Tualatin residents can weigh in on four options for redesigning one of the area's most crash-prone intersections, with a virtual open house open through Sunday, Sept. 27.

The city's online survey asks what the future of the Boones Ferry Road and Tualatin-Sherwood Road intersection should look like. The options range from leaving the intersection unchanged to road widening and signal improvements to building a bridge or tunnel over the Portland and Western Railroad tracks. The intersection is a key commuter corridor for Tigard and Tualatin drivers.

The Oregon Department of Transportation ranked Tualatin-Sherwood Road in the 10th percentile of Washington County roadways for frequent car crashes, Tualatin Life reported Sept. 5. The road meets Boones Ferry Road and the railroad at a single chokepoint that backs up traffic daily.

The project carries a price tag of roughly $250 million. That estimate reflects the cost of realigning the road, constructing two new roundabouts and relocating surrounding businesses.

At the Tualatin City Council's Aug. 24 meeting, City Engineer Mike McCarthy and project manager Marc Butorac of Kittelson and Associates presented an early analysis. McCarthy told councilors most design options contained a "fatal flaw."

"Originally when we scoped this, I thought there'd be a lot more grade separation options," McCarthy said at the Aug. 24 meeting, as reported by Tualatin Life. "So I was surprised that all but one of their options ran into a fatal flaw in one way or another."

City staff identified a "road-over" approach as the most viable path forward. It would raise Tualatin-Sherwood Road over Boones Ferry Road and the railroad while shifting the road south.

It is unclear how the survey's four alternatives map to the options analyzed at that council session.

Engineers warned that even the road-over option would push the traffic bottleneck west to the intersection with 90th Avenue. City engineers also said at-grade improvements such as widening the road would not last, predicting congestion would return within 20 years.

Council President Valerie Pratt raised concerns that the top community priority was economic development, and none of the options addressed it. Councilor Bridget Brooks urged action, warning that Rail Crossing Elimination grant funding may not always be available.

The virtual open house opened Monday, Sept. 14, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 27.

Residents can explore the four alternatives and submit feedback on the city's website.