BEAVERTON, Ore. — After four years of construction and more than $174 million in investment, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has completed all major elements of the OR 217 Auxiliary Lanes Project, marking a milestone for Beaverton, Tigard, and the surrounding Washington County area.
The extensive project — which began in 2021 — added new auxiliary lanes between Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway and Highway 99W, rebuilt bridges, widened sidewalks, and introduced significant safety improvements for both motorists and non-motorized travelers.
“It isn’t very often that we get to celebrate completion of a huge project,” said David House, ODOT spokesperson. “We made improvements not just on the highway, but also getting across the highway for all modes of transportation.”
The new auxiliary lanes are designed to reduce crashes by 20–30% and save more than 73,000 hours of travel time each year, according to ODOT’s estimates. The lanes give drivers more space to merge between ramps, decreasing congestion and lowering the risk of collisions.
“[OR 217] was essentially converted over the decades into something it wasn’t intended to,” House explained. “If we had built it today, there would essentially be more space, more distance between on-ramps and off-ramps to give people more time to merge on and off the travel lanes.”
Beyond the roadway, the project includes wider sidewalks, new bike lanes, ADA-compliant ramps, and connections to regional trails, improving accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists.
Key accomplishments under the OR 217 Auxiliary Lanes Project include:
The project was primarily funded through the Keep Oregon Moving transportation package, with additional financial contributions from the City of Beaverton and Washington County.
The City of Beaverton played a key role in coordinating bicycle and pedestrian improvements, ensuring the highway upgrades complemented local infrastructure and community needs.
“The improvements benefit everyone—from daily commuters and freight operators to families walking and biking through Beaverton and Tigard,” said an ODOT official. “This was about creating a safer, more connected transportation corridor.”
While the main construction is complete, crews will continue final clean-up and minor finishing work through the winter, with landscaping and planting scheduled for completion by spring 2026, weather permitting.
The improvements are expected to:
The OR 217 project represents one of the most significant infrastructure achievements in Washington County in recent years — transforming an aging, congested corridor into a modern, multimodal transportation route built to serve the region’s growing population.
“This project demonstrates ODOT’s commitment to delivering long-term improvements that prioritize safety, mobility, and sustainability,” House said. “It’s a major step forward for everyone who uses Highway 217.”
The OR 217 Auxiliary Lanes Project is part of ODOT’s broader efforts to modernize key transportation corridors across the state. By addressing outdated infrastructure, improving merging lanes, and enhancing bicycle and pedestrian access, the project ensures the corridor can safely handle future growth in traffic and development.
For more details and progress updates, visit www.oregon.gov/odot.
Originally reported by FOX 12 Staff and Makenna Marks in KPTV.
