| Highway 219 Projects |
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Projects on
Highway 219: |
Two safety projects on OR 219 are scheduled to begin in 2010:
OR 219: Midway/McFee (Brown's Corner)
OR 219: Laurel/Midway corner
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Latest information on the Highway 219 projects:
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Thank you to those who attended the OR 219 open house on June 22.
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OR 219 in Washington County is a two-lane rural highway traveling from downtown Hillsboro to Scholls Ferry Rd. Over the years, traffic has increased on the highway along with the concern for safety. ODOT has completed a number of important safety projects on the highway the past 4 years with two more planned for 2010.
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| Projects in construction |
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There are no projects on OR 219 currently in construction.
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| Upcoming Projects |
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Highway 219: Midway/McFee
This safety project is on Highway 219 between mileposts 8.5 and 9.8 and includes the areas commonly called Brown’s Corner and the Wolsborn Curve. The project’s primary purpose is to improve safety by realigning the curve at Brown’s Corner (milepost 8.7). The realignment will reduce the angle of the curve.
Another component of the project is to improve sight distance at the Wolsborn Curve (milepost 9.7). The existing steep bank along the inside of the curve will be cut back so northbound motorists will have an increased line of sight. Between 2001 and 2005, there were 8 crashes and 6 injuries (no fatalities) at the Wolsborn Curve. Half the crashes were from vehicles hitting fixed objects and the other half were head-on collisions. All 4 head-on collisions involved motorists traveling too fast for the conditions.
This project goes to bid in 2010.
Highway 219: Laurel Road to Midway Rd.
This 2010 safety project will add a left turn lane on Highway 219 at Laurel Road for northbound motorists. Additionally, the 90-degree curve on Highway 219 at Midway Rd. will be realigned, reducing the angle.
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| Completed Projects |
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Highway 219: Farmington Road
A contractor for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) completed construction on OR 219 (Hillsboro-Silverton Highway) at Farmington Road in 2008. This $4.5 million safety project widened the highway in order to build left and right turn lanes for motorists turning onto Farmington Road. In addition, the bridge over Christensen Creek was reconstructed in a wider configuration, and Farmington Road was realigned to the north approximately 40 feet. Motorists mow have a safe refuge on OR 219 to wait for oncoming traffic to clear before turning onto Farmington Road.
Highway 219: Burkhalter/Simpson Roads
A contractor for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) finished construction on OR 219 (Hillsboro-Silverton Highway) at Burkhalter and Simpson Roads November 2006. This $1.5 million safety project widened the highway at Burkhalter/Simpson Roads to accommodate a left turn lane in both directions. Now that it's complete, motorists on OR 219 have a safe refuge to wait for oncoming traffic to clear before turning on either Burkhalter Road or Simpson Road. In addition, the northern entrance to the access road to Farmington View School was moved about 350 feet south from its previous location. This helps avoid conflict between the access road and the new turn lanes.
Highway 219: Unger Road
A contractor for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) finished construction on OR 219 (Hillsboro-Silverton Highway) at Unger Road August 2006. This $1.3 million safety project widened the highway at Unger Road to accommodate a left-turn lane. This now provides northbound traffic on OR 219 a safe place to turn onto Unger Road. Most of the widening occured to the west although construction will tool place on both the east and west sides of the highway.
1st Avenue/Walnut Street
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), in partnership with the City of Hillsboro, completed construction in October 2005 to improve a section of 1st Avenue (Highway 219) between Oak Street (Highway 8) and Maple Street in downtown Hillsboro. The project included:
- Adding a traffic signal on 1st Avenue at Walnut Street, with a dedicated left-turn lane and signal for motorists turning onto Walnut Street. 1st Avenue was widened to accommodate the left-turn lane.
- Removing one railroad track crossing and rebuilding the remaining four crossings with concrete panels south of Walnut Street. The northern railroad signals and crossing arms were replaced. Replacing the existing asphalt panels with concrete panels should help improve the crossing surface.
- Replacing the sidewalks between Walnut Street and the railroad tracks.
- Paving and restriping 1st Avenue in the project area.
The new traffic signal at 1st Avenue and Walnut Street is the four-head kind, with a "flashing yellow" left-turn light. The flashing yellow means drivers are allowed to turn left after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. (Oncoming traffic has a green light.) Of course, drivers must determine if there is an adequate gap before turning! Look here for more information about these new signals.
Highway 219: Tongue Lane and Grabel Road
Work was completed October 2005 on a $1.4 million safety project on Oregon Highway 219 (Hillsboro-Silverton Highway) between Tongue Lane and Grabel Road.
Due to high crash rates at various intersections along Highway 219, several projects over the next few years will take place to construct left-turn lanes on the highway. The first of these projects was on Highway 219 from Tongue Lane to Grabel Road.
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| ODOT Contact Information |
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Lili Gordon, Community Affairs Coordinator, 503-731-8247
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