Smart Growth, Strong Communities
Together, we’ve made meaningful progress through planning, permitting, construction, and maintenance—helping to ensure our neighborhoods are not only functional, but thriving.
- Land Use involves guiding how our communities grow—managing planning, the review and permitting of development, and land surveying to align with the County’s comprehensive plan, land use regulations, and community goals.
- Transportation involves building and maintaining a safe, reliable transportation system through capital project construction, road maintenance, traffic engineering, and community programs.
From calming traffic and building sidewalks to reviewing development proposals and preserving public land records, our work supports the everyday lives of Washington County residents.
Participated in 21 community events to connect with residents & listen to their ideas and concerns.
Delivered 9.94 miles of new bike & pedestrian improvements this year through the MSTIP program.
Approved 5,925 building plans for homes & businesses within the unincorporated county area.
Made Neighborhoods Safer
We enhanced safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers across Washington County.
- Installed 11 speed display signs to help slow traffic and improve safety at key intersections.
- Installed 4 pedestrian-actuated beacons and 2 HAWK pedestrian signals — the first installed by the County — to help people cross busy streets safely.
- Built or improved 342 ADA-compliant curb ramps using Urban Road Maintenance District (URMD) funding and other county funding sources.
- These ramps improve safety and accessibility for people of all abilities, making it easier to navigate sidewalks and street crossings throughout the community.
- These ramps improve safety and accessibility for people of all abilities, making it easier to navigate sidewalks and street crossings throughout the community.
Neighborhood Streets Program (NSP)
This program helps improve safety and livability on neighborhood streets in urban areas outside of cities by working with residents to address traffic concerns.
- Launched 105 neighborhood safety campaigns and hosted 4 community meetings to raise awareness.
- Completed five traffic calming projects aimed at reducing speeding and improving neighborhood livability.
- These efforts included constructing 5 permanent speed cushions and posting 4 permanent speed display signs to help calm traffic and increase driver awareness.
- The completed projects include 91st Avenue, Lonerock Drive, Nicol Road, Rigert Road, and Rock Creek Boulevard.
Kept Our Streets Lit
Through the Service District for Lighting (SDL), we help keep neighborhoods in urban unincorporated areas well-lit and safe after dark.
Funded and maintained 12,883 streetlights, serving 48,226 residents living outside of city limits.
SDLs are formed when new developments are built outside city limits but within the Urban Growth Boundary, where street lighting is required. Existing communities can also initiate requests for streetlighting.
Maintained Roads & Responded to Community Needs
Our crews kept roads safe, clean, and functional through proactive maintenance and quick response.
- Graded 220 miles of gravel roads.
- Striped 491 miles of roads.
- Completed 4 major culvert replacement projects on Brookman Road, Elwert Road, andJohn Lee Road
Pavement Maintenance
- Completed 45 miles of paving or sealing
- Used 5,049 tons of asphalt for paving and pavement repair
Our Paved Road Maintenance program kept the pavement in both urban and rural areas in good condition, although trends indicate a slight decline. In response, planned paving projects will increase and continue into summer 2025.
Pavement Condition Index (100 = perfect condition)
- Rural average: 78 (good)
- Urban average: 76 (good)
- System average: 76 (good)
Cleaner Roads, Stronger Communities
- Cut brush along 402 miles of roadside to maintain visibility and access.
- Supported 106 roadside litter and median cleanups through the Adopt-A-Road and Adopt-A-Landscape programs.This 26% increase from last year reflects stronger community participation in these volunteer-led efforts to keep the roadsides, medians, and landscapes clean.
Responded to the community's top-requested road service needs:
- 227 - Debris removal, landscape, pathway, & traffic separator maintenance
- 185 - Pavement and gravel road repair
- 167 - Vegetation maintenance
Snow Zone Activations
Our four Snow Zones are located in areas that are prone to winter weather-related crashes and may be activated during an ice or snow emergency. Snow zones require all vehicles to use traction devices to help prevent crashes.
All four snow zones were activated once in FY 2024-25.
Advanced Critical Infrastructure Improvements
We moved capital construction projects from design to completion to better serve our growing community.
- 59 projects in design to improve roads, sidewalks, and intersections.
- 32 projects under construction, including major corridor and safety improvements, sidewalks, ADA compliant ramps, and more.
- 20 projects completed, delivering long-term benefits to neighborhoods and commuters, including Roy Rogers Road (Borchers to Chicken Creek), South Road Bridge, and Walker Road (Schendel to Butner).
- South Road Bridge Replacement Project of the Year Winner for Disaster or Emergency Response – Under $5 million by the Oregon Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA).
Major Streets Transportation Improvement Program (MSTIP)
This innovative, proactive street improvement program improves our countywide transportation system for bicyclists, pedestrians, drivers, transit passengers, and freight.
In FY 2024–25, MSTIP funded:
8 completed projects
9.94 miles of new bike & pedestrian improvements
255 new ADA-accessible curb ramps
Key Milestone Projects:
- Cornelius Pass Road Bridge Over Butternut Creek
- Tualatin-Sherwood Road and OR 99W Intersection
- Roy Rogers Road (Borchers Drive to Chicken Creek)
Served Our Customers
We provided responsive, high-quality service to residents, builders, and developers in unincorporated Washington County lands and streets, or those living outside of city boundaries.
- Assisted 4,921 customers at our permitting center in the Public Services Building.
- Processed 294 land use applications and approved 5 residential subdivisions totaling 88 lots.
- Reviewed and filed 222 records of survey.
- Reviewed and approved 68 plats (subdivisions, partitions, and condos).
- Processed 1,583 right-of-way permits.
- Issued permits for 12 block parties, 13 walk/run/bike events, and 10 parades.
Ensured Safe, Quality Construction
We supported safe development and housing through inspections and permitting.
Approved 5,925 building plans for homes and businesses
Issued 397 single-family home permits and 1 multi-family residential permit (8-units)
Completed over 44,969 building inspections to ensure safety and code compliance.
Engaged with Our Community
We created opportunities for residents to learn, share feedback, and shape their neighborhoods.
Over the past year, we:
- Hosted 6 in-person open houses and 12 online open houses, making it easier for community members to participate in ways that work for them.
- Shared regular updates through 52 weekly e-newsletters and 4 quarterly updates, keeping residents informed about projects and services.
- Engaged residents through 1,062 social media posts or campaigns, reaching a total of 906,607 impressions across platforms.
- Participated in 21 community events, including the Washington County Fair, Viva Tualatin, Public Works Fair, and THPRD’s Big Truck Day, to connect with residents and listen to their ideas and concerns.
- We also celebrated major milestones, including the completion of the 209th Avenue Improvement Project and the opening of the Cornelius Pass Road Bridge over Butternut Creek—both important investments in community safety and mobility.
Planned for the Future
We laid the groundwork for a more livable, connected, and sustainable Washington County.
- Adopted or amended 3 land use ordinances, including updates to housing, transportation, and land use policies.
- Reviewed 23 traffic analysis reports associated with land development proposals.
- Helped advance the Board approval of the Locally Preferred Alignment (LPA) for the TV Highway Transit & Safety Projectled by Metro.
- Initiated or progressed 17 planning projects to guide future growth and investment, including the adoption of:
