About
Between North Albany and Corvallis, U.S. 20 is a rural two-lane highway with heavy commuter traffic of more than 18,000 vehicles per day. In addition to motorists, many bicyclists use this corridor.
This portion of the highway has a high volume of crashes and poor visibility for travelers turning on and off U.S. 20. In 2016, we completed the U.S. 20 Highway Safety Study and recommended a variety of safety improvements along this corridor, some of which are being implemented as part of this project.
Click map image to enlarge.
Click headings below to learn more about each phase.
U.S. 20 at Granger Avenue and Independence Highway
Key Issues
- High number of crashes from cars turning onto the highway. Increased traffic reducing the number of acceptable gaps/breaks in traffic for turning.
- Limited sight distance at county road intersections due to right turning vehicle queues.
- Limited distance between highway and railroad.
Improvements
- Installing a buffered right turn lane (westbound).
- Installing a median acceleration lane for left turning vehicles (eastbound).
- Adding striping and signing to guide bicycles through the intersections.
- Upgrading signing and striping for railroad crossings.
- Adding centerline and shoulder rumble strips.
- Stormwater treatment.
- Building a short section of multiuse path above a new 20+ foot high retaining wall at Independence Highway for forward compatibility with the planned Benton County Bikeway.
U.S. 20 near Garland Nursery
Key Issues
- Vehicles heading westbound run off of the road at the outside edge of curve.
- Rear end crashes when vehicles slow down to enter the nursery. Improvements
- Widening shoulders.
- Adding centerline and shoulder rumble strips.
- Raising the outside edge of pavement on the curve.
- Remove fixed objects (trees or poles) near the outside of the curve/north side of highway where possible.
Proposed Improvements- Widening the shoulders.
- Adding rumble strips. Rumble strips are grooves cut into the pavement that create sound and vibration when they have driven over, to alert the driver that they are leaving the lane.
- Raising the outside edge of pavement on the curve.
- Removing fixed objects, like trees or poles, near the outside of the curve/north side of the highway as possible.
Conifer Boulevard to Merloy Avenue
Key Issues
- Rear end and turning crashes due to slowing vehicles and limited gaps.
- Large number of highway accesses/driveways.
Proposed Improvements
- Adding a center two way left turn lane.
- Treating stormwater runoff.
- Replacing sidewalk with a short section of multiuse path on the east side between Conifer Boulevard and NE Pilkington Avenue for forward compatibility with the planned Benton County Bikeway project currently in development.
Key Issues
- Rear end and turning crashes due to slowing vehicles and limited gaps.
- Large number of highway accesses and local roads.
Proposed Improvements
- Adding a center two way left turn lane.
- Adding and replacing guardrail where needed.
- Widening shoulders.
- Bicycle and pedestrian improvement alternatives are being coordinated with the City of Albany and Benton County.
- Stormwater treatment.
- Upgrade signs and markings at railroad crossing.
Note: The Scenic Drive to North Albany Road portion of U.S. 20 is funded for preliminary design and evaluation of impacts. These steps will confirm future funding needs. No funding has been identified for final design or construction at this time.
Schedule
Phase One: Construction from December 2021 to August 2023
Phase Two: Design through 2022 with construction estimated to begin in early 2023
Previous Online Open House
View our archived
online open house, held from October 19 – November 15, 2020 to learn about the safety upgrades planned for U.S. 20.
Location
U.S. 20
|
Conifer Boulevard near Corvallis to North Albany Road
Cost and Funding
2018-2021 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP): - $4.2 million for a left turn lane from the Children's Farm Home to the Merloy Avenue intersection.
- $4 million for Garland Nursery and Granger Avenue intersection improvements.
House Bill 2017, Keep Oregon Moving funds:
- $20 million for additional corridor safety improvements (as specified in the About section above).
Total Funding for both phases:
Additional Resources
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