About
Past Meetings and Events
Online Open Houses
- View our archived online open house that was open from August 16 through September 13, 2021 to learn how your feedback has helped us refine the preferred design concept.
- View our archived online open house that was open from May 10 through June 11, 2021 to learn about the project and our three potential design concepts.
Virtual Events
We held a virtual meeting on September 9, 2021. You can watch a recording of the meeting.
We held a virtual meeting on May 19, 2021. You can watch a recording of the meeting.
Project Information
Whether you are a community member headed to work or school, a truck driver delivering goods, or a tourist headed to the coast or casino, safety and convenience are critical for your trip on OR 18 and OR 22. This area has seen increasing traffic and a relatively high rate of crashes.
This planning and design process aims to:
Improve safety on OR 18 and OR 22.
Improve mobility along OR 18 and OR 22.
Support the community and economic development in the area.
Recommend improvements to keep this route usable in emergency situations.
You can watch a video showing a fly through overview of the design.
Project tasks include:
Developing a Facility Plan.
Updating the environmental assessment.
Conducting a right-of-way survey.
Preparing engineering plans and estimates.
Issues to be addressed:
This project addresses issues we have heard from the community in recent years, including:
OR 18 (the Salmon River Highway) experiences heavy traffic.
Summer weekend traffic is especially heavy, creating considerable delays.
The amount of traffic on OR 18 makes it difficult for drivers to turn left from OR 22 (Hebo Road) to OR 18 and to turn left from Grand Ronde Road to OR 18.
Freight traffic has been using alternatives to OR 18, which can pose safety issues on local roadways.
More crashes are happening with drivers crossing over the middle line into oncoming traffic or rear-ending cars ahead of them along this stretch of OR 18 and on local roadways.
What is a Facility Plan?
A “Facility Plan” looks at a particular roadway facility and
decides what needs to be improved and how to improve it. We are focusing on OR
18 in this Facility Plan, and we are also considering OR 22 because it intersects
in the project area. We are following a five step planning process to develop a
solution that addresses these goals.
Background information:
This project and a proposed interchange at the OR 18 and OR 22 Valley Junction were identified in the 2004 H.B. Van Duzer Forest Corridor to Steel Bridge Road Environmental Assessment (EA) and corridor refinement plan. This effort was initiated to address both safety and congestion concerns on OR 18 between the eastern portion of the Van Duzer Corridor and Steel Bridge Road east of Wallace Bridge.
The Communities of Grand Ronde, Valley Junction, and Fort Hill are located on OR 18 in the H.B. Van Duzer Forest Corridor. The Spirit Mountain Casino and Resort is a major tourist destination and a major employer on the corridor. This segment is a vital link between the Willamette Valley and the central Oregon coast that serves local, commuter, commercial and recreational traffic.
Schedule
Currently working on the Facility Plan
Location
OR 18
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Between mileposts 22 and 24, and on OR 22 from milepost 23.1.
Cost and Funding
Design costs $4.5 million
Access for pedestrians, including those with disabilities, will be available and identified through or around work zones.