Pedestrian projects proposed

The Urban Road Maintenance District provides enhanced maintenance to the roads and streets of the large urban unincorporated areas of  Washington County. A few years ago, a citizen advisory committee was formed to provide input on how our tax money should best be used to provide for our transportation needs. URMDAC recommended, and the Washington County Board of Commissioners approved, a proposal to slightly reduce the standards for road surface maintenance, and use the savings to provide much-needed pedestrian and bike facilities to urban-area streets.

The committee has been working on a list of recommended safety improvement projects for the coming years, and several of them are in our area. This list will go to the Commissioners for approval, and may be trimmed or amended, but it’s likely that most of it will pass.

McDaniel Road: a pedestrian path from Harding Court to near Arnott Lane. The path will serve residents and Bonny Slope School students. Because of some segments that will be required to be built by new developments, this project will only cost about $159,000.

Leahy Road: from 8310 NW Leahy to near West TV Elementary, a pedestrian path to serve students and residents. Combining with the Safe Routes to School-funded work brings this project in at around $114,000.

Butner Road: a pedestrian path from Cedar Hills Boulevard to Murray. Residents will enjoy a safer way to get around, and improved access to the popular Commonwealth Lake Park. Because of right-of-way acquisition, and the longer span, the price for this project will be around $563,000.

Laidlaw Road: a pedestrian path from one mile east of Lakeview Drive to 140th Avenue. Students of Stoller Middle School and Jacob Wismer Elementary will enjoy safer access. Again, ROW costs and terrain will bring the cost to around $453,000.

Projects that were approved last year and scheduled for construction this spring include a pedestrian path on the north side of NW Rainmont between NW 111th and NW 113th, and along the west side of NW 111th between NW Rainmont and McDaniel Road.

More information about URMDAC is available on the county website at www.co.washington.or.us/LUT/Divisions/Operations/urmdac.cfm

NEWS HOME