Chemeketa: Greenwich Ave Extension Bridge and Hwy 221 Work
Hi everyone-
Tarkusian Cities latest "spurt" continues. Replies are now posted in the last update as well. 
This update will focus on a variety of miscellaneous projects on the north end of Chemeketa and Vivien Heights that are in various stages of completion. As we saw last time with the Wallace Road widening, the construction moratorium has been lifted in North Vivien Heights, and the land north of Highway 221 (which crosses the Willamette and turns into the very familiar 52nd Ave NE in Chemeketa) was opened to development. Here's a map again:
http://gmapuploader.com/iframe/xEvZ3cVDhr
Those roads with the dotted lines on the north end of the orangish area (which represents the Vivien Heights City Limits) are roads that will be (or in some cases, already have been built) as part of the developmental plans.
Among the most notable is an extension of Greenwich Ave NW (Project #5--the projects are arbitrarily numbered), which will include the construction of a new bridge and roundabout that will connect it to Highway 219 and 71st Ave NE on the Chemeketa side of the river.
This is on the tail end of construction (facing north). The bridge is in place (thank you, DBE!) and the roundabout is about ready to be connected.
You may notice the roundabout has a southeast leg that simply leads to a dead end at present. Eventually, this dead end will be bridged over Highway 215 and connect into the old (pre-Chemeketa Pkwy) segment of Highway 219 and 59th Ave NE, as the area around the roundabout and the 71st Ave interchange will be developed. There are also plans for a bike/pedestrian trail along the river that will tie into this development.
Next, we'll take a look at Project #3 on the map, along Highway 221 itself. In order to provide more access to the new development (and not have traffic weaving incessantly from Wallace to Greenwich along 221), a new roadway is being built to connect Wallace Road up with the Greenwich extension just southwest of the bridge. Additionally, as development is occurring to the west, in the hills, 221 is in need of further expansion itself. As a result, the interchange at Wallace Road is being reconstructed into a weird diamond that retains the flyover from 221 NB onto Wallace SB.
Construction has begun already in this image (facing east toward Chemeketa). The southbound lanes on 221 have already been demolished, and some temporary reconfiguration for construction staging is already underway.
Grading begins on the extension (facing east).
Another overpass ramp bites the dust (facing east). Access to the last bit of 221 into Chemeketa is temporary accommodated by this at-grade ramp . . .
though staging ultimately required that it be shut down immediately. The mainline has been diverted onto Wallace Road itself, with a rather circuitous alignment so work can continue on the interchange.
Southbound lanes being rebuilt (still facing east). The section west of the interchange will be widened to 4 lanes for a brief stretch (which will eventually get extended further).
The mainline is mostly back open again (facing east), though access to Wallace is being accommodated by another temporary at-grade intersection.
The at grade roadway has been turned into an exit ramp now, and things are back to being access controlled (facing east).
The flyover ramp from 221 NB onto Wallace SB has been reconnected (facing east). Someone on the construction crew didn't get the memo about making the whole thing concrete, however. 
This is farther west, in a section of town you haven't seen yet. This is at the intersection of Highway 221 and Doaks Ferry Road NW (facing west), AKA Project #4. (Fun fact: the real Salem, OR has an intersection of Highway 221 and Doaks Ferry Road. It's not too far off the location of this one.) As there's been a lot of residential development going in on Doaks Ferry, the intersection will be turned into a grade-separated interchange (with a Super-2 for the present).
This is an S-Curve on the existing alignment of Highway 221 just west of the Doaks Ferry intersection. (facing west) It'll be eliminated as part of the interchange construction. The small substation there will also need to be relocated as part of the project.
The a replacement substation has been built with a new access road (facing west). The new location will allow the utility district to expand the substation without fear of future (inevitable) expansions of the highway.
Another inconveniently located grocery store is demolished (facing west). It's right in the way of where the overpass will be located.
Doaks Ferry has now been closed off for construction. Motorists can still access it from 43rd Ave NW.
New roadway being built for the S-Curve straightening (facing west).
A little peek at the new interchange (facing west). It's a half-diamond/half-parclo with a roundabout connecting the parclo segment. These improvements are somewhat temporary . . . more will be done here before much longer.
That does it for this update. We'll take a closer look at some finished results from this area next time, and then, the big Sorenson Street realignment on the other side of town.
-Tarkus
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