A joint effort between Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue and the Beaverton School District to install a permanent traffic signal at the intersection of Brockman and Davies Road is expected to keep students, firefighters, local residents, and motorists safer. The site has long been a concern as Brockman Road has become a relief-valve for commuters. The increase in the number of motorists, as well as a blind corner near Davies Road, has resulted in concerns about pedestrian safety and ‘near misses’ between motorists and firefighters as the engine was leaving or returning to the station. TVF&R Public Information Officer Karen Eubanks states, “The addition of this traffic signal is expected to increase safety for those that live in and serve this community.”
The opportunity to partner came as the Beaverton School District embarked on a planned expansion of Hiteon Elementary School. The Beaverton School District was required to address traffic capacity and safety issues as part of the City of Beaverton’s land use permit application process for the expansion. While researching possible strategies to mitigate traffic impacts in the area, the Beaverton School District learned of TVF&R’s traffic and safety concerns in the area adjacent to Hiteon Elementary. Working with the City of Beaverton, the Beaverton School District and TVF&R developed an intergovernmental agreement to share the costs associated with the construction and installation of the traffic signal, totaling $318,000. “This is a great example of agencies working cooperatively to solve a community safety issue, sharing costs and resources,” said Maureen Wheeler, spokesperson for the Beaverton School District.
This project is not the first time the two districts have partnered to serve the community. Last April, a temporary TVF&R fire station was erected on the Whitford School property to serve the community while Station 53 is being rebuilt down the street. Eubanks added, “Remaining in the neighborhood during construction was a top priority for TVF&R and partnering with the school district allowed that to happen.”
