Road Maintenance Projects

2,804 shoulder miles | September–July 
250 miles annually maintained 

• Improves sight distance
• Speeds up snow melt
• Improves air flow and sun exposure
• Reduces vehicle damage

10,229 catch basins | January–December

• Minimizes flooding
• Protects road base

2,000 shoulder miles | October–November, April–June
40 miles annually maintained  

• Maintains water flow through drainage channels
• Prevents overflow
• Controls erosion after heavy storms
• Protects road base

2,317 culverts, 4 miles of frontage pipe | January–December

• Imitates natural water flow
• Minimizes flooding

21 miles | January–December

• Supports traveler safety
• Reduces risk of vehicles running off the road
• Reduces risk of head-on crashes

1,200 miles of yellow striping and 900 miles of white striping | July–October

• Increased visibility, especially at night
• Provides clear boundaries for all road users  
• Protects turning traffic and reduces crashes

2,845 lane miles | March–October

• Prevents sinkholes
• Maintains integrity of road base 

2,845 lane miles | January–December

• Reduces road deterioration
• Reduces vehicle damage
• Protects road base

2,804 shoulder miles | September–July 1 

• Improves visibility
• Improves access to shoulders and ditches for maintenance
• Reduces chance of fire from vehicles on the side of the road or dragging chains 
   

2,804 paved shoulder miles, 2,359 gravel shoulder miles | October–November, February–May

• Reduces abrupt edges
• Provides area outside travel lane to maneuver
• Protects structural integrity of road edge

2,381 manholes, 230 dry wells | January–December

• Drains surface water
• Filters water before entering larger drainage system

69,808 signs at 16,543 locations | January–December

• Controls traffic and provides safety for all road users
• Provides directions, caution and regulation information
• Evolves with road system to improve safety and efficiency

165 traffic signals | January–December

• Controls traffic and provides safety for all road users
• Adjusts signals in real-time based on traffic flow
• Reduces congestion and maintains traffic flow
   

564 lane miles | January–December

• Allows for drainage of storm water
• Reduces pollution, reduces drainage maintenance
• Improves safety, health and water quality

Project description: Repair erosion on the western bridge footing and road embankment along Highway 211. Includes installing large wood and boulders, stream channel grading and native plants.

Updated: 8-22-2023

Contact: Devin Patterson, Project Manager, devinpat@clackamas.us or 503-742-4666

Current activities: 

• All major work to repair erosion and stabilize the Milk Creek Bridge and road embankment along Highway 211 is complete. We’ll come back to plant and seed this fall so the vegetation has the best chance to survive being transplanted. 

Funding: 

• County Road Fund

You may be interested to know: 

• The bridge is a critical life lilifelinene for residents, as this is the sole access to several homes
• Planned repair measures are the minimum necessary to assure protection of the western bridge abutment, road embankment, and overall stability of the bridge, Bonney Road and State Highway 211

Project description: Replace the existing bridge with an open bottom, fish-friendly bridge in the same location. Includes stream channel grading, creating a vegetated swale for stormwater treatment, and installing in-stream logs, boulders and woody debris for fish habitat.

Updated: 4-1-2025

Status updates: 

• Road work is complete. Planting scheduled for spring 2025.
• Next steps: Project monitoring. Expect to see staff visiting regularly.

Contact: Devin Patterson, Project Manager, devinpat@clackamas.us or 503-742-4666

Funding:

• $350,000 in grant funding received through the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board
• Project will be supplemented by county road funds

Project description: Stabilize the low-flow channel in Woodcock Creek upstream of Wright Road, stabilize the high-flow spillway and the Wright Road Bridge structure, and reduce flood risk on Woodcock Creek upstream and downstream of Wright Road. The “Dave Phillips Bridge” is experiencing erosion around the high-flow spillway and on both bridge abutments. The project includes installing temporary access roads, installing erosion countermeasures, introducing logs for habitat enhancement, grading the historic and high-flow channels, and installing riparian area plantings.

Updated: 11-24-20

Status: Project has been cancelled due to significant cost increases associated with regulatory requirements. The bridge and roadway are stable.

Contact: Devin Patterson, Project Manager, devinpat@clackamas.us or 503-742-4666

422nd Avenue Bridge over Cedar Creek | Sandy, OR

• What: Reset retaining wall blocks on the SE corner of the bridge along Firwood Creek.
• Why: To prevent erosion and to stabilize wall blocks and road fill.

