| Oregon 217 Modernization Project |
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| Project Summary: |
The OR 217 Modernization project will add a third northbound lane on OR 217 from TV Highway to Sunset Highway. Construction began March 2009 and will be completed February 2012.
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Latest information:
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Read the weekly construction news for current traffic impact information, updated every Friday.
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| Project Information |
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Emery & Sons Construction, Inc., a contractor for the Oregon Department of Transportation, began work in March 2009 on the OR 217 Modernization project. The total project cost is $42 million with $35.5 million designated for construction. The project will take place on OR 217 from TV Highway to U.S. 26 (Sunset Highway) and will include the following elements:
- Adding a third northbound through lane on OR 217 from the TV Highway on-ramp to the Sunset Highway
- Building retaining walls and improving drainage on OR 217
- Lengthening the Wilshire Street overpass to accommodate the wider highway
- Improving visibility and safety on the Wilshire Street off-ramp in the OR 217/U.S. 26 interchange
- Restriping OR 217 southbound to add an auxiliary lane from the Wilshire Street on-ramp to the Walker Road off-ramp
- Widening the Walker Road off-ramp from OR 217 northbound.
Once complete, motorists will have three northbound through lanes between TV Highway and the Sunset Highway. The additional northbound lane will help eliminate the weaving that occurs between TV Highway and Walker Road as motorists are simultaneously entering and exiting the highway. In addition, sight distance and safety will be improved when traveling between OR 217 northbound and U.S. 26 eastbound.
View a map of Highway 217 showing where the additional lane will be located.
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| Traffic Impacts |
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The high traffic volumes on OR 217 require that all lanes be open without restrictions during daytime hours. Closing the lanes during the day would create backups and serious safety concerns. As a result, much of the work will take place during nighttime hours when traffic volumes are lower. Motorists will experience single and double lane closures on the highway during the overnight work hours, 7:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. As much as possible, daytime work will take place outside the travel lanes behind barriers. OR 217 will remain open at all times.
Motorists are reminded that traffic fines are double in a construction zone. Please drive carefully.
Read the weekly construction news that details traffic impact information on a weekly basis, updated every Friday.
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| Nighttime Noise |
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Nighttime work began in March 2009 and will continue intermittently throughout the project. In general, night work will be Monday - Thursday nights and will coincide with work that requires lane closures. Therefore, there may be 6 weeks in a row of night work, followed by a month or two of just daytime work. Night work does not preclude daytime work and vice versa.
Nighttime construction noise may be audible to residents living along the project corridor. It is ODOT’s intent to keep those nearest the work notified of nighttime, noise-generating activities. There are several measures already in place to help mitigate the noise.
A phone number is available for reporting noise problems or incidents requiring immediate attention (located below under contact information).
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| OR 217 Paving Project |
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Construction will take place summer 2012 to pave OR 217 in both directions between U.S. 26 and TV Highway, including the OR 217/U.S. 26 interchange ramps.
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| History of the project |
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In 1991, a multi-modal partnership was formed among ODOT, TriMet, the City of Portland and Washington and Multnomah counties to address how transportation projects would be developed in response to the population growth in Washington County. As a result, the Westside Corridor Project was created as a long-range plan defining and prioritizing future transportation projects. Major projects already completed as part of the Westside Corridor Project are the Westside MAX, the Camelot to Sylvan project, and the addition of a third southbound lane on the north end of Oregon 217.
The Oregon 217 Modernization project was defined in the Westside Corridor Project and designed to help relieve congestion on one section of Oregon 217. The final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) written for the Westside Corridor Project stipulated that Oregon 217 not be expanded beyond three lanes in each direction.
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| ODOT Contact Information |
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ODOT Community Affairs:
PH: 503-731-8247
Email: Lili.D.Boicourt@odot.state.or.us
To report noise problems or incidents requiring immediate attention
(24-hour hotline): 503-646-0231
Read the weekly construction news that details traffic impact information on a weekly basis, updated every Friday.
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