• Thompson Road realignment “Meet the contractor Open House” and update
• Excerpts from the Frequently Asked Questions section of the Project Page

Thompson Road realignment update

Revised May 1, 2024

Meet the Contractor/Open House Tuesday, June 4, 5-7 pm, Cedar Mill Library meeting room, 1080 NW Saltzman

Meet the project team and learn about construction to realign Thompson Road with Kenny Terrace. Construction starts this summer. No presentation is planned. Drop in anytime between 5-7 pm. 

The Project Page has been updated to show an expected construction start date of June 2024. We will find out more about the sequence of demolition and construction phases at the Open House, we assume. 

Because intersection work will be extensive, long and complicated detours will be necessary. We found this information in a report on the project: “To facilitate the realignment of Thompson Road, two road closures will be necessary. The first closure will be 30 calendar days to make the connection of the new alignment to the Thompson Road/Saltzman Road Intersection, and is scheduled to occur this summer while school is out. The second closure will be 45 calendar days to make the connection to the new alignment on the west end of the project [where “Old” Thompson makes a 90° turn to become West Union] and will happen later (no estimate provided). Pedestrian routes will be maintained during the closures.

We received the updated information on April 30, regarding the detour routes and schedules.

Excerpts from the Frequently Asked Questions section of the Project Page

Can a marked crosswalk and pedestrian crossing warning signs be installed on NW Kenny Terrace at NW Dalton Ranch Lane crossing?

A marked pedestrian crossing of Kenny Terrace (future Thompson Road) with a rapid flashing beacon will be added at Dalton Ranch as part of the project. View a similar crossing 

Will the median at (Old) Thompson Road and 135th Avenue be removed to allow left turns?

A median is required by our design standards. The 40-mph speed limit requires more sight distance than exists to allow safe left turns. The speed limit would need to be reduced to 25 mph before left turns can be considered. 

The median will not be removed as a part of this project. The median is required for safety due to limited sight distance around the curve.

How will fire engines leave the area during road closures?

We will work with Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R) and other service providers throughout all stages of the project. The closures will be scheduled so there will be open access to/from the TVF&R station. The project includes two separate road closures, each will last about 30 days. {Ed. Note, this conflicts with the above detour info, we don’t know which is correct.]

How will the new Thompson Road alignment impact student drop-off and pickup at Findley Elementary?

Findley Elementary student drop-off and pickup has been considered in the design of the project. We will coordinate with school staff throughout construction to maintain access with minimal delays.

What traffic control will be used at Kenny Terrace/Thompson Road and Old Thompson Road?

A stop sign will be installed on existing Thompson Road (Old Thompson Road) where it intersects Kenny Terrace (new Thompson Road). There will be a clear line of sight in both directions.

How does this project impact the access to Arbor Cascadian neighborhood?

The existing Thompson Road will dead end at the Findley Elementary driveway. Access to the Cascadian neighborhood at 135th will remain right-in and right-out [from Old Thompson?]. Evergreen Street access will remain open throughout construction.

We assume that these detours and impacts will vary throughout the project, which is estimated to last through summer 2025. LUT tells us, “Actual construction work, including road closures, will start in June. We will work closely with TVF&R to ensure they have advanced knowledge of all traffic impacts and the resources they need to avoid the closures. We are still completing hiring paperwork with the contractor; we do not have a schedule from the contractor and do not have expected dates for the two road closures. We expect to have these in late May.”

[Ed. Note: we were unable to verify this article with LUT because of staff absences. If corrections are needed they’ll be made as soon as it’s feasible.]