CSEPP.ORG

Purpose

• To provide timely traffic control in support of the Integrated CSEPP Incident Response Action Plan for the Greater Umatilla Community and the Affected Municipal Jurisdictions.
• To prevent the motoring public from putting themselves at risk by driving into potentially contaminated areas.
• To facilitate the evacuation of the general population away from areas potentially at risk from a chemical agent release.
• To allow the rapid, unimpeded deployment of response personnel, equipment and supplies in accordance with the response plan and the subsequent direction of the Incident Commander.
• To effectively manage the Evacuation Control System

* ODOT will provide backup traffic control at locations where PPE is not required.

Background

Four major state and interstate highways (I-82, I-84, U.S. 730 and U.S. 395; see attachment 1, Traffic Control Map) form the major transportation corridors within the Immediate Response Zone/Protective Action Zone (IRZ/PAZ). These high speed, high volume, roadways carry the bulk of inter and intra state vehicle traffic in the region. I-82 lies to the east of the UMCD while I-84 lies to the south. The highways join at a "T" junction near the southeast corner of the Umatilla Chemical Depot. Both are limited access, divided highways with two lanes of traffic in each direction. The speed limit on both interstates is 65 miles per hour. There are no major restrictions to travel on either interstate.

U.S. 730 lies to the north of the Umatilla Chemical Depot, running parallel to the Columbia River and traversing the cities of Irrigon and Umatilla. Numerous county roads, municipal streets and private driveways provide access to U.S. 730. In unincorporated rural areas, the speed limit is 55 miles per hour. In urban areas including Irrigon and Umatilla, the speed is reduced and varies between 25 and 45 miles per hour. Additionally, a traffic light in Umatilla regulates traffic flow, creating a traffic restriction. This restriction is further compounded by the high volume of commercial truck traffic entering and leaving the ODOT Motor Carrier Transportation Division Port of Entry (MP 184 westbound on U.S. 730) facility at this intersection.

U.S. 395, within the IRZ, lies east of the UMCD and traverses the cities of Stanfield and Hermiston, joining I-84 and U.S. Highway 730 at McNary Heights near the Columbia River. It is a four lane highway with two lanes of travel in each direction and a fifth, center turn lane in the vicinity of Hermiston. Numerous county, municipal and private roads enter U.S. 395 throughout its length. Traffic lights in Stanfield, Hermiston and the intersection with U.S. 730 regulate vehicle flow and create potential traffic bottle necks.

These primary transportation routes are supplemented by a number of county and municipal feeder roads which carry smaller volumes of primarily local traffic. Although secondary roads do not provide high speed, high volume ingress/egress to the communities in the IRZ, they can provide alternate and supplementary routes to offload traffic volume if the primary routes become blocked. Many of these roads and streets are intersected by level railroad crossings which creates potential blockages on these routes. Compounding this problem is the large number of commercial and agricultural trucks servicing facilities such as the Wal Mart Distribution Center in Hermiston and numerous food processing plants throughout the area.

Initially, there will be no effort to block access on these secondary and tertiary routes due to their number and a shortage of law enforcement and public works personnel to staff lower priority ACPs. Wherever possible, traffic lights will be synchronized by local authorities to facilitate traffic management. Additionally, Umatilla County will contact the Union Pacific Railroad to insure that rail traffic is stopped to prevent blockage of level crossings in the IRZ/PAZ.

