Corvallis-Albany Bike Path: Pat Malone promised a 2025 date for this project when he campaigned for reelection last year, but it looks like residents will be waiting a little while longer before they’ll see the long-awaited bike path connecting Albany to Corvallis come to fruition.
At a joint meeting between Benton County Board of Commissioners and the Albany City Council on Monday, the Benton County Public Works Director Gary Stockhoff gave an update on the proposed 10-mile bike path.
Benton County officials have been working in cooperation with the Oregon Department of Transportation and during the update Stockhoff said the main obstacle right now is funding.
The current plan for the project shows that a pedestrian and bicycle bridge will be needed across the highway for the path to continue along the south side of Corvallis.
The project has been divided into a three phased approach. The first phase identified the need and potential for use. The second phase will assess the possible routes to narrow the options to one. And the third phase will focus on preliminary engineering of the bikeway along the selected route.
For updates and more information on the project visit https://www.co.benton.or.us/bikeway.
Circle Boulevard Resurfacing: The City of Corvallis is working in cooperation with the Public Works Department to rebuild and resurface a portion of Circle Boulevard in northeast Corvallis throughout the month of July.
In a release from the city, the project will construct a new roadbed and asphalt surface on Circle between the railroad crossings at Highway 99W and Conser Street near the HP Inc. campus. Work is expected to intensify in July and continue through September, although schedules are dependent on weather conditions and other factors.
Some parts of the project you may want to be aware of are.
- The project will proceed in phases to reduce the impact to traffic flow on Circle Boulevard as much as possible. Circle will remain open to public travel, but travelers should expect lane reductions, lane shifts and other delays throughout the project. All business accesses will remain open throughout construction.
- The intersection of Four Acre and Circle Boulevard will operate with STOP signs instead of the traffic signal.
- A temporary 25 mph speed zone will be posted and enforced for the entire length of the project, to increase safety for travelers and construction workers alike.
- Some phases of the project will require periodic side street closures. Detours will be posted to advise travelers of upcoming closures.
- Some phases in August and September will involve overnight work between the hours of 6 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Weekly construction updates are posted to the City’s website. For more information visit https://www.corvallisoregon.gov/publicworks/project/street-resurfacingreconstruction-circle-boulevard-east-hwy-99w
Cooling Centers: Hot weather is on the horizon, and Benton County is working with businesses throughout the county to provide cool weather shelters for those in need.
Cooling centers are indoor sites that are free for members of the public to access during designated hours. Each of these sites has air conditioning, cold water, and sometimes pet crates can be made available.
Additional local resources for people in need can be accessed through Community Services Consortium at communityservices.us or by calling 541-928-6335.
For more information and a complete list of available shelters you can also visit https://www.co.benton.or.us/health/page/hot-weather-resources
By Jennifer Warner
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