Heavy Trucks & Safety on our Streets.

As Sherwood and the region around us continues to grow, we see more and more truck traffic on our roads. To avoid traffic congestion on 99W, Roy Rogers Road and Tualatin-Sherwood Road trucks are starting to use our neighborhood streets. Navigation applications like Google Maps and Waze that are designed to help drivers avoid congestion are adding to the problem.

One good example is Sunset Blvd. In just 2.5 miles this local road passes two popular public parks, two school zones, and includes two significant steep grades. Recently large trucks have started using this road to avoid congestion on 99W and Tualatin-Sherwood Roads. Through truck traffic is putting the safety of our kids at risk, as well as impacting the character of our neighborhoods.

To get ahead of this problem the city council is considering creating specified truck routes through our city. This proposed ordinance would define specific truck routes for freight trucks and give law enforcement the authority to enforce these new rules.

Washington County has already designated 99W, Roy Rogers and Tualatin-Sherwood Road as freight routes. We are reviewing other potential truck routes as we evaluate this ordinance. This proposed ordinance would prohibit trucks on local roads in Sherwood and move them to the designated truck routes. To be clear, if the truck's destination is within the city, they will still be able to use our local streets. This ordinance is about moving large trucks transiting our community to safer truck routes.

If you have thoughts or ideas about this proposed ordinance, please feel free to reach out to me, other council members or the city.