| OR Highway 213: Molalla Avenue to Barnards Road |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
| Project Summary: |
A project to improve safety on a section of Oregon 213 (Cascade Highway South) near Molalla. The work will include widening of the highway shoulders, installation of a left turn lane at Barnards Road, and includes improvements to the roadway and drainage.
The work schedule had been compressed to one construction season to minimize construction impacts to the community and motoring public. Although utility and clearing work preceded the roadway construction phase of work, the ODOT portion of the project will begin in June and will be completed by the end of October 2008.
|
| Latest Information: |
Roadway work will require a highway closure between Molalla Avenue and Barnards Road for a period of up to 60 days. The closure and detour will not be scheduled until after the Fourth of July weekend, to avoid a conflict with the Molalla Buckeroo Days. A 28-day notice will be provided in advance of the closure.
Read the weekly construction news for the latest traffic impacts on the project, updated every Friday.
|
|
| Project Information |
|
 The Molalla Avenue to Barnards Road section of Highway 213 has a significant history of serious crashes. This stretch of highway has very narrow highway shoulders, no turn lanes, limited sight distance, and deep side ditches.
During the period between 2001 and 2005, approximately 29 reported accidents occurred in this section with two being very serious. A project was completed two years ago at Liberal Way and Molalla Avenue on Highway 213 (Keegan's Corner), which features safety improvements that have lessened the likelihood of crashes.
The Oregon Department of Transportation has developed a project to widen the highway to construct wider shoulders and install a left turn lane at Barnards Road to improve safety in this area. A public open house was held February 8, 2007. Comments and responses from the open house are available here.
Typically, when these types of features are installed, along with improvements in the sight distance, significant safety improvements are seen.
The project was awarded to a construction contractor in May 2008. Construction began in June and is scheduled to be completed by the end of October 2008.
Click here to see an aerial view of the preliminary plan.
Click here to see a typical cross-section from the concept plans.
During construction, traffic will be detoured off the highway for up to 60 days. Closing the highway will allow the contractor to more quickly finish the job that would otherwise take more time to complete. ODOT is coordinating the closure, alternate routes and detours with Clackamas County, emergency service providers and the trucking industry. The annual Molalla Buckaroo Days occur during the Fourth of July weekend, and the contract language requires that the closure will not be started before July 7, to avoid any potential conflicts or delays due to this construction. By closing the road for this period, the construction time will be reduced considerably – the contract completion date is scheduled by the end of October.
Coming soon: Map of the highway closure and detour route.
|
| ODOT Contact Information |
|
Judy Shioshi, ODOT Community Affairs Coordinator, 503-731-8237
Wayne Statler, ODOT Project Manager, 503-731-3244
|
|
|
|
