County Receives Statewide Recognition for Two Transportation Projects

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, October 25, 2011

‘Project of the Year’ Award for Banks–Vernonia Linear Trail Extension and Trailhead
Honorable Mention for Hwy 99W/Greenburg Road-Main Street/Hall Blvd Improvements

Washington County’s Department of Land Use and Transportation is pleased to announce that the Oregon Chapter of the American Public Works Association (OR APWA) has recognized two transportation projects managed by the department.

OR APWA selected the Banks/Vernonia Linear Trail Extension and Trailhead project as its Transportation Project of the Year. The award recognizes quality, innovation and cooperation among the managing agency, its partners, consultants and construction contractors. Evaluation criteria included public outreach efforts, environmental design considerations, timely completion, and overall safety factors.

The project completed the final two-thirds of a mile of the 21-mile Banks-Vernonia State Trail, extending it to the City of Banks. The trail provides pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians with a pleasant and safe travel route. In conjunction with the trail project, the County also managed construction of the Banks Trailhead parking area. These projects represented a collaborative effort between Washington County, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, the Oregon Department of Transportation and the City of Banks. The $1.4 million trail project was funded by a Federal Transportation Enhancement Grant, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) administered by the Oregon Department of Transportation, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, and Washington County. Carter and Company was the primary contractor. The project commenced construction in May 2010 and was completed in October 2010.

The Project of the Year award was presented to County Engineer Gary Stockhoff and Project Manager Matt Meier on October 20, 2011 during the OR APWA Fall Conference in Redmond. It will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners at their regular board meeting on Tuesday, October 25, 2011. Chairman Andy Duyck said “This project presented a unique opportunity for several jurisdictions to pool resources to successfully deliver a regionally-significant recreational transportation enhancement.”

The Hwy 99W/Greenburg Road-Main Street/Hall Boulevard project, also managed by county staff, received an Honorable Mention from OR APWA. This project was a collaborative effort between Washington County, the City of Tigard, and the Oregon Department of Transportation. It provided capacity and safety improvements on Highway 99W at Greenburg Road/Main Street and at Hall Boulevard in Tigard. The project began construction in May 2010 and was completed in February 2011.

For more information about these projects, go to www.wc-roads.com.

Washington County is committed to working with our agency partners 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.

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