A letter from LUT Director Stephen Roberts
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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Washington County Department of Land Use & Transportation (LUT) is providing important services to our community while abiding by Governor Brown’s “Stay Home. Save Lives”
Executive Order No. 20-12.
Many of LUT's services are “essential.” While it's not exactly "business as usual" at LUT, we are still conducting our business. Most of our employees are working remotely, but we have found alternative ways to deliver many of our services so that development and building projects – which are critical to sustaining the economy – are able to continue on schedule.
Building permits and inspections, plan reviews, land use approvals, survey and plat reviews and other development-related activities are being conducted remotely through the
Public Permitting and Services Portal or
Electronic Plan Review. As a result, developers, builders and contractors are able to move forward with many of their projects, though schedules may change due to coronavirus-related issues. Construction projects in school buildings, for example, may be starting ahead of schedule since the buildings are vacant earlier than usual.
See our list of remote resources
We are working with the Board of Commissioners, developers and other jurisdictions to develop protocols for conducting some meetings and public hearings virtually to help keep projects moving. Stay tuned for possible updates.
County road projects are continuing as usual. County contractors and subcontractors continue to work on projects, while practicing social distancing and other public health recommendations. Our Capital Projects Services Division is continuing to award bids on new projects by inviting contractors to participate in livestreamed bid openings. This new procedure is working well, and contractors are enthusiastic.
Road and traffic signal maintenance is definitely an essential service, and our crews are out in the field maintaining and repairing roads, bridges and signals. We continue to have crews on call to assist with road closures in emergency situations such as traffic crashes.
All of us at Washington County appreciate the public’s continued efforts to stay home, maintain social distancing and to wash hands frequently. We appreciate your ability to adapt to a largely online environment, and we thank you for supporting our employees, whether they are working from home or in the field.
If you have suggestions on how we can further adapt our business practices to better meet community needs, please email me at
lutdirector@co.washington.or.us.
Stay safe and healthy.
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Stephen Roberts
Director
Washington County Department of Land Use & Transportation
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The EMAC will also support the development of an equity framework for I-5 and I-205 tolling projects and for other state tolling locations that may be evaluated in the future. The committee will advise both ODOT and OTC.
The committee will be comprised of up to five at-large positions filled through an
application process; the remainder will be appointed. At-large members will represent communities of interest. These members will share information between the EMAC and the communities they represent.
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- Elwert/Kruger Road and Sunset Boulevard, between Elwert and Kruger roads and Hwy 99W, closed April 13 through June 30, for construction of the Elwert/Kruger roundabout project. Access closed between Elwert/Kruger roads and Highway 99W. Elwert and Kruger roads will remain open to traffic with lane closures. Detour map
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- Mt. Richmond Road, between Patton Valley and South roads, through May 13, for replacement of a bridge with two box culverts. Detour map
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- First Avenue (OR-219), between Baseline Street (OR-8) and Oak Street (OR-8), through summer. Lane closures all hours; two-lane closure 10 p.m.-5 a.m. weekdays. Traffic may be stopped for up to 20 minutes. Intersection improvements by Oregon Department of Transportation. Map
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- 175th Avenue, between Arbutus Drive and Pronghorn Lane, 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. weekdays; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays through April 30, for development-related road construction by Valley Pacific Construction. Map
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- 198th Avenue, between Farmington Road and Tualatin Valley Highway, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays intermittently through Dec. 31. Map
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- Barnes Road, between Valeria View Drive and SW Lois Lane, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. through April 30, for construction related to Peterkort parking lot. Map
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- Jenkins Road, between 158th Avenue and Murray Boulevard, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. weekdays through Dec. 31. Map
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- Kaiser Road, between Brugger Road and Ridgeline Street, intermittent daytime lane closures, through April 30 for construction related to development project. Map
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- Scholls Ferry Road, between Strobel Road and 175th Avenue, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. through April 30 (extended), for utility work by NEI. Map
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As per Gov. Kate Brown’s Executive Order No. 20-07, as well as Oregon Health Authority and Washington County guidance, Washington County Department of Land Use & Transportation is urging all development application-related Neighborhood Meetings be rescheduled until after the Stay Home. Save Lives order is lifted.
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Melissa De Lyser | Public Affairs and Communications Manager
Washington County Department of Land Use & Transportation
155 N First Ave., Suite 250, MS 16 | Hillsboro, OR 97123
503-846-4963 direct | 971-713-9658 mobile
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