Page 30 - TransportationPlanUsetsGuide

Freight Rail
While the role of railroads in Washington County’s overall freight network is relatively small, a number of local
firms continue to use them regularly, particularly in the forest products industry. Portland & Western is the
primary operator of freight railroads within Washington County, with lines stretching from Banks to Wilson-
ville, and from Lake Oswego to Sherwood. The majority of roadway rail crossings in Washington County are at
grade, posing potential conflicts and hazards. ODOT Rail Division authorizes new or modified rail crossings.

Air
Washington County’s Comprehensive Plan identifies Public Use Airports and state-recognized Private Use
Airports with land use overlay designations in the map elements of the Rural/Natural Resource Plan and/
or Community Plans entitled Airport Overlay Districts. Land use related policies and strategies regarding the
overlay-designated airport facilities are addressed in the Rural/Natural Resource Plan and in the Compre-
hensive Plan Framework for the Urban Area. Development standards for all airport and heliport related uses,
including personal use airports and heliports, are outlined in the Community Development Code. Private
use facilities fall under two general categories: private use airports identified by the Oregon Department of
Aviation (pursuant to ORS 836.608(2)) that are subject to LCDC’s Airport Planning Rule (OAR 660-013), and
personal use facilities that are subject to local regulation.

Pipelines
ADOPTED TEXT Economic Activity Centers
Major high-pressure gas pipelines (60 pounds per square inch or greater) are shown in the TSP to highlight
possible conflicts with future roadway extensions or expansions.

Economic Activity Centers include employment land (such as North Hillsboro and the Tualatin-Sherwood Cor-
ridor) and regional centers (including downtown Beaverton, downtown Hillsboro, Tanasbourne-Amberglen and
Washington Square). They are identified in the TSP because their intensity of commercial or industrial uses
often demand a commensurate level of transportation operational or capital.

Access to Labor
For Washington County employers, having access to the regional labor market is just as important as moving
goods or services. Part of a company’s location decision is based on having a sufficient pool of talented work-
ers be able to reach that location within a reasonable travel time of their homes, and by multiple modes if
possible. Employers count on Washington County and its partner jurisdictions to provide an efficient, reliable
transportation system so that employees are willing to take jobs here and are able to get to work on time.
Roadway congestion and poor transit service can both negatively affect employers’ access to labor.

Rural Economic Vitality
In rural Washington County, agriculture, forestry and tourism contribute significantly to the economy. Wash-
ington County ranks in the top five Oregon counties for gross sales of greenhouse/nursery products, wine
grapes and cane berries, and hosts thousands of acres of timber and recreation land in the Coast Range.
3
Tourism augments these rural economic activities when people visit farmstands, wineries and recreational
destinations. Transportation’s role is to provide a safe, reliable network of roads for everyone who lives,
works, visits, or passes through the rural area. This includes managing conflicts between agricultural equip-
ment, log trucks, cars and bicycles.
3 Oregon Agriculture: Facts and Figures. National Agricultural Statistics Service and Oregon State University Extension Service, July
2012.

20 PART 2: GENERAL TRANSPORTATION POLICIES FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY
Effective November 27, 2015 • Updated December, 15 2016