NEWS HOME

Transportation News

• Two Sidewalk Projects Coming to Cedar Mill: Comment Online Now

• MSTIP 3: Weigh In on County's Next Round of Road Projects

• The MAX Project

• Evergreen Parkway Closure

Two Sidewalk Projects Coming to Cedar Mill: Comment Online Now

An online open house for both the 90th Avenue and 113th Avenue road improvement projects is available through June 3. Both of these sections of roadway lack consistent pedestrian facilities, forcing pedestrians to walk in the vehicle travel lane.

The projects were identified by residents as candidates for interim small road improvements that had potential to receive funding through the Minor Betterments Program and Urban Road Maintenance District Safety Improvement Program.

The open house, available here, provides opportunities for the public to learn about the projects and provide comments. The proposed projects, slated for construction this summer, include:

90th Avenue – Addition of two sidewalks, one on the west side between Leahy Road/Taylor Street and Stark Street, and the second on the east side north of Stark to Oak Street. The projects will be funded by the Urban Road Maintenance District (URMD) Safety Improvement Program.

113th Avenue – Complete sidewalks on the west side between Rainmont Road and Anderson Street. The project is funded by URMD and the Minor Betterment Program.

MSTIP 3: Weigh In on County's Next Round of Road Projects

Major road construction in Washington County is paid for out of the Major Streets Transportation Improvement Program (MSTIP). MSTIP is funded by local property taxes on a five-year cycle. The MSTIP 3e cycle will run from Fiscal Year 2018-19 through Fiscal Year 2022-23. A total of $160 million has been earmarked for MSTIP 3e projects.

From the 150% Project List Map, showing proposed road projects in the Cedar Mill area.

In the April issue, we announced that the county has put the upper end of Saltzman Road on this list of potential projects. If you'd like to see that happen, now is the time to comment!

Road projects are proposed by county staff, citizens, and members of the Washington County Coordinating Committee (WCCC), which is made up of elected representatives from the county and the cities in the county. From all the possible projects under consideration, the list has been whittled down to the MSTIP 3e 150% Project List, which includes proposed projects totaling about $240 million—or about one-and-a-half times the available $160 million funding—with each of the four County Commissioner districts receiving approximately equal shares.

Washington County and its partner cities are asking the public to help trim the 150% Project List by about one-third—or $80 million—by providing input on individual projects. There are several ways to do this:

Participate in the MSTIP 3e Online Open House at MSTIP3e.com throughout May. The interactive map function allows users to click on individual projects to get more information and provide comments.

Three in-person open houses will provide an opportunity for the public to drop in to ask questions and provide comments; no formal presentations are planned:

Monday, May 9, 5:30-7:30 pm, at Portland Community College Willow Creek Center, 241 SW Edgeway Dr., Beaverton.

Wednesday, May 11, 5:30-7:30 pm, at the Tigard Library, 13500 SW Hall Blvd., Tigard; and

Thursday, May 19, 5:30-7:30 pm, at the Forest Grove Community Auditorium, 1915 Main St., Forest Grove.

For more information on MSTIP and how MSTIP projects are selected, visit mstip.org. To learn more about transportation funding in Washington County, visit transportationfunding.org.

The MAX Project

May 8-21, downtown locations will affect all MAX lines

In May, TriMet will launch the first of a set of track improvement projects at key areas along the oldest section of the MAX light rail system. From the start of service on May 8 through end of service on May 21, TriMet will perform construction that requires closing 1st Avenue and the MAX alignment between SW Morrison and NW Davis. Most cross streets will be open to traffic but NW Couch Street between Naito Parkway and 2nd Avenue will be closed.

On the westside, only Blue Line trains will run between Hillsboro and Library/Galleria MAX stations. All MAX lines will have reduced frequency, which means fewer trains will be running, room onboard will be severely limited and trains will be very crowded. As for the Blue Line, Westside (between Hillsboro and Library/Galleria stations) trains will run about every ten minutes during commuting hours, with capacity reduced by up to 50%. During other times, the Blue Line in this section will run about every 15 minutes, with about 30% less space on board.

Note that only Blue Line trains will run in this section. As The MAX service must be adjusted during the project, riders are encouraged to plan extra time, alter their trips if possible, use TriMet’s regular bus service or consider other transportation options during the two-week project. For line-by-line trip information, please visit: trimet.org/firstavenue. Please sign up for service alerts for your MAX Line at the following link, trimet.org/emailupdates.

TriMet’s monthly passes for May went on sale April 20, but before you buy yours, think twice. MAX riders may want to get a book of tickets instead, as this significant MAX improvement project will disrupt MAX service for two weeks in May. While the work is necessary and will increase MAX reliability, lessen delays and create a smoother, better ride, service must be reduced during the project.

Evergreen Parkway Closure

Two-week closure begins May 16 and goes through May 30

Evergreen Parkway, east of Cornelius Pass Road, will be closed to motorists May 16 -30 as part of the Cornelius Pass Road widening project. Motorists will be detoured around the closure via Cornelius Pass Road, Cornell Road and Aloclek Drive; delays are expected. Bicyclists and pedestrians will have access through the closure via the sidewalk. TriMet bus stops on Evergreen Parkway at 215th Avenue will be closed; riders should utilize bus stops on Evergreen Parkway at Aloclek Drive for the duration of the closure.

The Cornelius Pass Road project will widen the roadway to three lanes in each direction between Cornell Road and U.S. 26. A center median will be added, along with dedicated turn lanes at several intersections, including U.S. 26. Other improvements include sidewalks on both sides of the road, a buffered bike lane on the west side, a separated two-way bike path on the east side and new street lighting.

For more information about the project, visit the project website or contact Washington County Department of Land Use & Transportation Capital Project Management section at atlutproj@co.washington.or.us or call 503-846-7800.

Previous article

NEWS HOME