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| 5/20/2005 |
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Safety Corridor Complete West of Klamath Falls
Oregon State Police to Increase Patrols
For more information contact: Julianne Repman, ODOT Public Information, 541-388-6224
Today, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) completed the installation of signing for the Lake of the Woods Highway Safety Corridor, which is located along an 18 mile stretch of Oregon Route 140 between Rum Eye Road (MP 29) to Odessa Creek (MP 47). Drivers are asked to slow down, pay extra attention and obey all traffic laws when traveling through this area.
Oregon State Police increase patrols on the Lake of the Woods Highway Safety Corridor beginning this weekend. Officers will be citing drivers for exceeding the speed limit, lack of seatbelt or child restraint, and other hazardous driving actions in this area through the life of the corridor. Motorists are reminded that traffic fines double in Safety Corridors.
ODOT, in cooperation with the Oregon State Police and the local community, is taking several steps to reduce the crash rate in this corridor. These steps include funding for increased patrol by the Oregon State Police, additional road signs in the area and educational activities by the local community.
In addition, several construction projects are addressing motorist safety in this area. A left turn lane at Rocky Point Road was built in 2004. Climbing lanes are being added at Doak Mountain, with the intention of reducing unsafe passing at two-lane sections of the highway. The project will also construct a left turn lane at Eagle Ridge Road. Construction of an Ice Sign warning system will installed this year to assist in reminding drivers of road conditions. A project scheduled for 2008 will add left turn lanes at Great Meadow Snow Park and the access to Fish Lake.
Crash rates on the Lake of the Woods Highway Safety Corridor will be checked each year. An annual review will examine traffic control devices, including signs, pavement striping and illumination.
Safety corridors are stretches of state highways that have a three-year average of fatal and serious injury crashes greater than the statewide average for similar kinds of roadways. A safety corridor may be decommissioned if the three-year average of fatal and serious injury crashes is at or below the three year average for similar roadways. The corridor must then be decommissioned unless a local community group “adopts” the corridor.
Oregon’s first safety corridor was on route 62 in Medford.
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