Clackamas County is studying the financial feasibility of alternatives for crossing the Willamette River at the current location of the Canby Ferry.
The county is considering the feasibility of six options:
1. Canby Ferry – continue service
2. Canby Ferry – discontinue service
3. Bridge (no toll) – continue ferry service
4. Bridge (no toll) – discontinue ferry service
5. Toll bridge – continue ferry service
6. Toll bridge – discontinue ferry service
The study, scheduled to be completed by the end of 2018, will include detailed traffic modeling and cost estimates of each option, and consideration of related work that would be needed on roadways if a bridge were built.
The public is invited to learn more about the feasibility study and provide comments on the project website at www.clackamas.us/transportation/cfalternatives.html. There is also a brief survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/CFerryStudy and a public meeting is being planned for June in the Canby area.
The Canby Ferry is operated by the county’s Transportation Maintenance Division. While it carries passengers across the Willamette River between Canby and Wilsonville during daylight hours, it cannot operate when the river level is above 70 feet and during inclement weather, only carries six cars at a time, costs motorists $5 per vehicle for a one-way trip and costs the county considerably more money to operate than it receives in revenue.
A bridge could carry more travelers and be open all the time, and if there is a toll it could be less than the ferry’s current toll.
Project Manager Stephen Williams, the county’s principal transportation planner, explains that no decisions have been made yet on whether to build a bridge. The Board of County Commissioners will review the results and discuss the issue further. No further action would be taken without additional public input.
If eventually a decision was made to proceed with a new bridge, actual construction couldn’t take place until after several years of outreach, planning and design.
Source: Clackamas County