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By Virginia Bruce

We have quite a few topics this month on various transportation topics, so here’s a roundup.

Road paving, possible SHS crossing

Asphalt paving on about 10.5 centerline miles was approved by the Washington County Board of Commissioners during its regular meeting on May 16. The annual overlay will include some pavement removal, vegetation trimming and pavement striping. Work is expected to begin shortly and is scheduled for completion by July 1.

Area roads included in the repaving projects include: 113th Avenue—Cornell Road to Rainmont Road (presumably after the sidewalk construction is completed); and Leahy Road—Barnes Road to 90th Avenue & 90th Avenue to 107th Avenue.

In addition, Cornell Road—Murray Boulevard to Bethany Boulevard, is on the list. As part of this project, bike lanes will be widened and upgraded. Citizens have been working with the Beaverton School District’s Safe Routes to Schools consultant, Sunset Principal John Huelskamp, and Shelly Oylear, WashCo Engineering and Construction Services who focuses on ped/bike facilities, to include a signalized mid-block crossing at Sunset High.

Transportation Development Tax to increase 2.17% July 1

In 2008, the voters of Washington County approved Measure No. 34-164, the Transportation Development Tax (TDT). The TDT replaced the previous tax, known as the Traffic Impact Fee (TIF). The TDT went into effect on July 1, 2009, increasing the previous TIF rates as well as updating and clarifying various procedures. Now fully phased-in, the TDT has essentially doubled the rates developers pay for the impact new development has on the transportation system. The TDT is levied countywide including within the Cities.

Once the increase takes effect, the TDT rate for a single-family detached home, for example, will be $8,458—an increase of $180 over the 2016-17 rate of $8,278. TDT is based on the average estimated traffic generated by new development of that type, and is paid by developers to help fund transportation projects including road improvements, sidewalks, bike lanes and transit upgrades such as bus shelters. TDT rates are adjusted annually based on a five-year rolling average of road construction, labor and right-of-way costs.

The rate increase was approved April 25 by the Board of Commissioners. Visit the Transportation Development Tax /TDT webpage for more information.

CHB/26

The agreement to install a new traffic signal and make other improvements to the intersection of Cedar Hills Blvd. and the Highway 26 interchange has now been signed by all parties. WH Pacific has been selected as the engineering firm, and is collecting survey data now. The county hopes to have the project ready to bid next spring, with completion by the end of 2018. We’ll keep you updated as information is available.

Chair Duyck on transportation issues

Andy Duyck, Chair of the Washington County Board of Commissioners, visited the meeting of CPO leaders last month. He answered some questions that had been previously submitted, and then answered questions from the audience.

One question was about much-needed improvements to existing county roads that have become congested and unsafe due to a big increase of traffic caused by growth. The public perception is that a disproportionate amount of county road funding goes to new growth areas, leaving those in the older areas to cope with congestion in their front yards.

Chair Duyck responded that state and county laws constrained expenditures. Maybe it’s time to change the laws?

Another question referred to the long-contentious “western bypass” that would connect communities in the south and east of the county to Highway 30 and possibly beyond via a new bridge to Washington State. He indicated that there is support for the proposal from area mayors and legislators. Representative Rich Vial (R, Scholls) proposed a “Northwest Passage” toll road with House Bill 3231 but it died without a hearing in April.

Duyck is not planning to run again in 2018. Rumors are flying about who will run for his seat, which is elected county-wide. Nothing to share yet, though!

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