On Monday, June 24, City Staff at the City of Tangent were informed of survey crews on Tangent Road. City Staff contacted the Linn County Road Department, and on Wednesday, June 26, the city received a response from the lead engineer of the project from the Linn County Road Department.
Linn County Surveyors were obtaining data for the Tangent Drive Road Improvement Project. Linn County will coordinate a town meeting with the City of Tangent once a preliminary design has been drafted.
There is no additional information.
What is the Tangent Drive Road Improvement Project?
The Tangent Drive Road Improvement Project originated before 2021 when the City of Tangent, Linn County, and the Albany Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (AAMPO) agreed to improve the road. AAMPO is funding the project, and Linn County will be doing the construction work since Tangent Drive is a Linn County-owned road. The initial goal is to modernize the road with options for sidewalks and work on Tangent Dr. between Highway 99E and the railroad cross to accommodate traffic.
Why has the project taken so Long?
The 2020 and 2021 pandemics delayed the project, bringing it to a standstill as cities and counties dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic.
In August of 2021, the State of Oregon, which issues funds for projects to AAMPO, announced a sudden stop in funding projects in August of 2021. This removed AAMPO's funds for the Tangent Drive Road Improvement Project, and Linn County could not complete any work since there was no funding.
However, in January of 2023, the City Manager and City Councilor Trina Henderson did lobby at the Oregon State Capitol building. They brought up Senator Chris Gorsek, Co-Chair of the Transportation Committee, about the importance of funding projects such as the Tangent Road Improvement Project. Senator Sara Gelser Blouin and Representative Shelly Boshart Davis all visited that day to discuss the importance of the funding. At the end of the legislative session, the funds had been restored.
Linn County was notified in 2024 of the Tangent Drive Road Improvement Project funds beginning on July 1, 2024.
What will the new Tangent Drive look like?
Linn County Road Department is working on a preliminary design for Tangent Drive. Road standards have changed and evolved since the prior design and work was done before 2021.
How Do We Stay Updated on the Tangent Drive Road Project?
The City of Tangent and Linn County will coordinate a town meeting once a preliminary design has been made. Notice of that town hall meeting will be posted on the website, our park message board, and the City Hall front door. If there is enough time, we will post it in the newsletter.
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