Our Town: Toy Drive | CERT | Road Construction | Inclusive Downtown (Building a Better Beaverton)

#BeavertonCityNews

Support Local Children with Beaverton Toy Drive

This holiday season, the city is collecting new, unwrapped toys to help local families and children!

• Location: The Beaverton Building, 12725 SW Millikan Way (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) and Beaverton City Library Main, 12375 SW 5th St (During open hours)
• Dates: Monday, through Friday, Dec. 16
• For more information, or if you or someone you know is a member of a family in need, visit www.BeavertonOregon.gov/DonationDrives.

Join Beaverton CERT to Help Your Community Prepare for Emergencies

A Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a Federal Emergency Management Agency program used by municipalities to learn, practice and promote emergency preparedness and resiliency in their communities. Beaverton CERT is a group of volunteers, within the city’s Emergency Management Program, who are trained to safely respond to an emergency on the family, neighborhood, and community level, and can provide assistance during disasters, when first responders are unavailable. Beaverton CERT members assist at city events to practice and maintain their skills.

Basic Training Class Offered This Spring

The Basic Training Class lasts seven weeks and is offered every spring and fall on Thursday nights, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., followed by a final graduation exercise on Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to noon. The 2023 sessions will begin after the first of the year.

For more information about CERT and to be notified when the enrollment begins for the 2023 class, visit www.BeavertonOregon.gov/CERT.

Thank You for Your Patience as Area Construction Work Continues

As the city makes progress on important connections and infrastructure within the community, we ask that drivers travel safe, be patient and slowdown. Sign-up for construction notifications, traffic alerts, and project news important to you at www.BeavertonOregon.gov/Notifications.

Work continues along area roadways including SW Scholls Ferry Road, Oregon 217, SW Western Avenue, SW Allen Boulevard, SW Cascade Avenue, and others. Follow City of Beaverton on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for any updates.

Transportation Tips

• Stay alert and minimize distraction. Dedicate your full attention to the roadway.
• Read and follow the signs.
• Watch for brake lights on vehicles ahead.
• Merge well before you reach the lane closure.
• Be aware that traffic patterns can change daily. Don’t tailgate.
• Follow other vehicles from a safe distance. Know before you go.
• Check radio, TV, and websites for traffic information and schedule enough time to drive safely.
• Expect delays and leave early so you can reach your destination on time. Obey the posted speed limit
• Normal speeds may be reduced, traffic lanes may be closed, narrowed, or shifted, and people may be working on or near the road.
• Fines may be doubled for moving traffic violations.
• Follow instructions from flaggers. Flaggers are often used to stop and direct traffic in work zones.
• Expect the unexpected.
• Other vehicles may slow, stop, or change lanes unexpectedly.
• Be patient and stay calm. Work zone crew members are working to improve the road and make your future drive safer and better.

Beaverton Downtown Equity Strategy Provides New Tools to Create an Inclusive Downtown

The Beaverton Downtown Equity Strategy is a joint project of the city and the Beaverton Urban Redevelopment Agency (BURA) which aims to guide redevelopment activities in and around downtown Beaverton. New strategies and tools have been developed for the city and BURA to consider, which will help to:

• Prevent and mitigate displacement of residents and businesses.
• Create an inclusive downtown.
• Embed racial equity in city decision-making and community engagement processes.

Why is this project being done?

Studies from communities across the country have shown that redevelopment activities have frequently produced negative consequences. This has historically disproportionately impacted Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) communities, as well as low-income residents and business owners. BURA is expected to invest an additional $70 million towards redeveloping the Urban Renewal Area over the next 10 years. These strategies will help ensure that all residents and business owners benefit from this revitalization.

What is included in the strategy?

Several new strategies have been developed that can promote stability for current residents and business owners, as well as create a sense of belonging in and around downtown. We also have developed strategies for more equitable internal processes to guide the way we engage community members in these efforts.

To create the Beaverton Downtown Equity Strategy, a team was brought together of city staff and local consultants, led by Vision Action Network, Coalition of Communities of Color, ECONorthwest, Adelante Mujeres, APANO, and Bienestar. The project team engaged residents and business owners, researched community and market data in the project area and studied how other communities across the country were addressing issues of displacement and equitable development.

What happens next?

The Beaverton Downtown Equity Strategy plan was approved by the Beaverton City Council and BURA Board in October. City staff will work with City Council and the BURA Board to prioritize which other strategies can be pursued, as funding and resources allow.

For more information, contact Rachel Thieme, Community Development Department at rthieme@BeavertonOregon.gov or visit www.BeavertonOregon.gov/DES.