Back to Ride Westside

Get Involved

Committees, meetings, and projects shaping westside cycling.

Reporting a pothole gets a pothole fixed. Showing up to meetings is how we get protected bike lanes, safer crossings, and connected trails. The westside has more seats at the table than people realize, and many sit empty.

Showing up

Projects are shaped years before the orange cones show up. By construction, the design is locked. Where to focus:

  • Transportation System Plan (TSP) updates: every 5–10 years per jurisdiction
  • Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) hearings: usually annual
  • Project open houses and 30/60/90% design reviews
  • Advisory committee meetings
  • City council and county board meetings when projects come up for funding

A few cyclists showing up consistently has outsized effect.

Advisory committees

Appointed seats, usually monthly meetings, 2–3 hours.

Washington County

Washington County has a Boards & Commissions page where transportation and land-use seats are posted when open. The county’s Land Use & Transportation (LUT) department is the one to watch for bike/ped-relevant seats.

The Washington County Bicycle Transportation Coalition (WashCo BTC) is an independent nonprofit that tracks county transportation decisions and organizes cyclists. It’s worth following even if you’re not on a formal committee.

City of Beaverton — Traffic Commission

Advises Beaverton City Council on traffic safety, major traffic changes, and neighborhood traffic management policies. Bike and pedestrian issues come before the commission regularly.

City of Tigard — Transportation Advisory Committee (TTAC)

Acts as an advisory body to Tigard City Council on transportation matters. Eleven appointed members including representation from bicycle, pedestrian, and transit advocates. Three-year terms.

City of Hillsboro

Hillsboro runs a Bicycle & Pedestrian Capital Improvement Program with an annual budget of roughly $1.5 million and takes public input during project development. Check the city’s boards and commissions page for any current advisory seats.

THPRD

THPRD operates parks and most regional trails on the urban westside. Three advisory committees meet monthly and provide input on capital projects, trails, and programming. Volunteers must be 16+, live in-district, and commit to a two-year term.

  • Nature & Trails Advisory Committee — most directly relevant to trail projects
  • Parks & Facilities Advisory Committee — parks capital and maintenance
  • Equity & Engagement Advisory Committee — programs and community access

All three committees meet on the third Wednesday of the month. Applications open each fall. Board meetings are the second Wednesday of each month.

Metro JPACT and TPAC

Regional transportation policy. JPACT is elected officials; TPAC is staff and stakeholders. Both take public comment and influence how regional transportation funds are allocated.

ODOT Region 1 ACT (Area Commission on Transportation)

Advises ODOT on state highway priorities for the Portland metro area, including state highways in Washington County (TV Hwy, US-26, OR-217, OR-99W).

Public meetings

No appointment needed. Three minutes of public comment from a real cyclist with a real story lands harder than a stack of emails.

Washington County Board of Commissioners

Meets at: 155 N First Ave, Suite 300 (Auditorium), Hillsboro

  • 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 10:00 am
  • 4th Tuesday at 6:30 pm
  • Sign up to testify or submit written comment via agendas posted one week before each meeting
  • Streamed live on the County’s YouTube channel
  • Full info: https://www.washingtoncountyor.gov/bcc

THPRD Board of Directors

Meets at: Tualatin Valley Water District HQ, 1850 SW 170th Ave, Beaverton

City councils

City of Beaverton

City of Tigard

City of Hillsboro

City of Tualatin

Sherwood, Forest Grove, and Cornelius all have regular sessions as well — check each city’s website for current schedules.

Metro Council

Meets weekly during session. Agenda includes regional transportation and parks funding decisions.

Project open houses

Watch agency websites and BikePortland for open house announcements. These are the highest-leverage moments for specific projects.

Plans and projects to watch

See the Westside Projects page for current status on each.

Advocacy groups

These groups track meetings and produce testimony. Joining or following them multiplies your impact.

  • Westside Transportation Alliance (WTA): Washington County TDM nonprofit that advocates for bike, walk, and transit options with employers and public agencies; runs commuter incentive programs and participates in Metro and county planning forums: https://www.wta-tma.org/
  • Washington County Bicycle Transportation Coalition (WashCo BTC): local county-focused group, tracks LUT decisions: https://washcobtc.org/
  • The Street Trust: statewide active transportation advocacy: https://thestreettrust.org/
  • BikeLoud PDX: Portland metro cycling advocacy, frequent testimony: https://bikeloudpdx.org/
  • Oregon Walks: pedestrian and walkability advocacy: https://oregonwalks.org/
  • Oregon Trails Coalition: statewide trails advocacy, funding, and policy — fiscally sponsored by Trailkeepers of Oregon; relevant for trail corridor projects like the Westside and Council Creek trails: https://www.oregontrailscoalition.org/
  • BikePortland: news, action alerts, project tracking: https://bikeportland.org/

Giving public comment

  • Two to three minutes is the standard limit. Practice out loud.
  • Lead with your tie to the area. “I commute by bike from Aloha to downtown Beaverton three days a week.”
  • One specific story beats five general points. “Last week at Murray and Allen, I was almost right-hooked” lands harder than “we need safer streets.”
  • End with a specific ask. “Please fund the protected bike lane on X in this CIP cycle.”
  • Written testimony gets into the record verbatim. Email beats voicemail.

With Ride Westside

  • Policy rides: occasionally we ride with elected officials. Watch the events list.
  • Open-house caravans: when there’s a project open house, we sometimes ride there together.
  • Coordinate testimony: if you plan to testify, let us know and we can amplify.

Know about a committee, meeting, or project we should add? See the About section for ways to reach us.