Clackamas County has begun to move forward with its Stafford Road project, adding improvements along roads such as Stafford and Childs that will benefit the commutes of local citizens. Not only will these roads be widened to incorporate six-foot paved bike lanes in order to improve bicyclists’ safety, but there will also be a roundabout created on Childs Road.

“The traffic on Childs Road and Stafford Road affects me because it makes it harder for me to get to the 205,” said junior Cecilia Hahn, who lives in the area where the construction will be taking place. For students like Hahn, driving to school will become a lot easier.

The changes were meant to take place last year, but delays were made as Clackamas County felt the need to identify the needed land use processes and analyze the potential impacts of the construction. 

The project was eventually put into motion after a charter amendment was approved by Lake Oswego voters in November that allowed Clackamas County to infringe upon part of the Stevens Meadows park. All elements of the construction are cumulatively estimated to cost $18 million, but will ameliorate the efficiency of drivers who are tired of getting stuck in traffic.

“I hope that the road improvement will make Stafford safer and easier to deal with,” Hahn said.

Others who live near the area aren’t looking forward to the long process that is associated with the upcoming construction, as the improvements will not be immediate and are expected to continue even through December of 2027.

“I think the construction will take a really long time,” said senior Chloe Lin. “The traffic is really bad but I just turn on Bryant to avoid it.”

While the construction may be inconvenient for the time being, it seeks to improve the safety and timeliness of all roadway users. For the moment, the county asks that citizens use caution and formulate alternative routes in order to avoid potential delays.