Monroe Avenue Corridor Study
The City of Corvallis and Oregon State University (OSU) are collaborating on a project which will develop a conceptual improvement plan for Monroe Avenue between 14th and 26th Streets. Both the City and OSU recognize the importance of this corridor as a connection between the community, University, and businesses and organizations that share its frontage. The plan will focus on enhancing the safety and comfort for people walking, biking, driving, and accessing transit as they travel along Monroe.
COMMUNITY SURVEY AND MAPPING EXERCISE
During the month of December, 2023, the community was asked to share their thoughts on the Monroe Avenue corridor through an on-line survey and mapping exercise. Below is a summary of the information collected through this exercise.
Appendix A – Online Map Comments
Appendix B – Survey Summary and Responses
COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE #1
A community open house was held at the Corvallis Community Center (C3) on May 8, 2024. The following visual materials were available for public comment and input.
Goals and Improvement Concepts: This series of posters identify the goals of the corridor study, the existing conditions on Monroe, and some initial improvement strategies that were considered by the project team before being refined into two corridor concepts for public comment.
Concept #1: Buffered westbound bike lane with an eastbound shared vehicle/bike lane. Bikes would share the travel lane with vehicles when traveling downhill (eastbound) but would be provided with a buffered bike lane when traveling uphill (westbound). The additional space provided by not striping the westbound bike lane, as well as parking removal, provide additional flexibility and width available to the pedestrian zone.
Concept #2: A two-way cycle track is provided for bicycles on the south side of Monroe Avenue. This provides a protected path for bicyclists. Parking removal would be used to expand the pedestrian zone.
COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE #2
Over the past year, the City and OSU have developed, discussed, and evaluated a number of possible corridor improvement concepts. Several of the more promising concepts have been shared with stakeholders and members of the general public through engagement efforts that included an online mapping tool, a corridor walk, a project survey, a stakeholder briefing meeting, and a community open house. The outcome of this process has been the development of a preferred concept that was shared at this open house event on September 25, 2024, held at the Corvallis Community Center (C3).
The following links will connect you with some information that was presented at the open house:
Opening Presentation: Phill Worth of Kittelson & Associates provided a PowerPoint presentation providing background information on the process that has led to the development of a preferred concept.
Poster Materials: Display boards provided additional information on the preferred concept being presented.
Preferred Concept: This map provides a graphic illustration of proposed improvements to the entire Monroe corridor between 14th and 26th Streets. Use your PDF viewer’s zoom feature to magnify the map, and scroll to the left and right to travel along the length of the corridor.
NEXT STEPS
With information gathered from our stakeholder meetings and open houses, a final report will be developed detailing the proposed conceptual design. Ultimately, the proposed plan will be adopted into the City’s Transportation System Plan by the City Council. At this time, the schedule for Council consideration of the proposed plan is yet to be identified. Once it has been developed, it will be shared with our interested parties email list.
If you are not already on our email list, and would like to be kept informed of the process, or if you have additional questions, you can contact the project team at monroeave@corvallisoregon.gov.
