Frequently Asked Questions (and the answers):

Why does Bethany have to be five lanes?
This is what has been identified in the County’s Transportation Plan since 1988. Because of the growth that has occurred north of Highway 26, Bethany Boulevard, as well as other north/south arterials will be widened to accommodate for current and future traffic.

Wouldn't just three lanes improve traffic flow?
Three lanes could offer some improvement because vehicles would be removed from the travel lanes. For a 2/3 lane roadway to perform, the hourly traffic needs to be 1,400 vehicles per hour or less. During the peak evening (PM) hours, the current Bethany hourly volume exceeds 1,600 vehicles. This high volume of traffic results delays such that vehicles will seek alternative routes to circumvent the congestion. This problem will only get worse with the future traffic volumes that are projected to utilize this road within the next twenty years.

Why aren't other north/south connectors being improved or widened?
Some of them have already been improved, and those that have not will be in the future. Cornelius Pass Road, north of Highway 26, was widened in 2005 and NW 185th Avenue, from Westview High School to West Union Road is scheduled to be widened in 2011. Saltzman Road, from Cornell to Bauer Woods Drive, is currently under construction and is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2010. These improvements are all part of the County-wide plan to improve north/south traffic and serve planned development.

Why wasn't necessary right-of-way identified early on, when this area was being developed?
It was to a certain extent. Prior to the 1988, Washington County Transportation Plan update, the transportation plan at the time specified a three lane road section and developers were required to dedicate land for that improvement. With the unexpected growth the area experienced over the last twenty years, the updated transportation plan calls for a five lane road cross section.

How can you put five lanes in if you have constriction points at each end (Highway 26 overpass and three lanes north of West Union)?
To try and address this question, Washington County is working with Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to develop a solution. The County is proposing several alternatives for widening the existing overpass of Highway 26. The County has also requested Federal Funding to help with construction of a wider overpass. The cost for this is not included as part of the project funding, identified on the previous page.

How are traffic signals identified and where will they be located?
The County performs an analysis of existing and future traffic volumes that takes into account pedestrian movements, project location, and crash history. The County then analyzes this information based on eight traffic signal warrants as identified in the latest edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Some of the eight warrants include: 8-hour volumes; 4-hour volumes; peak hour volumes, crash history; and pedestrian volumes. At this time, the traffic analysis has not been completed so the specific location of any new traffic signal is unknown.

The posted speed limit is 35 mph – will this be changed as part of the project?
The County is not proposing to raise the posted speed as part of this project. Posted speed limits are determined by the State of Oregon after an extensive speed study analysis. Design speed, which is different than posted speed, will be discussed during the development of the design. Bethany Boulevard is designated as an arterial and under County standards, a 45 mph design speed is used for arterials. Utilizing a higher design speed could have a greater impact on adjacent properties.

Will noise walls be included as part of this project?
Noise impacts will be investigated as part of the project. It is important to remember that for sound walls to be effective, accesses need to be limited. For every gap in the wall, the wall’s effectiveness is reduced. Noise walls do not completely block all traffic noise and are most effective for only the first row of houses.