Sandy leadership gets speed limit changes approved for east of town

By Brit Allen, The Sandy Standard

Sandy leaders have recognized for some time now that the speed limits through and around Sandy were set back before the town was as developed as it is now, and sought changes. 

Sandy City Manager Tyler Deems and Police Chief Patrick Huskey recently presented a study to ODOT with the request that they reduce speeds for the Sandy area. 

“We have not had a change in speed limits in Sandy in 40+ years,” Mayor Kathleen Walker said in a post to her social media. 

Though the initial ODOT request was in great part denied, the city appealed to the traffic panel. The city’s full request was not approved in the end, but the following changes have been put in motion: 

• An extension of the 25 mph limit from Highway 26 and Ten Eyck Road to east of the Assembly of God Church; 
• An extension of the 40 mph limit from just east of the Assembly of God Church to the west end of Vista Loop Drive; 
• An extension of the 50 mph from the west end of Vista Loop Drive to Canyon Valley Road (the transfer station). 

“It is difficult when there is a sharp speed transition (from 40 to 25 mph),” Walker wrote. “Highway 212 along Estacada is 35 mph, (and) Boring recently got a gradual ramp of 25 to 45 (presumably after the accidents in the middle of town). There is not a consistent approach to how ODOT sets speeds (on) state highways through growing towns, despite the huge increase in vehicles per day going through town, more local (traffic) from the development over 40 years. This is a start. Thanks to Manager Deems and Chief Huskey for making a compelling argument to improve the safety of Sandy's main route.”

“We’re hoping (drivers) stay relatively closer to 25 mph longer through the intersection at Ten Eyck,” Husky told The Standard. “Hopefully this will show passersthrough that speed is important to our citizens.”