Annual Road Maintenance Program Approved by Board

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The annual road maintenance program approved by the Washington County Board of Commissioners at its June 26 meeting includes paving or sealing over 50 miles of roadway, including over 13 miles of surface treatments in the Urban Road Maintenance District. (See work program summary.)

Private contractors will provide most of the road paving and sealing in the urban area. County forces will perform pavement patching and chip sealing on almost 30 miles of roadway mostly in the rural area. These preventive road surface treatments preserve the pavement and extend the life of the road, saving tax dollars. Over the long term, it is less expensive to maintain the road surface than to reconstruct it when it fails.

Roads will remain open during the road paving and sealing work. However, travelers can expect delays. Bicyclists are encouraged to avoid roads while they are being chip sealed; work starts in July and is completed by the end of August. During the work, the road surface may be covered with loose rock. The chip seal is finished with a layer of emulsified asphalt and sand, creating a smooth bicycle-friendly surface.

Thirteen small-scale improvement projects are also included in this year’s program. Increased revenue from the Oregon Jobs and Transportation Act is helping fund an expanded Minor Betterment Program, including three pedestrian paths and two road widening projects. Minor Betterment funding will also be used to match a Community Development Block Grant for a sidewalk construction project. The Urban Road Maintenance District will fund seven safety improvements – six pedestrian paths and a guardrail.

Every year, the Department of Land Use and Transportation prepares a road maintenance program for the Board’s approval. The program identifies maintenance activities that preserve the public's investment in the county's transportation infrastructure. According to Dave Schamp, Operations Division Manager, “Our goal is to apply the right level of resources at the right time to ensure the most cost-effective use of available funds while achieving the best overall condition of our transportation system assets.” Washington County is responsible for maintenance of almost 1,300 miles of roadway, 200 bridges and 3,000 culverts.

To view the work program document or to find out if a particular road is scheduled for road maintenance in the 2012-2013 fiscal year, visit Washington County Roads at www.wc-roads.com and click on Maintenance Projects.

For more information about county road maintenance, please call (503) 846-ROAD (846-7623) or e-mail [email protected]. Current road work schedules are posted on Washington County Roads at www.wc-roads.com. 

Related: 2012-2013 Road Maintenance Program (PDF)

Washington County is committed to planning, building and maintaining the best transportation system, ensuring the safety of all roadway users, and to operating the county roadway system in a cost-effective and environmentally responsible manner.

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