An Accident Waiting to Happen: TVWD ‘s Unsafe Wildlife Crossing in Hillsboro Risks Motorists’ Safety
Tualatin Valley Water District’s (TVWD) pipeline construction could endanger Hillsboro motorists by channeling deer to cross a blind street corner next to the heavily traveled Cornelius Pass Road. After the agency bulldozed a wide swath of wildlife habitat in nearby fields and berms, TVWD designed an extremely narrow wildlife corridor that now directs deer across a blind corner on Cherry Drive, where traffic speeds range anywhere from 35 to 50 mph and is west of the five-lane Cornelius Pass Road.
Motorists traveling during busy morning and evening commutes could come around the corner to unexpectedly encounter multiple deer on the road. Unfortunately, deer travel peaks during these low-light, high-traffic hours, substantially increasing the potential for dangerous deer-vehicle collisions. Nationwide, more than 2 million of these collisions each year cause nearly 60,000 human injuries and take some 440 lives.
This situation is a result of the major water pipeline construction project that TVWD, Metro, and the City of Hillsboro initiated four years ago. Concerned about protecting the wetlands habitat and wildlife in the area, particularly the publicly owned Orenco Woods Nature Park, an ad hoc citizens group called Protect Orenco Woods Nature Park worked diligently with Urban Greenspaces, Portland Audubon, and the Center for Wildlife Diversity to garner support for a wildlife protection plan. TVWD, Metro, and the City of Hillsboro eventually agreed to work with the organizations to develop and use this plan to help mitigate the harmful effects of the pipeline construction. 
And yet TVWD has designed a seemingly unsafe wildlife crossing on a blind street corner near Cornelius Pass Road — without considering traffic safety. It created the extremely narrow wildlife corridor after destroying 85% of the natural habitat in the area at issue — taking out 60 trees, grasses, and bushes, while leveling a steep embankment that served as a natural barrier for wildlife. As a result, some foraging deer are now being directed to cross that blind corner, imperiling motorists, and wildlife alike.
Have a look at this movie clip IMG_4685
TVWD purported to have the support of Urban Greenspaces, Portland Audubon, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), the Center for Biological Diversity, and the public for the project design. Yet when contacted, these organizations took issue with TVWD’s claimed support. TVWD appears to have misapplied strategies intended for Orenco Woods Nature Park in designing the crossing outside the park. After reviewing a map of the area, aerial views, photographs, and video, Bob Sallinger (retired from Portland Audubon) stated that he would have pushed for a site-specific analysis with strategies quickly falling away due to considerations related to people or vehicles. An ODFW Regional Habitat Biologist said that if the contractor wants to consult regarding the situation, ODFW can recommend that wildlife movements be redirected from the road to prevent collisions. Peter Broderick of the Center for Biological Diversity, Mike Houck of Urban Greenspaces, and members of the public also contradicted TVWD’s purported support for the wildlife crossing.
The blind spot, as seen standing on the sidewalk looking West, is a Blind curve seen as a car flies around the corner. Not safe for people or wildlife.
After bringing this potential safety hazard to the attention of David Kraska of Tualatin Valley Water District and Rahim Harji of the City of Hillsboro, neither has contacted any of these organizations to address safety concerns. Wildlife needs to be redirected from this unsafe crossing back into the Rock Creek Riparian Corridor that runs north and south of Orenco Woods Nature Park and Cornelius Pass Road. The ODFW biologist stated it does no harm to wildlife to redirect them from crossing this potentially dangerous street into safer routes.
It is irresponsible for TWVD and the City of Hillsboro to refuse to revise this unsafe design by placing a barrier to redirect wildlife away from a blind street corner, thereby reducing the potential for dangerous deer-vehicle collisions. The public must hold the City and TVWD accountable for any harm to drivers. Please contact David Kraska of Tualatin Valley Water District and Rahim Harji of the City of Hillsboro to insist that a barrier must be placed on this blind street corner to protect motorists from possibly perilous collisions.
Sheila Christensen
Founder, Ad Hoc Advocacy Group Protect Orenco Woods Nature Park
*Forget sharks and bears – it’s deer that you should worry about hurting you. Source: CNN, April 21, 2024; Watch Out for Deer on the Roads. Sources: Perdue University and National Institute of Highway Safety, September 28, 2018; How Many Deer Are Killed Each Year. Source: World animal Foundation, October 19, 2023.
They could put a trail camera in that spot to document just how deer cross there.