Boardman Creek over Boardman Ave | Jennings Lodge, OR

• What: Install a concrete footing and headwall, add boulders, rebuild a section of roadway, add native plants, and remove accumulated sediment and debris from Boardman Creek.
• Why: To prevent future undermining and erosion, improve habitat, and to minimize flooding along Boardman Creek.

Casto Road Bridge over unnamed stream | Oregon City, OR

• What: Remove remnants of an abandoned beaver dam on the upstream side of the bridge.
• Why: To assist with drainage and to keep the stream channel centered under the bridge.

Clackamas River Drive (culvert) over unnamed stream | Clackamas area, OR

• What: Extend and repair a retaining wall on a concrete culvert which carries an unnamed tributary of the Clackamas River under Clackamas River Drive.
• Why: During a storm event this past winter, a large tree fell and landed on the retaining wall on the culvert, damaging it significantly.

Creamery Creek (Hwy 170) Drainage Improvements

• What: Excavate and remove sediment and invasive species from the west (downstream) side of the bridge. Creamery Creek flows under Hwy 170 approximately 900’ north of S Heinz Road.
• Why: To assist with drainage and to keep the stream channel centered under the bridge, and to maintain a critical life line for area residents.

Folsom Road Bridge over unnamed, seasonal stream | Eagle Creek, OR

• What: Excavate accumulated sediment and invasive species from the stream channel.
• Why: To assist with drainage and to keep the stream channel centered under the bridge.

Heiple Road Bridge over Currin Creek | Eagle Creek, OR

• What:  Excavate accumulated sediment and invasive species from the stream channel.
• Why:  To assist with drainage and to keep the stream channel centered under the bridge.

Milk Creek (Bonney Road) Bridge Repair 

• What: Repair erosion on the western bridge footing and road embankment along Highway 211. Includes installing large wood and boulders, stream channel grading and native plants.
• Why: To repair erosion and stabilize the Milk Creek Bridge and road embankment along Highway 211 is complete. We’ll come back to plant and seed this fall so the vegetation has the best chance to survive being transplanted. 

Milk Creek over Winslow Road | Colton, OR 

• What:  Raise Winslow Road Bridge to replace beam. During a routine Oregon Department of Transportation inspection, it was discovered that an exterior beam on the bridge has decayed and needs to be replaced.
• Why: During a routine Oregon Department of Transportation inspection, it was discovered that an exterior beam on the bridge has decayed and needs to be replaced. 

Still Creek

• What: Repair erosion and undermining on the eastern bridge footing and protect from future erosion. Includes creating a temporary access road and installing precast concrete panels and boulders along the affected bridge abutment and road embankment.
• Why: To preserve and protect the Still Creek Bridge.

Tickle Creek Road Bridge over Tickle Creek | Boring, OR

• What:  Repair erosion along the southern bridge footing, install erosion countermeasures, channel-grading, embankment protection, habitat enhancement and install native trees and shrubs.
• Why:  To preserve and protect the bridge and embankment, and improve habitat for fish and wildlife. 

A chip seal is a coating of liquid asphalt and rock chips applied to the existing roadway to extend the life of the pavement. There are four steps in the chip sealing process – applying an oil patch to the most degraded areas, putting down the chip seal, sweeping up excess rock chips and fog sealing (applying a thin coat of asphalt on top of the chip seal).

Though your street is in basically sound condition, it needs routine maintenance to protect it. Chip sealing, which is effective for 7-10 years, stops water from seeping through the surface and damaging the pavement and road base. It costs less to apply chip seal to the street surface than to fix the street base if it is damaged.

Once oil patches are applied, they are allowed to cure for one-two weeks before the chip seal is added. The sweeping and fog sealing are done as soon as possible after the chip seal, usually within 1-2 days based upon weather and the availability of work crews. While the surface can be driven or walked on at any stage, after the process is complete it takes about two weeks before the chip seal is firmly set.

If it is raining or if rain is in the forecast, we will assign our crews to other work for the day. Chip seal must go on a dry surface. That is also why we ask that you make sure any sprinklers are turned off beginning at midnight the night before the chip seal work is scheduled.

You will receive a notice at your door a few days ahead of time. If it does rain, work may be delayed.

Please move your car off the street from the time the chip sealing begins to the completion of the fog sealing process – a period of approximately 2-3 days. You will always be able to drive through the area, but the entire street surface must be available for the work crews. Please also let family, friends and delivery people know not to park their vehicle on the street during that time period. If a vehicle is left on the street, we try to find the owner, but delays cost tax money. Therefore, cars not moved by the time the work begins will be towed at the owner's expense. If your car is towed, contact the Sheriff's Office, 503-655-8441.