With the conclusion of the 2019 Oregon Legislative Session, the City of Sherwood was recently allocated $2 million in state lottery funds to help provide improved pedestrian connections across State Highway 99W near the site of the new Sherwood High School currently under construction.  State Representative Courtney Neron (House District 26) worked closely with Mayor Keith Mays to help identify the funding during this past session.  “Sherwood is known for its excellent schools and being one of the safest communities in Oregon,” stated Representative Neron.  “The investments we make now will keep the community connected and maintain those values as Sherwood grows.  I advocated to fund the construction of this pedestrian bridge because it will do just: keep students safe as they cross from their neighborhood to their new high school in Sherwood West.  I am thrilled to be part of the team bringing this project to life in our district and grateful we secured this critical investment from the state.”

Improving safety and access along this state highway is a City Council priority and this state funding will help build upon the initial feasibility study that is currently being conducted by the City to identify options to address this important linkage need.  In addition to the new high school being constructed in the Sherwood West area, future growth of the Sherwood community is expected to take place in the areas west of Elwert Road and Highway 99. Linking the current neighborhoods south of Highway 99 to these future neighborhoods is a critical component to the ongoing success of the Sherwood community. “I want to thank the Oregon Legislature and Governor Brown for their support of this important Sherwood project.  Soon after being elected, our State Rep. Courtney Neron agreed with Sherwood City Council that it was important to remove future students and families from this highway crossing and made it a priority of hers to help us find support from the state,” said Mayor Keith Mays. “My big audacious goal is to have this grade separated crossing open for the community by fall 2021.  Sherwood can leverage these dollars to secure the additional funding needed for the project–a final dollar amount that should be determined by the end of 2019.”