• Reminder—Thompson road closed July 1-August 25
• It’s a mess at the Overlook
• New local shuttle service
• Beaverton will evaluate Photo Enforcement Operations 
• Sidewalk need repairs? Check out the Sidewalk Repair Grant Program
• Springville Road Project update
• Board approves Road Maintenance program

Reminder—Thompson road closed July 1-August 25

Thompson Road will be closed between Anthem Lane and Circle A Drive July 1-August 25 for road construction. There will be a pedestrian detour through the project area. Drivers will be detoured to Saltzman and Cornell roads and Bethany Bl. Cyclists may walk bikes through the pedestrian detour or use a detour route. A second closure between Saltzman Road and Findley Elementary School is planned for fall. Dates will be announced when they have been determined.

It’s a mess at the Overlook

Readers and Facebook group members have been noticing garbage, discarded clothing, and drug paraphernalia around the bushes at “The Overlook,” a tiny plaza on Cornell east of Dale Av. Land Use & Transportation (LUT) says, “We built the bump out as part of the Cornell Road project in 2009. We do maintain it, but it is likely part of the landscape contract, which as you know is a bit delayed this year. We will likely only trim the plant(s) if they appear overgrown or block sight distance, signs or access to the right-of-way. We would not trim vegetation due to possible criminal or undesirable activity.” 

It seems that someone (probably a nearby business) has been clearing it regularly, but passers-by often see the trash. It’s likely that the activity that generates it happens overnight. 

When we asked the deputy who attended the June CPO meeting about it, he said there wasn’t anything the Sheriff’s Office can do about it because it’s public property and unless it’s an immediate safety hazard, using the space isn’t illegal. 

LUT submitted a Service Provider Notification, but those are generally one-time events that won’t solve the ongoing problem. Some suggested pruning the bushes so they aren’t a good place to hide, but the county, as mentioned above, isn’t likely to do that. 

New local shuttle service

Ride Connection is a non-profit transportation provider that is planning to operate a new free shuttle service to connect PCC Rock Creek, Bethany Village, Columbia Sportswear, and Sunset Transit Center. This shuttle service is planned to start in Fall 2024. Your feedback will help us plan this shuttle service. We want to hear from you! Please provide your feedback here. 

Learn more at the July 9 CPO 1 meeting, info in the CPO 1 article in this issue. Read about Ride Connection’s other services in this March 2021 article.

Beaverton will evaluate Photo Enforcement Operations 

The city currently has four intersections with enforcement cameras in operation: the intersections of SW Beaverton Hillsdale Highway at SW Griffith Drive, SW Cedar Hills Bl. at SW Walker Rd., SW Allen Bl. at SW Lombard Av., and SW Hall Bl. at SW Scholls Ferry Rd. 

Photo enforcement intersections capture red light violations as well as speeding violations. Additional intersections have been identified as suitable for expansion of the program; however, there is no timeline for when these intersections may be enabled. The Beaverton Police Department is also working in partnership with the Oregon Department of Transportation to focus on traffic safety awareness, including speed, distracted driving, safety belt enforcement, and enhanced DUII patrol. Learn more about photo enforcement operations at BeavertonPolice.org/ PhotoEnforcement.

From the monthly “Your City” newsletter from Beaverton. If you’re not already getting it, you can sign up for the electronic copy here.

Sidewalk need repairs? Check out the Sidewalk Repair Grant Program

Construction season is getting started and can be a great time to repair damaged or displaced sidewalks. Property owners in the Urban Road Maintenance District (URMD) can apply for reimbursement this summer on approved repairs.

Property owners are responsible for the maintenance of sidewalks adjacent to their property. The Sidewalk Repair Grant Program was created last year to help lessen the financial barriers to repair.

The Sidewalk Repair Grant Program will reimburse property owners within the URMD up to $2,000 for the repair or replacement of damaged sidewalks by a licensed contractor. Eligibility details and application instructions are available online.

The URMD funds the program, which can award up to $100,000 per fiscal year. The URMD is a service district that supports road maintenance and biking and pedestrian projects.

Springville Road Project update

Construction begins July 2024; Construction finishes (expected): December 2025.

Springville Road Phase 4 includes widening the street to three lanes (one lane in each direction and a center turn lane) between Joss Avenue and the Portland Community College (PCC) Rock Creek campus. The completed project will have continuous buffered bike lanes, sidewalks and lighting on both sides of the street.

The street crosses two streams—one east of the PCC campus entrance and the other between Samuel Drive and Joss Avenue. Culverts at both stream crossings will be replaced to allow fish and small animals to pass below the street. Water quality and detention facilities will treat and slow down surface water runoff before it enters the streams.

Two road closures are planned for culvert replacements. These must be performed in the in-water-work-window (July-September). One closure will be in summer 2024; the other will be in summer 2025. Springville Road will be closed between the PCC entrance and The Courtyard Apartments entrance, tentatively scheduled July 29-Sept. 26. Vehicle traffic will detour to 185th Avenue, West Union Road, Bethany Boulevard and Kaiser Road. See the Project Page for the second closure that will occur Summer 2025. 

Springville Road Phase 4 is the middle and final section of the urban street improvements for Springville Road between 185th Avenue and Kaiser Road. The bike lanes, sidewalks and lighting upgrades have significantly improved safety for all travelers.

Board approves Road Maintenance program

The FY 2023-24 Road Maintenance Program was approved by the Washington County Board of Commissioners during its regular meeting on June 18. The program outlines the Department of Land Use & Transportation’s (LUT) road maintenance activities. The program extends the lives of roads and saves tax dollars through preventative maintenance.

Highlights include: more than 17 miles of paving by LUT crews; more than four miles of contracted paving; six major culvert replacements; and 1,800 miles of trimming roadside vegetation. 

LUT’s goals include performing high-quality work safely, efficiently and with as little disruption to the public as possible. Learn more about our Road Maintenance Program.