recognized that providing alternate access to the high school would relieve congestion, particularly at the Bell Street / Hwy 26 intersection. At the top right of this page is a document archive containing some of the many planning documents and official Council actions that trace the history of this project over the past several decades.


ROAD DESIGN AND PROPERTY ACQUISITION

The City hired an outside engineering firm to provide project management services and design the roadway. This also included identifying the needed route of the new road and the precise location of the right-of-way the City would need to acquire (the City only needed to acquire relatively thin strips of property - enough for the road itself and adjacent road infrastructure like sidewalks and stormwater management). Once planning was complete, independent appraisers determined the value of the needed right-of-way. Throughout the property acquisition process the City worked forthrightly with local property owners in accordance with state legal requirements; to date, the City has paid $1,064,530 to acquire the necessary right-of-way.


PROJECT FUNDING

The City estimates the cost of the project to be approximately $11.8 million. Funding sources include system development changes, and funds from a recent full faith and credit bond issue, which will be repaid with revenue from Clackamas County’s Vehicle Registration Fee (VRF) and the additional statewide $.06/gallon motor vehicle fuel tax adopted by the Legislature in 2017.

The City is also actively pursuing the possibility of direct project appropriations from the Federal government.


Sandy is a growing community with increasing transportation infrastructure needs. For many years, the Sandy City Council has recognized the importance of extending Bell Street west from its existing end near Sandy High School, to intersect with an extension of 362nd Avenue north of Highway 26, and has identified the project as an official Council Goal.

This project is a key element of the City’s Transportation System Plan.


WHY CONNECT BELL ST AND 362ND AVE?

Connecting 362nd and Bell will provide multiple benefits for our community, including:

  • Relieving a chronic traffic bottleneck: We need additional ways for vehicles to navigate the northwest quadrant of our city, particularly to provide relief to the often-congested Bluff Road / Highway 26 intersection.
  • Economic development: Extensive economic development opportunities will be created by connecting 362nd Avenue and Bell Street. The immediate area is zoned C2 (General Commercial) and R2 (Medium Density Residential), and the quick access to a major state highway and transit infrastructure will facilitate new retail / commercial development on long-vacant land that will stimulate the local economy and create new local jobs.
  • Providing access to schools: This new road connection will provide an additional route to access Cedar Ridge Middle School and Sandy High School, particularly for those coming from Boring and the west end of Sandy. The high school is currently located at the end of a dead-end street; a major safety concern in the event that emergency vehicles need to access the school.
  • Promoting resiliency: Highway 26 is an essential transportation corridor in our area. Connecting 362nd and Bell will allow first responders to avoid the busy highway and will also create a more efficient evacuation route for local residents in case of disasters.


HOW IS THIS AREA ZONED?

The land surrounding the new road is mostly C2 - General Commercial (shown in red); with some R2 - Medium Density Residential (shown in orange). Click here to review the full zoning map for Sandy.


HISTORY AND CONTEXT

This road connection has been identified as a critical link in the city's future transportation system as far back as 1994. City leaders have long recognized that providing alternate access to the high school would relieve congestion, particularly at the Bell Street / Hwy 26 intersection. At the top right of this page is a document archive containing some of the many planning documents and official Council actions that trace the history of this project over the past several decades.


ROAD DESIGN AND PROPERTY ACQUISITION

The City hired an outside engineering firm to provide project management services and design the roadway. This also included identifying the needed route of the new road and the precise location of the right-of-way the City would need to acquire (the City only needed to acquire relatively thin strips of property - enough for the road itself and adjacent road infrastructure like sidewalks and stormwater management). Once planning was complete, independent appraisers determined the value of the needed right-of-way. Throughout the property acquisition process the City worked forthrightly with local property owners in accordance with state legal requirements; to date, the City has paid $1,064,530 to acquire the necessary right-of-way.


PROJECT FUNDING

The City estimates the cost of the project to be approximately $11.8 million. Funding sources include system development changes, and funds from a recent full faith and credit bond issue, which will be repaid with revenue from Clackamas County’s Vehicle Registration Fee (VRF) and the additional statewide $.06/gallon motor vehicle fuel tax adopted by the Legislature in 2017.

