Correction: In our original story, we said that Children’s Farm Home and Garland Nursery donated to the improvements to U.S. 20. The money for this project came from federal and state funds. The article has been corrected.
The stretch of rural highway on U.S. Route 20 between North Albany and Corvallis is getting some much needed safety improvements.
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) estimates that over 18,000 vehicles cross this stretch of highway each day, which has “a high volume of crashes and reduced visibility. The 2016 U.S. 20 Highway Safety Study saw a number of recommended safety and quality-of-life improvements suggested, and now construction crews are getting set to begin.
The first phase of construction began in December last year and will continue through August 2023. The improvements in the first phase include the installation of:
- A westbound buffered right turn lane and median acceleration lane for eastbound vehicles;
- Striping and signage on railroads and to guide bicyclists through intersections; and,
- Centerline and rumble strips, stormwater treatment, and a new 20+ foot retaining wall at Independence Highway for future compatibility with the planned Benton County Bikeway.
The stretch of U.S. 20 near Garland Nursery will also see the following improvements during phase one, including:
- Widened shoulders;
- Added rumble strips;
- Raised outside edge on the curb and pavement; and,
- Removal of trees, poles, and other fixed objects outside the north side of the highway, along the curve.
Phase two will be the design stage, occurring between 2022 and early 2023. Drivers in the area will see:
- A center two-way left-turn lane added to prevent rear-end and turning crashes;
- Measures to address stormwater runoff; and,
- Efforts to achieve future compatibility with the Benton County Bikeway which will see a section of sidewalk replaced with a short path between Conifer Boulevard and NE Pilkington Avenue.
Other planned future improvements include:
- A two-way center left-turn lane;
- Widened shoulders and added/replaced guardrails; and,
- Stormwater treatment and upgraded signage/markings on railroad crossings.
Bike/pedestrian improvement alternatives are also in the midst of coordination between Benton County and the City of Albany. The archived open house on this process, which occurred between Oct. 19 and Nov. 15, 2020, can be found here.
A total of $8.2 million dollars came from federal and state highway funds, under the 2018-2021 Statewide Transportation Improvements Program (STIP). Another $20 million in state funds were dedicated to the project by HB 2017 Keep Oregon Moving.
By Ethan Hauck
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