In Support of Local Minor Transportation Betterments

This post is mostly for readers in Washington County, Oregon.  I've collected all the links and information here for easy access.

July 2016

Washington County Land Use and Transportation is collecting proposals for "small road improvements" - pedestrian sidepaths, better striping, etc.

http://www.co.washington.or.us/LUT/News/small-road-improvement-proposals-due-july-15.cfm?platform=hootsuite

Last year I submitted a proposal for a pedestrian facility on SW Walker Rd, from Hwy 217 to SW Canyon road.  Amazingly enough, it is on the map of candidates.

There are also proposals for a pedestrian facility on SW 107th from SW Walker to SW Hawthorne, and others throughout the neighborhood.

Small Road Improvements in Our Neighborhood

The county considers comments from the public.  I can't help but think that comments from our neighborhood would only be for the good.

From Victoria Saager, the Urban Road Maintenance District Program Manager:

"... if you would like to submit comments on an identified candidate, you can send them in an email to lutops@co.washington.or.us with the candidate number and road name identified in the subject line. Your comments will be retained and, if the candidate is a finalist for funding and public comments are requested, your comments will be shared with the project selection committee along with other comments received during the public comment period."

The candidates I am lobbying for are:

Candidate #430

A Pedestrian walkway has been proposed on Walker Rd from Canyon Rd to 108th Av.

Candidate #476

A Pedestrian walkway has been proposed on 107th Av from Walker Rd to Hawthorne Ln.

and

Candidate #306

A Pedestrian Path has been proposed on Walker Rd from 108th Av to Hwy 217 (n-bnd Ramps).

Please fire off an email to: lutops@co.washington.or.us supporting any or all of these local improvement candidates.  They will collect comments all through the comment period, but getting your input in by Friday July 15 may improve the chances of any or all of these projects going forward this year.

Please note that while we pay taxes for our transportation system, our end of the county has not been getting much love from the transportation department.

Points I intend to make:

• Improves safety for pedestrians along SW Walker Rd; currently there aren't viable places to walk, traffic exceeds the posted speed limit, and sightlines are bad.
• Improves safety AND provides a way to walk along SW 107th to access SW Walker Rd, which does not impinge on private property.  The steepness and narrowness of SW 107th at SW Walker makes it precariously dangerous for pedestrians.
• Will encourage more walking for short errands, such as to businesses and the library, all of which are in a 2 mile radius of SW Walker and SW 107th Ave, which will subsequently reduce motor vehicle traffic.

Please join me in supporting these local improvement candidates!