Great Idea Jeffrey- the area is not open to Deer yet, but the issue is if THPRD and the City will agree to a condition to blockade that opening if the issue is a problem. Once these things are done there is usually no going back!
Actually, the area is open to deer during pipeline construction. They usually show up behind our home before and after work hours. A natural barrier at Cherry Drive would be so easy to create and would save the lives of people and deer. I don’t understand why the agencies in charge of this project are refusing to act on this important safety measure.
Thanks for clarifying – welcome to our world here at the Herald. Things often times do not make sense around these parts. We do our part to ask the really tough questions! I hope someone makes a positive move on this matter.
This is one of a slew of problems the pipeline project has visited on our neighborhood. But it’s the only problem that endangers both humans and animals. Thanks for exposing a potentially dangerous situation. That neither Hillsboro or the water agencies have been willing to discuss this matter is unfortunately typical of their attitudes all along.
Residents are extremely concerned about the safety of people and wildlife. Public officials in charge of this project have steadfastly refused to engage or negotiate with groups on this dangerous wildlife crossing. The wildlife crossing endangers drivers, wildlife safety aside. Cherry Drive is used heavily in early morning hours and after work as a cut-through from Century Blvd. to Cornelius Pass Road. In the past, digital speed signs were placed on Cherry Drive at the request of residents as drivers often speed on this road. This blind corner is plainly an accident waiting to happen for drivers and wildlife alike. We must hold our public officials accountable in refusing to act on this safety issue.
I often drive east on Cherry Dr. and this seems very dangerous to drivers. I am shocked that TVWD and Hillsboro aren’t taking motorists’ safety seriously! A barrier needs to be placed on this blind corner so drivers are not harmed.
TVWD planners have consistently resisted common-sense calls for safety measures that would protect both drivers and wildlife. They have misused recommendations from wildlife advocates, insisting that free movement of wildlife is the goal they’re pursuing. That this “free movement” may come at a cost to drivers and wildlife doesn’t seem to concern them, and I question whether anyone from the agency has actually visited the site to assess the risk.
Sadly, I have a feeling that it will take a senseless tragedy before something is done to fix the problem. Between wildlife being forced into this unsafe, man-made crossing and toddlers crossing without parents to get to the local elementary school, Cherry Drive has become ripe with ample opportunity for fatal accidents. I truly wish people would have the foresight to prevent this kind of avoidable tragedy. Excellent article and thank you for bringing attention to this issue!
Sadly, it will most likely take a preventable tragedy or perhaps string of tragedies (similar to the pedestrian fatalities on Century just north of Cornell) before anything is done to help make the environment safer for both people and animals. Cherry Drive has become ripe with opportunity for fatal accidents due to the increased automotive traffic, pedestrian traffic, and now forced animal traffic. Between the blind curve near the water pipeline and the hidden tree line trail where toddler students without parents cross to go to the local elementary school, a disaster is waiting to happen. I hope this article and attention prompts someone with power to make change.
Why not create a bridge for pedestrians, animals and cyclists.
Excellent suggestion!!! I’ve been waiting for your brilliant idea(s) to be mentioned since Dirk posted this article a couple of days ago.
But don’t ya know there is NO Budget Money for Wise and Prudent safety measures because the City of Hillsboro’s administative GENIUS’S are spending MILLIONS on an unnecessary playpen for Callaway’s Hops. Pathetic & idiotic non-leadership don’t ya think….
Great thought, Patricia. However, TVWD owns the land where the pipeline was installed north and south of the blind corner. No public access is allowed.
Sheila has done a great job raising awareness about this issue. The dangers for both people and animals are clear. If the problem can be addressed by redirecting wildlife to the Rock Creek Riparian Corridor, there is a simple solution that benefits all. Tualatin Valley Water District and the City of Hillsboro have an opportunity to do not only the right thing but the smart thing. We’re watching!
While the current issue addresses the inevitable danger of wildlife and motor vehicle accidents, there should also be concern for local residents that cross the street near the corner of 73rd Ave and Cherry as well as the west end cross streets towards Orenco Station. Many vehicles speed recklessly up and down Cherry. There should be a crosswalk or speed monitor to slow traffic down. In the past there has been law enforcement presence to deter speeding as well as speed monitors. Can this be reviewed and enforced?
The day I shot the story photos I had to cross right there and it was so dangerous. Cherry Street is a long street with no crossings. But I can assure you the City will never put a people crossing there.