Connecting Damascus: Roads, Routes, and Safety

When the City of Damascus disincorporated in 2017, the State of Oregon established a 10-year funding program to help Clackamas County maintain certain roads within the former city's boundary. That funding—known as the Damascus Road Fund—will end in early 2027.

Over the past decade, these dollars have allowed the county to maintain and improve roads that were never accepted for long-term county maintenance because they do not meet county construction, drainage, or safety standards.

Now, as the program winds down, Clackamas County is making a final one-time investment in 51 local access roads that the county will no longer maintain after the fund expires. Between now and the end of 2026, crews will seal, patch, pave, or perform gravel maintenance on each one to put them in better condition before responsibility returns to local property owners.

This level of investment is unique to Damascus and is not occurring elsewhere in unincorporated Clackamas County. Our goal is to be clear, transparent, and supportive as we complete this work and help residents understand what comes next.

Frequently Asked Questions

After Damascus disincorporated, the state allocated special funds to the county to maintain certain roads for 10 years. That period is nearly over, and we’re using the remaining dollars to improve the 51 roads that will not be maintained after the fund expires.

In 2022, the county conducted a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) review—a scoring system that evaluates each road’s condition. Treatments were assigned based on safety, pavement condition, and best use of the remaining funds.

Depending on condition, roads may receive patching, crack sealing, slurry sealing, overlays, or gravel maintenance.

Work is underway now and will run through 2026, with the most active construction periods occurring in summer 2026.

After repairs are complete, the county will no longer maintain these 51 roads unless they are upgraded to meet county standards and are accepted for county maintenance.

These roads were never built to county standards for construction, drainage, or safety. By policy, the county cannot assume long-term responsibility for roads that don’t meet these requirements.

Yes. Options include:

  • Forming a Local Improvement District (LID)
  • Hiring private contractors for improvements (with required permits)
  • Creating neighborhood maintenance groups for ongoing upkeep

No. The Damascus funding was a one-time allocation from the state legislature, and this level of road work is unique to this area.

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Megan Nugent

Clackamas County DTD Public & Government Affairs

Shane Abbott

Clackamas County DTD Transportation Operations Manager

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