Transportation System Plan Update
By Stephen Roberts, Communications Coordinator, Washington County Dept. of Land Use and Transportation
Washington County is large and diverse. We have approximately 540,000 residents living everywhere from dense urban developments in the eastern part of the county to large rural farms in the western part of the county. Regardless of where we live, our countywide transportation system is vital to our economy and our quality of life. The county’s Transportation System Plan (TSP) defines the major roadways and other elements of the system. It describes the future transportation system we want and how we can achieve it. It defines the need, mode (such as vehicular, bicycle, pedestrian, transit), function, and general location of transportation facilities. It also outlines goals, objectives and strategies to meet existing and future travel needs.
Our current plan was adopted in 2002. Its planning horizon was the year 2020. We are currently in the process of updating the TSP to better reflect current community values and expectations and to address both developing and long-standing issues and challenges. The updated plan’s horizon is 2035-2040. Here are a few of the topics we’re looking at in the TSP update process:
- How arterial roadways like Walker, Murray and Cornell will function for all users.
- Estimated future travel needs based on projected growth.
- Transportation improvements needed to accommodate future growth.
- How much traffic congestion we are willing to put up with as well as the trade-offs
necessary to address it.
- Specific areas where changes have occurred or are expected to occur.
- Incorporating the results of other recent planning efforts.
In October 2013, the Board of County Commissioners adopted Ordinance 768, which includes the plan’s goals, objectives and specific strategies which establish a policy framework for the transportation system (the ordinance can be viewed at co.washington.or.us/LUT/Divisions/LongRangePlanning/upload/A-Eng768_forWeb.pdf). The next phase will include map updates as necessary for roads, transit, freight, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Based on board direction, staff anticipates filing an ordinance in spring 2014 with public hearings scheduled in the Summer and Fall of 2014.
In recent months, we’ve been to CPO meetings around the county to help build awareness of the update process and to solicit feedback from interested citizens. Though the specific dates haven’t been finalized yet, county staff will hold three open houses in January/February 2014. One will be held in “north county” (Beaverton/Cedar Mill/Bethany area), one in “south county” (Tigard/Tualatin/Sherwood area) and one in “west county” (Hillsboro/Forest Grove/Cornelius area). We’ll be asking for public feedback at those events as well.
Community members are encouraged to attend any of the events held throughout the update process. Please visit the county’s TSP Update website at www.tsp2035.com to get more information and to submit a comment. You can also subscribe to the project’s e-mail list to keep informed—visit the county’s eSubscription page at washtech.co.washington.or.us/subscriptions. Residents can also contact county planning staff at 503-846-3519 for additional information.
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