East County attendees press for Sunrise Corridor and long-range market-road planning

Multiple participants at Clackamas Countys East County TSP workshop urged that the Sunrise Corridor and other long-range corridor ideas be advanced as planning priorities.

Les Poole, who described himself as a longtime advocate for the Sunrise Corridor, said planners must account for distribution and freight needs and not treat the corridor only as a transit or passenger issue. He told the meeting: "Highway 212 is a parking lot through Damascus," and warned that regional growth is "exploding" through Southeast Gresham, Damascus and Happy Valley.

Steve Bates and another participant argued for a Market Road concept—an arterial that could extend Sunnyside Road, cross Deep Creek, and link to Kelso Road and Highway 26 to relieve pressure on state routes. Staff responded that the TSP can document studies and phased planning for visionary corridors even when immediate funding is not available.

Why it matters: Sunrise Corridor and corridor-level studies shape freight movement, safety, long-term capacity and economic development across eastern parts of the county. Staff said large corridor ideas often require separate feasibility studies and can be phased over time to match funding realities.

What staff will do: Consultants said these ideas will be captured in the TSP as potential studies or phased projects. Mark noted that even large projects typically are broken into phases or studies and can be included in the Tier 2/3 lists while staff work on funding and feasibility.

Next steps: Participants were encouraged to submit specific locations and corridor suggestions to the interactive map and to follow up with county staff for more detailed coordination on study scoping.