Media release
Posted
For Immediate Release: Thursday, August 04, 2011
Sponsored by: Department of Land Use and Transportation, Division
Washington County’s Department of Land Use and Transportation and the City of Hillsboro invite the community to a completion celebration for the Cornelius Pass Road widening project. The celebration will begin at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, August 16, 2011, at the new Beaverton Creek Bridge on Cornelius Pass Road, just south of Quatama Road. County Commissioner Bob Terry and Hillsboro Mayor Jerry Willey will be featured speakers. View the postcard invitation for this event.
Construction on Cornelius Pass Road between Frances Street and the MAX light rail overpass began in May 2010. The road was widened to five lanes, and bike lanes, sidewalks, street lighting, waterlines, stormwater and water quality enhancements, and a traffic signal at Quatama Road were constructed as part of this project. The bridge over Beaverton Creek was replaced with a structure that accommodates four travel lanes, bike lanes and sidewalks. The new bridge is also significantly higher than the old one, reducing its susceptibility to flooding. This project was funded through the county’s Major Streets Transportation Improvement Program (MSTIP), county Road Fund (primarily gas tax), and county and city Traffic Impact Fees (TIF). For more information about this project, visit the project website.
During the Cornelius Pass bridge replacement, local neighborhoods, businesses, schools, and commuters patiently endured a six-month road closure on this heavily traveled arterial. The closure allowed for expedited replacement of the entire bridge in just six months. To accommodate the closure, 231st Avenue between Baseline and Cornell underwent upgrades to enhance the safety of this designated detour route. Bike lanes were added where they hadn’t already existed, a new pedestrian activated flashing beacon was installed at the Alder Street crossing near the MAX light rail, and sidewalks were added to an adjacent neighborhood for safer access to 231st and transit.
Washington County Board Chair Andy Duyck noted, “Widening this section of Cornelius Pass Road has already improved traffic flow and safety on this important north-south thoroughfare.” Project planning to widen the remaining two-lane section of Cornelius Pass Road between the MAX light rail line and Alocleck Drive/Walbridge Street is already underway as the county and city work to secure construction funding.
Washington County is committed to working with our partner agencies in building and maintaining the best transportation system, ensuring the safety of all roadway users, and operating the county roadway system in a cost-effective and environmentally responsible manner.
Media Contact:
Victoria Saager, Interim Communications Coordinator(503) 846-4963
[email protected]