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Street Maintenance Fee
January 2009
Council has approved an increased Street Maintenance Fee.
Read more...
Stimulus Funding
Whatever you think about American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
funding, our community will see a direct benefit. Already, Tigard
has been awarded grants and ARRA funding which total a little over
$6.4 million dollars from state and federal sources.
More Details Here!
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Message from the Mayor
September 2010
After considerable discussion and public process, Tigard’s City Council has decided to accept the Park and Recreation Board’s recommendation to place a park land acquisition bond measure on the ballot in November.
This is not a case of “us” asking “you” for money. This is case of the Tigard community deciding if it’s a good idea to set aside up to $17M to buy land for future use as parks and public open space.
If it passes, it doesn’t result in city government getting a check for $17M and then asking, “What shall we do with this?” What it does mean is that when we identify parcels of land that fit the vision defined in our citizen-approved Parks Master Plan (and we already have several parcels in mind) we have permission to sell bonds up to $17M to raise money to buy the land.
The measure calls for at least 80 percent of the money to go solely for land purchase, and up to 20 percent to do improvements to that (or existing) park property to make it usable as public parks or for restoration.
The reason for the timing is crucial. Land will likely never again be as inexpensive as it is right now. If we wait for the economy to improve, land prices will rise and we will lose any advantage. An improved economy also means increased new development, and the open land that exists today may be lost forever. If we fail to do this now, we will likely never have the opportunity again.
Craig E. Dirksen, Mayor
craigd@tigard-or.gov
August 2010
Summer’s here and the time is right... for getting out and enjoying Tigard’s beautiful parks and greenways!
Many of us are choosing to stay close to home this summer and enjoy our free time. Tigard has twelve beautiful parks that offer a wide range of activities to fill your summer with fun and relaxation.
Explore the woodland trails of Cook Park or use its access to the Tualatin River for fishing and boating. Traverse the Ki-a-Kuts pedestrian bridge which links Tigard’s Cook Park and the Durham City Park to the Tualatin Community Park. Together, these parks form the largest open space and outdoor recreation area in the southwest Metro area.
Visit Summerlake Park, Bonita Park, and Woodard Park for their trails, picnic areas, playground, basketball courts, and sports fields. Many of Tigard’s parks are connected by the Fanno Creek Trail System which makes them ideal for exploring on foot or bicycle. And don’t leave “Spot” at home—Tigard has three dog parks that cater to your family pet.
If you’re searching for other kinds of summer fun, watch the city’s web site and monthly Cityscape newsletter for special events, programs and classes happening throughout the year.
Happy summer everyone!
July 2010
By now, most of you are aware of the major construction project on Pacific Hwy/99W. Crews are working hard to relocate water and gas lines, build underground storm lines and other preparation work necessary to widen these intersections. Happily, the majority of the underground work is done.
Now begins the exciting phase where we start to see the roadway that residents have been asking for. Imagine a future Pacific Hwy with intersections that look and function much better!
Thank you for your patience during construction, particularly for bearing with us through the traffic delays and noise that accompanies a project of this magnitude. We’re doing our best to balance the productivity needs of the job with your mobility needs. Crews are striving to keep traffic moving, minimize disruptions, and keep everyone safe.
If you have any comments or questions about this project, please contact Project Manager Mike
McCarthy at 503-718-2462 or mikem@tigard-or.gov.
We look forward to the day when these intersections function well with increased capacity, pedestrian
amenities and attractive landscaping. It’s a testimony to what’s possible when communities work together
for everyone’s benefit.
June 2010
As I write this, Tax Day has come and gone. Some Americans choose to file on April 15 to symbolize their frustration with government tax policy.
In Tigard, a group of citizens arranged a rally which assembled along Pacific Hwy and then marched over Hwy 217 to our post office on Main St.
Across the country, demonstrations of this sort often lead to disruption, acrimony and even violence. However, I’m pleased to say that in Tigard this political expression only resulted in the peaceful exercise of the peoples’ right to assemble.
A large group of people marching down Pacific Hwy with placards and shouting slogans during rush hour has great potential for disrupting the evening commute for hundreds of Tigard residents. But the demonstrators were courteous, drivers stayed calm, and the Tigard Police did an awesome job of making sure everything moved smoothly.
In the end, the extra activity only affected traffic for a few minutes and there was little, if any, backup.
I am proud to live in a community where citizens are able to express themselves in a respectful and non-disruptive way and receive courtesy and tolerance from their neighbors.
May 2010
Congratulations, Tigard! As of April 15 our community returned 72 percent of the 2010 US Census questionnaires.
An accurate count of residents is very important. Many government programs which provide funding for things like social services, transportation and schools depend on accurate census data in order to distribute the money fairly and equitably.
By showing how our population has increased, the census data will show why Tigard deserves more funding for improvements to transportation, public safety, schools, and more. Additionally, sending in your census questionnaire saves the Federal Government considerable dollars because non-responders must be visited by a census taker. The government estimates that every one percent of the population that fails to respond to the questionnaire costs American taxpayers $80–90 million.
April 2010
Do something about traffic congestion on Pacific Highway! It’s a recurring theme in many of the interactions City Council has with residents (and non-residents!) and I want you to know that we hear you.
I have just returned from Washington, D.C. as a member of the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT). JPACT is made up of elected officials and representatives of agencies involved in transportation and is tasked with making recommendations on transportation needs for our region.
Tigard residents endure frustration and delay as part of congestion on Pacific Highway—the busiest 5-lane arterial state highway in Oregon. On the other hand, Pacific Highway is an important regional transportation artery necessary for a healthy economy. Without a way to move people and goods throughout the region, employment and services suffer.
