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Path to victory

On Sunday, October 26, a group of West Haven neighbors got together to celebrate a local land-use victory. In 2009, neighbors were concerned to find that a Washington County ordinance had designated a proposed extension of NW 95th through to Barnes Road as a “Special Area Neighborhood Route.” Had the road been built according to that designation, it would have brought a flood of traffic onto local streets, and jeopardized safety and the character of the neighborhood.

Jake Mintz, one of the affected neighbors, writes, “On October 7 this year, Washington County Commissioners voted to adopt County Engrossed Ordinance 783 that updates the County’s Transportation System Plan (TSP). Included in this comprehensive ordinance is the removal of the planned 95th Ave roadway connection and instead, as many of us have long advocated, designates this 'path’ that we hike, up the hill from Spring Crest Drive to St Vincent Hospital and Sunset Transit Station, a Regional Trail.”

Jake invited his neighbors to join the “Westhaven's 95th Ave Ped/Bike Designation Celebration Parade," and the event was a smashing success. Local musician Kevin Carr led the procession with his bagpipe, from the Sunset Transit Center, across Barnes, through the medical office building parking lot, and down the trail to a neighborhood potluck party at Mintz’s home.

Another success for neighborhood activism, and also for a county land use team who listen (at least sometimes) to the folks in the neighborhoods.

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