Dear Washington County and Hillsboro City Officials, 

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My name is [NAME] and I am a resident of Washington County. I am deeply concerned about recent information about the Century Blvd Extension Project that has come to light. Because there has not been an opportunity for public input since 2021, I am urgently asking you to pause this project to assess changed conditions and take public feedback.

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With the recent tragic accident that killed a young man at the intersection of Main & Century, it is vital that we pause to re-assess if this project is going to improve or worsen road safety at this dangerous intersection. Residents have been raising concerns for years about how this project will make our neighborhoods less safe for bicyclists, pedestrians, and wildlife. Hillsboro & Washington County shouldn’t wait for tragedy to make our roads safer but now is the time to act! Residents have shared innovative ideas for how to reduce speed and make our roadways around Washington County safer for pedestrians & bicyclists. Please consider these ideas and use the MSTIP funds allocated for the CBEP project for county-wide road safety improvements.

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Residents have been asking for all available studies to be made public but there have been no traffic studies shared. The premise of this project is that it will improve traffic flow through the city. But no one has seen that data. In a recent document posted to the Washington County CBEP page in response to residents’ concerns with the noise study, a Washington County traffic modeling study was referenced as the source for determining what noise levels will be after this project is complete. If traffic studies and simulation data exists, make it public. And with the concerns with unsafe roadways, consider doing a traffic simulation study of how much traffic could be reduced if our roadways were safer for bicyclist commuters.

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There has been no opportunity for public comment on the final design. The design for this project was not finalized until November 2025 and not posted to the Washington County CBEP page until May of this year. The design includes a Stormwater Runoff Migitation System that falls within the floodplain in Noble Woods Park. For local residents that frequent the park in the winter, it is known that the river floods yearly. Rock Creek and Beaverton Creek are home to threatened steelhead salmon. Stormwater runoff that is not captured by this system and the loss of old growth trees that provide shade, will increase toxic pollutants and bacteria growth in the wetlands and waterways. This is exactly what the Willamette Watershed Council’s 50 year conservation plan has been trying to prevent.

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It is very concerning that site prep began the morning of Thursday, July 23rd without a notice going out to the public beforehand. You can’t imagine the shock and sadness that I felt hearing chainsaws at 8am, then witnessing dozens of giant oak trees in the process of being cut down. Washington County gave notice to residents the following day on Friday, July 24th. This shows how little care Washington County has taken to consider the harmful impacts this project has had on our community.

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Once again, please pause this project as there are numerous concerns that have come up in recent months that warrant Washington County and the City of Hillsboro to reassess this project. 

Thank you,

[NAME]

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[Feel Free to add your own story or edit this to be in your own words]

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