The INDEPENDENT, July 6, 2011
Page 13
Washington County wants public input on future road projects
Washington County’s De-
partment of Land Use and
Transportation invites the pub-
lic to propose candidates for
small-scale interim road im-
provements to be considered
for the Minor Betterment Pro-
gram (MBP). To be eligible, the
proposed improvement must
address a safety, capacity, en-
vironmental and/or connectivity
issue on a county road.
Proposals submitted by July
15 will be considered by the
MBP Selection Committee
comprised of county staff and
citizens representing the Urban
Road Maintenance District Ad-
visory Committee, the Rural
Roads Operations and Mainte-
nance Advisory Committee,
and the Committee for Citizen
Involvement. Projects selected
by this committee will be rec-
ommended for Board of Com-
missioner approval for con-
struction in 2012-2013.
In 2010-2011, the MBP fund-
ed the 143rd Avenue pedestri-
an pathway project from
Hunters Drive to West Union
Road. MBP projects pending
Board approval for 2011-2012
include pedestrian paths on
Groups wants prisons to change
by Chris Thomas, Oregon
News Service
Crime survivors’ groups are
asking state lawmakers to shift
money designated for more
prison beds into programs that
prevent crime and support sur-
vivors’ services instead.
Bob Robison, who lost his
job as a victim services manag-
er to Multnomah County budg-
et cuts, says public-safety dol-
lars could be more effective if
spent on preventing domestic
violence, and stepping up
counseling for drug and alcohol
addiction and sexual abuse. In-
stead, the figures show Ore-
gon’s prison spending has
grown in the past 15 years, as
more people are locked up. “In
the same time, we’ve had a
bunch of very powerful social
science research that tells us
how we can most effectively re-
habilitate people who’ve com-
mitted crimes. Long prison
stays aren’t always the way.”
The figures point to a $1.4
billion prison budget, almost 9
percent of the combined Gen-
eral Fund and lottery proceeds
– while mental health pro-
grams, the State Police and do-
mestic-violence shelters are
See Prison on page 18
S TRASSEL ’ S A UTO R EPAIR
& H YDRAULIC H OSES
2-4-6 S PIRAL W IRE
S UCTION H OSES
A DAPTORS - 3/16” TO 2”
A MERICAN & M ETRIC F ITTINGS
B ULK O IL P RODUCTS
276 S UNSET , B ANKS
503-324-9808
153rd from Cornell to Arcadia,
Barnes from 70th Terrace to
Miller Road, Cornell from 119th
to Saltzman, and Kinnaman
Road from Farmington to
185th; an ADA ramp at 158th
and Walker Road; shoulder
widening at Miller Hill Road and
Farmington; grade adjustment
at Blooming Fern Hill and Win-
ters; and median work on Mur-
ray Boulevard near Tierra Del
Mar Drive.
Proposals received after
July 15 will be added to the
MBP list for consideration by
the 2013-2014 selection com-
mittee.
The MBP is funded by the
county’s gas tax allocation.
About $350,000 per year is cur-
rently available for this program
to fund small-scale interim im-
provements which are beyond
routine maintenance but not
large enough to be pro-
grammed as capital improve-
ments. Identification of candi-
dates for the MBP is request
driven.
A list and a map of proposed
MBP candidates are available
online. Candidates may be pro-
posed by submitting an online
form or by contacting the Oper-
ations and Maintenance Divi-
sion at 503-846-7623 or luto
ps@co.washington.or.us.