In addition to the improvements planned for Pacific Highway, we’re looking at the possibility of High Capacity Transit (HCT) within the southwest corridor. However, the kind of improvements Tigard needs to solve our transportation dilemma will require assistance from the federal government. We need our Senate and Congressional representatives to be active partners in addressing these issues and advocate for solutions to bring light rail to a region completely un-served by HCT alternatives.
We have identified the issues and are hard at work advocating for short-term fixes and long-term solutions that will relieve Pacific Highway congestion. We hear you.
March 2010
For several years Tigard has aspired to create a continuous path following the Fanno Creek greenway, preserving and protecting the riparian corridor along the creek and allowing us to build a multi-use trail useful for both recreational and transportation purposes. Over time, the city worked to purchase and build portions of this trail as opportunity allowed.
On February 4, the Metro Regional Council voted to authorize the purchase of two small properties near Grant Street that will move us one step closer to the completion of this trail, using greenspaces bond measure funds.
This is just a part of Tigard’s overall plan to create a complete community with expanded parks and open space, public facilities like the library, a proposed public plaza, and a transportation system that works.
That plan includes over $10 million in improvements to Pacific Hwy. over the next three or four years, and a high capacity transit line for the Barbur/Pacific Hwy. corridor linking Tigard to downtown Portland and the rest of the region. This corridor is very important to the entire Portland metropolitan area for the transport of both people and freight. The challenge will be constructing this transit line so that it provides service to Tigard and the other communities along its route, without reducing the current highway’s capacity. This won’t be easy and it will probably take ten years to accomplish, but it can and must be done.
Together these projects will meet the needs of Tigard residents for the foreseeable future and keep Tigard A Place to Call Home.
February 2010
In October 2009, the city conducted its biennial Community Attitudes Survey. Residents listed traffic and traffic congestion as the most important issues for the Council to address in the coming year. When asked what the city’s priority should be to address traffic concerns, the most prevalent answer was improving Pacific Highway (99W) at 34 percent; second was light rail at 20 percent.
To address those priorities, the city has been working to complete three major improvements to Pacific Highway as it passes through Tigard.
1) Working with the County, plans are in place to expand and reconfigure the intersection at Hall Boulevard. Land purchases necessary to making highway improvements are underway. Construction is scheduled to start in the spring.
2) In conjunction with this project, the city is finalizing plans for a similar reconstruction at the Greenburg Road intersection of 99W.
3) This year a replacement and upgrade of the traffic control system that governs light timing and sequencing along the entire length of the highway from Portland all the way to Durham Road is planned.
All these projects are scheduled to be completed by fall 2011 and will significantly improve traffic flow on 99W and its intersecting streets. Taken together, these efforts represent an investment of over $10 million dollars, paid from current and future gas tax revenue and development fees.
Similar improvements to the intersection at McDonald/Gaarde Street are planned once a funding source has been secured. This project is on Washington County’s list for a $5 million dollar federal earmark in 2011.
Meanwhile, Council is aggressively pursuing a light rail line which follows Pacific Highway from downtown Portland through Tigard. This transit project currently sits at the top of Metro and TriMet’s list of future projects and becomes a top priority for the Metro region after the currently planned project to Milwaukie is complete. At this point, the soonest we could expect the light rail line to be a reality is 2019. The approval and planning process for light rail construction is a long one.
Your feedback has helped City Council focus on plans for immediate improvements to 99W and a long-term strategy to add a high capacity transit choice as well.
January 2010
City Council Approves Street Maintenance Fee Increase
On December 8, 2009, City Council made a difficult decision, the most difficult
we have had to make during my current term in office; the decision to approve an
increase to the Street
Maintenance Fee. We understand the difficult times we are all facing. Every member of Council has a primary career outside of government, and all of us face reduced circumstances as a result of the economic situation, just like everyone else.
Citizen Priorities
In citizen surveys conducted in 2007 and 2009, residents identified “Maintaining Streets & Utilities” as their second priority, behind “Safety.” The current fee was established in 2004 but needs and costs of repairs have increased. Without adequate funding, the condition of Tigard’s roads will decline. The city has a scientific street maintenance program that tracks the condition of city streets, evaluates which require maintenance and estimates when the required maintenance should be done.
Now or Later?
We became aware of the need for a fee increase in order to adequately maintain the streets of Tigard in October 2008. Since then, Council has held ten public meetings to consider various alternatives for funding the city’s long-term street maintenance needs. It is a challenge for the Council to balance the community’s priority with the tough economic times facing our citizens and businesses. We have delayed any action until now, both in hopes of the economy improving and to allow time to calculate the fairest and most cost-effective way to provide funding for essential street maintenance. Additionally, Council decided to phase the increase to further soften the financial impact on citizens and businesses. As part of the fee increase, Council has directed an annual review of the Street Maintenance Fee by a citizen committee to confirm priorities and funding levels.
Where the Money Goes
The city’s other source of funding for street construction and maintenance is state and local gas taxes. These sources are currently committed to ongoing long-term street improvement projects which include the reconstruction and improvement of Burnham St. in Tigard’s downtown, and major improvements to the 99W/Hall Blvd. intersection and the 99W/Greenburg Rd. intersection. Citizens have consistently rated projects that reduce traffic congestion to be of high priority; over the last few years Council has worked hard to assemble funding to accomplish this goal. The city has never diverted gas taxes or other road improvement funds for other uses.
Protecting Your Investment
Reconstructing streets that have deteriorated due to lack of maintenance is at least twice as costly as regular maintenance. Poorly maintained streets can also impact commercial deliveries and cause unnecessary wear and tear on personal vehicles.
We have spent many millions of dollars in creating the road system we rely upon every day. To fail to maintain it adequately would be short-sighted and makes poor business sense.
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