Organization

Execution of the Access Control Plan is a direct responsibility of the Incident Commander with specific operational supervision residing with the Operations Section and the Law Enforcement Branch Entities within the ICS having responsibility to establish or support ACPs include:

• Oregon Department of Transportation
• Oregon State Police
• Morrow County Sheriff's Department
• Umatilla County Sheriff's Department
• Boardman Police Department
• Pendleton Police Department
• Morrow County Public Works
• Umatilla County Public Works
• CTUIR Police
• City of Boardman Public Works

Concept of Operations

To block ingress of traffic into the area of potential treat, maximize use of limited available resources, minimize the threat to staff manning ACPs and reduce the requirement for personnel protective clothing; it is determined that four ACPs will be initially established to accomplish the mission of isolating the threat area to vehicular traffic. Each of the ACPs will have one agency assigned primary responsibility for initially establishing the traffic blockade at that point. Other agencies will have supporting responsibilities. If first on the scene, however, the supporting agency may establish the ACP until supplemented by the primary agency. Once ODOT personnel are on scene, they may relieve law enforcement personnel if they are required for higher priority missions.

Blocking access to the danger area will be a multifaceted effort to alert drivers to the danger, provide them with emergency instructions and physically prevent motorists from proceeding beyond the control points. Alerting information and appropriate emergency instructions will be provided by the Evacuation Control System Highway Reader Boards and Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) system (See map for HAR transmitter sites, coverage areas and sign locations), which consists of flashing sign boards which read: "WHEN FLASHING - TRAFFIC INFO - TUNE RADIO TO 1610 AM". Upon turning to 1610, motorists will hear emergency messages. Concurrently, strategically placed highway reader board signs will activate, providing a message alerting motorists of the danger and providing instructions to leave the roadway and seek safety. (See map for reader board locations) Finally, the actual lanes of travel will be blocked by a law enforcement agency patrol vehicle. The physical blockage of roadways will be assisted by swing arm barricades on freeway access ramps and selected Morrow County roads. When swung into place and locked, the cross arms will prevent motorists from entering the lanes of travel. Swing and drop arm barricades will be augmented by signage alerting motorists to the presence of the barriers. ODOT staff will augment/replace the law enforcement personnel where PPE is not required. When on scene, they will install additional traffic control devices, signage and assist in traffic control. County and city public works department personnel may also assist in this process.

All of the traffic control points are located at the perimeter of the PAZ, significantly reducing the threat to personnel manning the ACPs. If a significant release occurs and the wind direction threatens an ACP, the initial position will be abandoned and a safe alternate site further downwind will be established. The Law Enforcement Branch Director will review WebPuff AEGL plume projections to determine potential threat to the initial ACPs. If threat analysis indicates that an initial ACP will fall within the Risk Envelope, an alternate site further from the UMCD will be selected. To provide respiratory protection, personnel manning the ACPs may be provided with an escape respirator (subject to authorization to use them). These devices will be used strictly for escape purposes only.

All personnel participating in access control operations will communicate on OSP Channel 49. The net control station will be the Law Enforcement Branch Director. While participants will continue to communicate internally on their own agency frequencies, all reporting and external coordination will occur on OSP Channel 49.

In parallel with the close in access control efforts, ODOT will implement a supporting access control plan which reroutes traffic away from the impacted area at progressively greater distances from the UMCD. (See the ODOT regional traffic plan for rerouting interstate traffic.) Rerouting traffic at a distance from the UMCD will reduce delays, prevent stranded motorists in Pendleton and Boardman who may: compete for resources; complicate traffic management; restrict movement of emergency responders, equipment and supplies for first responders; and potentially impede evacuation operations.

Law enforcement personnel and ODOT/public works employees manning ACPs will not allow any motorists to proceed beyond the control point unless they are first responders performing a CSEPP mission or a properly documented UMCD employee.

When ODOT personnel are available at the ACPs, law enforcement staff may be released for other response missions. The transfer of responsibility will be coordinated through the Operations Section and the Incident Commander. The County ECC/EOCs will be notified when transfer of responsibility is complete. If events dictate that the road closures will be of a long duration, the Oregon National Guard, when authorized by the Governor, may supplement or replace ODOT personnel at ACPs.

This plan only addresses the initial establishment of critical ACPs. As the situation develops and more resources become available, the Incident Commander and the Unified Operations Group can establish additional ACPs as required.