• Highway 217 closure mid-March
• Hall Boulevard nine-month closure
• Kenny/Thompson update
• Walker Road project traffic impacts
• Transit Study Findings
• MAX Blue Line disruptions
• Shape the future of transportation in Oregon!
• A summary of TriMet Reduced Fares Program

Highway 217 closure mid-March

As part of the Hall Boulevard overpass closure in Tigard Highway 217 will close in both directions in Tigard for one night on March 9 and one weekend March 15-18.

Overnight closure of OR 217 starting at 11 pm on Saturday, March 9 until 8 am on Sunday, March 10 between OR 99W to Greenburg Road. Weekend closure of OR 217 starting at 9 pm on Friday, March 15 until 5 am on Monday, March 18 between OR 99W to Greenburg Road.

Several on-ramps leading up to the closure area will also close during this time. Project neighbors should expect daytime and nighttime construction noise during these times.

Hall Boulevard nine-month closure

The Hall Boulevard overpass near OR 99W and Pfaffle Street in Tigard has closed for nine months as of Monday, March 4. Drivers are advised to use OR 99W to Greenburg Road to Hall Boulevard (and vice versa). Pedestrians and cyclists: will continue to have access across OR 217 using a temporary bike and pedestrian bridge. Trimet lines 43 and 78 will not have service on Hall Boulevard between Locust Street and OR 99W. Visit trimet.org for more information.

View the Hall Boulevard Overpass Replacement page for more details.

Kenny/Thompson update

Washington County Land Use and Transportation (LUT) has had a realignment on the books for Thompson Road, between Saltzman and the north end of the Hartung Farms subdivision, for a long time. The alignment of NW Kenny Terrace in the Willow Creek development was determined with the expectation of an eventual connection.

After discussions with the neighbors, in the form of virtual and in-person Open Houses, the final design was determined, and construction is set to begin soon. Despite concerns that LUT budget shortfalls would affect it, the project is going out to bid this month. LUT is planning a construction kickoff Open House soon, date TBD. Neighbors can sign up on this page to get updates.

Construction is expected to start in May, finishing up in Summer 2025. The 2021 cost estimate was $6.5 million, with the funds coming from the MSTIP Bonding Cost-sharing Program.

A big point of contention for many neighbors was that the street trees, planted 20 years ago when Willow Creek subdivision was built. The sidewalks along the new alignment will be rebuilt and new street trees will be installed. Environmentalists contend that new young trees don’t perform the services that old established trees provide (oxygen production, drainage management, shade) but the county now contends that many of the existing trees are in poor shape.

The realignment includes moving westbound traffic onto the Kenny alignment just west of the Saltzman intersection and closing off “Old Thompson” east of the entrance to Findley Elementary. Tustin Ranch Drive will also be closed at Thompson.

Walker Road project traffic impacts

Traffic will switch to the west side of 158th Avenue, north of Walker Road, starting Monday, March 4, with the installation of temporary striping and the removal of concrete barriers.

The outside northbound travel lane on 158th Avenue, north of Walker Road, will reopen, along with pedestrian access. The two southbound travel lanes on 158th will be shifted slightly east to allow a daily, temporary work zone along the west side of 158th Avenue. Pedestrian access will be closed along the west side of 158th Avenue. Pedestrians should access Fred Meyer and adjacent stores using the Schendel Avenue or Walker Road entrances.

Drivers: Traffic for westbound Walker Road, through the work area, is still reduced to one lane between Murray Boulevard and 158the Avenue. Share the travel lane with cyclists on 158th Avenue, between Schendel Avenue and Walker Road, through the work zone.

Pedestrians: Sidewalks remain closed along the north side of Walker Road. Use the sidewalk along the south side of Walker Road through the work zones.

Cyclists: The westbound bike lane on the north side of Walker Road has been relocated adjacent to the concrete barriers. Share the travel lane with vehicles on 158th Avenue, between Schendel Avenue and Walker Road, through the work zone.

Transit: Northbound Bus 67 (Stop ID #6832), adjacent to the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District’s Terpenning Recreation Complex, will be restored once the barriers are removed.

Read more about the project here.

Transit Study Findings

LUT is presenting the findings of the Washington County Transit Study to a Work Session of the county Board of Commissioners (BCC) on March 5. The survey for the study concluded on March 1, so public comments were summarized for the presentation.

LUT and regional partners including TriMet, Ride Connection, Metro, and local cities identified the growing need for more people to utilize public transit in order to meet the region’s ambitious climate, equity, and transportation goals. The 2023 Regional Transportation Plan sets an aggressive target to triple the transit mode share for all trips from 4.1% in 2020 to 12.2% by 2045.

“Over the last year, staff has worked closely with our partnering agencies to develop a Transit Vision that builds from and coordinates with other planning efforts to guide development of transit services across the county over the next 20 years. The county and the cities of Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard and Tualatin each contributed funding for the study.”

The documentation for the presentation includes key recommendations to deal with the barriers and concerns expressed by the public. Of particular interest to Cedar Mill area residents and businesses is a proposal to expand use of shuttles and community connectors to additional service areas.

The Vision for Transit also suggests that: On-demand or community connector services can provide cost-effective shared rides that can help connect people to frequent transit service; Employers beyond the reach of transit can fund a shared shuttle service from transit centers to help retain and attract employees.

MAX Blue Line disruptions

Construction of TriMet’s A Better Red MAX Extension and Reliability Improvements Project is nearing the end of the line in more ways than one. The final planned disruption for the multi-year project will take place from Saturday, March 16, through Sunday, March 24, along a stretch of the MAX Blue Line in Hillsboro west of Orenco. Shuttle buses will serve closed stations between Orenco Station and Hatfield Government Center. This will allow crews to finish signal work in and around the Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport MAX Station, what will become the new end of the line for MAX Red Line trains beginning this summer. Learn more details here.

Shape the future of transportation in Oregon!

Take part in this survey and help Oregon’s leaders understand how local roads, highways, public transportation, bike lanes, and sidewalks are used today and how they can be improved to make travel better in the future.

Qualified participants who are selected to participate and complete the entire Oregon Travel Study will receive a gift card as a thank-you.

A summary of TriMet Reduced Fares Program

With the TriMet Honored Citizen Hop card, you can ride as much as you want for $28/month — a 72% discount. Or $1.25 for 2-1/2 hours and $2.50 for a day pass.

Veterans, active-duty members, and reservists can now sign up to ride TriMet for less. Get more info

Seniors 65+ or Medicare: If you are age 65 or older or on Medicare, you qualify for this program. You don’t need to apply in advance. Just carry your Photo ID with proof of age. Get more info

Youth Ages 7-17, High School, GED: If you are age 7–17, or a student in grades 9-12 or studying for your GED, you qualify. You don’t need to apply in advance. Photo ID is required when boarding for ages 15–17 and high school/GED. Children 6 and under ride for free with a paying passenger. Get more info

People with Disabilities: If you have a verifiable mental or physical disability, you qualify for this program. You must apply for and receive a personalized photo ID Hop card before using the Honored Citizen fare. Get more info

Income-Based: If you participate in an assistance program or your household income is less than double the federal poverty level, you qualify for the program. Get more info