Public Invited to Comment on Minor Betterment Candidates

For Immediate Release: Friday, September 21, 2012

Washington County's Minor Betterment Program Selection Committee invites the public to review and comment on the top candidates being considered for funding in fiscal year 2013-2014. The committee applied evaluation criteria to over one hundred candidates to identify the top small-scale interim road improvements that address safety and/or connectivity issues.

Community organizations interested in hosting a presentation about the Minor Betterment Program and candidates in their area are encouraged to contact the Operations and Maintenance Division.

Comments submitted by October 22 will be considered by the committee. The committee will review public comments on the top candidates and then recommend projects to the Board of Commissioners for potential construction in 2013-2014.

The MBP Selection Committee is comprised of county land use and transportation staff and citizens representing the Urban Road Maintenance District Advisory Committee, the Rural Roads Operations and Maintenance Advisory Committee, and the Committee for Citizen Involvement.

The Minor Betterment Program is funded by the county's Road Fund (gas taxes) and constructs small-scale interim improvements which are beyond routine maintenance but not large enough to be programmed as capital improvements.

Identification of candidates for the MBP is request driven. Candidates may be proposed by submitting an online form or by contacting the Operations and Maintenance Division at (503) 846-ROAD (846-7623) or [email protected]. Candidates submitted now will be considered for funding in 2014-2015. Some candidates may also be eligible for funding through the Urban Road Maintenance District safety improvement program.

Washington County is committed to planning, 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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