Selection Committee recommends five projects

At its October 13 meeting, the Minor Betterment Program (MBP) Selection Committee successfully completed its task of recommending small-scale interim road improvement projects for funding in fiscal year 2012-2013. The five projects meet the committee's objectives of improving safety and connectivity, while achieving geographic diversity.

Four are urban and one is rural. They will benefit pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists. One leverages maintenance work planned for next summer. And the total estimated cost is within the $500,000 budget target.  

The candidates selected by the committee are:

• Pedestrian pathway on Walker Road from Roxbury to Cedar Hills Blvd (CPO 1)

• Widening and a bike lane on Barnes Road from the county line to Leahy Road (CPO 1)

• Pedestrian pathway on Rock Creek Blvd from 185th to Columbia (CPO 7)

• Pedestrian pathway on 197th Avenue from Rock Road to Baseline (CPO 6)

Road widening and turn lane on River Road at Rosedale in conjunction with planned paving project (CPO 10)

After review by Land Use & Transportation staff, the Minor Betterment projects recommended for funding will be included in the 2012-2013 Annual Road Maintenance Work Program presented to the Board of Commissioners for approval next June.

The committee established and applied evaluation criteria to identify the top 20 out of over 100 candidates for small-scale interim road improvements that address safety and/or connectivity issues. LUT staff provided information on each of the 20 projects to help the committee make its decision.

The MBP Selection Committee is comprised of county transportation staff and citizens representing the Urban Road Maintenance District Advisory Committee, the Rural Roads Operations and Maintenance Advisory Committee, and the Committee for Citizen Involvement.

The Minor Betterment Program is funded by the county's Road Fund (gas taxes). About $500,000 is expected to be allocated to this program in fiscal year 2012-2013 to fund small-scale interim improvements that are beyond routine maintenance, but not large enough to be programmed as capital improvements.

For more information on the MBP, visit http://www.co.washington.or.us/LUT/Divisions/Operations/Programs/minor-betterments.cfm

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