“I live here for the traffic” I explained to my Multnomah County friends during my decade as a Beaverton resident. Yesterday, at a joint Tigard and Beaverton city counselor meeting, many expressed concerns that traffic on Scholls Ferry Road and Highway 217 may get even worse. Why?
- New high schools planned for Scholls Ferry Road;
- Tigard’s recent annex of River Terrace;
- Beaverton’s December 2012 annex of Part of South Cooper Mountain;
- Beaverton’s plans to annex an additional 1,742 acres north of South Cooper Mountain;
- New housing anticipated for River Terrace and the South Cooper Mountain areas;
- New sewage and water infrastructures; and,
- Expected employment growth in Washington County;
To lessen probable increased traffic from Scholls Ferry Road flowing into 217, Washington County is planning to widen a section of Scholls Ferry Road between River Terrace and South Cooper Mountain. And, Tigard and Beaverton municipalities are working together reduce Washington County’s legendary traffic snarls. But that may not be enough. According to Tigard Community Development Director Kenny Asher, planning underway may not sufficiently mitigate future traffic jams on Highway 217.