The City is also actively pursuing the possibility of direct project appropriations from the Federal government.

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Good idea! Bell street project will relieve congestion in quickly growing sandy.

Cgavic 11 months ago
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What's the estimated population increase for Sandy once the housing development is completed

Cgavic 11 months ago
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Have to agree with SarahG
This “improvement” has nothing to do with transportation, it’s another opportunity for developers to use (via city’s use of eminent domain) to reap vast rewards while leaving city residents holding the bag for water, sewer, and other infrastructure costs. If you live on a city lot, this shows up in taxes and monthly bills ( how much has your water/waste gone up due to overdevelopment and horrible city oversight?). If you own larger properties this shows what can happen when heavy handed bureaucrats come looking for more tax revenue. Sandy is a medium/small sized bedroom community with big city aspirations. In the almost 40yrs I’ve lived here and attended numerous city meetings, one thing is clear: Sandy development commissions rubber stamp almost any new construction.

JohnW over 1 year ago
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I do not live At sandy I'm Coming from Oregon City however I go to sandy every week. For 3 reasons
1. I go to (SAM) to walk at North American Bigfoot Center, since 2013. When boring, Oregon left Trimet. (Importance)
2. City of sandy has some interesting parks most notable is Salmon Creek Park, Jonsrud Viewpoint even Tickle Creek Trail Trailhead, I go every 2 weeks. Including 3, mt hood express thru (SM) to go at government camp.

As for CONNECT BELL ST AND 362ND AVE? As for someone who walks to boring at the west end of Sandy regularly to access the North American Bigfoot Center once per month.
That area gets extremely Rough or in some cases flat-out dangerous big time west of the sandy high school.

That is because when I go from the west usually from SE 362nd (boring Limits) to walk at Goldenrain St (Sandy Limits) including vice versa.
I Tried going from SE Orient Drive, (undurable).

Now back to SE 362nd thru boring Oregon. Looking at the maps I might take bell st to walk west From Sandy high school which will be a lot safer than going from Buff Road, (Jonsrud Viewpoint) thew 37875 SE Kelso Rd (Sandy Limits) or goldenrain St (Sandy Limits) thru SE 362nd (Boring Limits).

here is the thing this website does not say if they will be a walking path. if they are no walking paths. I will have to agree with SarahG, that it will only benefit developers and contractors for housing. unless sandy, Oregon directly greatly improves walking paths or Sidewalks at 37875 SE Kelso Rd including Buff Road, (Jonsrud Viewpoint). (sandy limits)

The city of sandy has no say in boring, Oregon but all I ask is try to accommodate, those who walk every month. like making at less Sidewalks at BELL ST AND 362ND AVE.
other than that I won't say anymore I am not a resident. just your weekly visitor.

MicahMoo11 over 1 year ago
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I think this is a great project. Even if the only benefit were the improvement of the safety of the students and faculty at the high school and middle school, it would be worth doing. But it will also reduce traffic through town on Highway 26 by diverting school buses, students and parents coming from the west. One can easily imagine the development of some sort of commercial hub on the new corridor. I think this is an example of the kind of bold planning any city needs to prosper.

SandyBruce almost 2 years ago
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This will not relieve a chronic traffic bottleneck. Once vehicles have entered from this new intersection, The Bluff Rd., Highway 26 intersection will be the only exit point. This will only create more traffic congestion at an already intolerable area, Bluff/26.
The only true economic development created by this new intersection will be short term, in that it will only be to developers and contractors to create housing. There will be no immediate revenue from any commercial industry at that location.
The Bullet point of “promoting resiliency” Is superfluous.
This project does not truly seem to take into account the wants and needs of the majority of the community. I do not agree with forcibly taking residence properties, or destroying long-term existing revenue for the prospect of potential new residence and revenue.
This project does not adequately reflect the values of the Sandy community and its residence. This is unacceptable.

SarahG almost 2 years ago
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Page last updated: 20 Aug 2023, 09:42 AM