Tualatin officials plan to negotiate final details on taking over the eastern portion of Southwest 65th Avenue from Clackamas County. (Courtesy graphic by city of Tualatin)

The city of Tualatin is moving forward with plans to finalize an agreement with Clackamas County for a change of ownership of a portion of Southwest 65th Avenue.

During a Monday, July 14, work session, the Tualatin City Council agreed it wanted the city to take over two-thirds of a mile of the eastern half of Southwest 65th Avenue between Nyberg Creek to Interstate 205.

The west side of the roadway is under the jurisdiction of Washington County, which provides maintenance for both sides of the road, while Clackamas County owns the east side.

$750,000 as part of the deal

In addition to the transfer, Clackamas County has said it would pay Tualatin $750,000 for the road transfer if that money is earmarked for the future 65th Avenue and Borland Road Intersection Improvement Project. That project, which will enhance traffic safety and alleviate congestion at the intersection of Southwest 65th Avenue and Southwest Borland Road near Meridian Park Hospital, is slated to begin in spring or summer 2026.

“We’ve checked it out, and it actually sounds pretty good,” Mike McCarthy, Tualatin’s engineer, told the council about Clackamas County’s proposal. “We haven’t gotten into the full detail negotiation yet. We wanted to talk with you and get your opinion.”

McCarthy confirmed that the $750,000 was part of funds that Clackamas County had initially planned to use for bicycle/pedestrian improvements along Borland Road, but the project as proposed didn’t prove feasible.

Southwest 65th Avenue, a major collector street, was paved roughly five years ago and was last inspected for maintenance issues in 2023 when the road was determined to be in good condition, city engineers told the council.

Current agreements ensure continued maintenance

Regarding who would be responsible for the future maintenance of the road, McCarthy said he was told that Clackamas and Washington counties have roughly 10 roadways that cross jurisdictions between the two counties. Under agreements, five of those roads are maintained by Clackamas County with the remaining five maintained by Washington County.

Councilor Christen Sacco said while the monetary portion of the roadway transfer seemed to be too good to be true and the city would be taking on some risks, she found those risks acceptable. That especially holds true, she said, if future tolling along I-205 happens, something that could “mess up 65th, and that’s where such an important part of our community is, with our hospital.”

McCarthy said the potential downsides could include not only having to pay for future maintenance but for other improvements too.

He estimated the roadway would need to be paved about every 12 years.

If Clackamas County agrees to its portion of the transfer, the Tualatin council could authorize the city manager to sign an intergovernmental agreement to accept the roadway at a future meeting.