HISTORY
Project History
Improving the safety along the State Highway 82 corridor is a top priority for ODOT. This project is located on a particularly dangerous stretch of SH-82. It was originally a county road that was converted to a state highway, but it needs to be upgraded to meet current safety design criteria. There is an elevated collision rate, including multiple severe crashes.
In January 2015, ODOT sponsored a study to evaluate possible alignments for the necessary improvements. Conceptual or initial engineering designs were developed for five alternatives. Factors such as constructability, economic costs, right-of-way & utility impacts, environmental constraints, and the scenic nature of the roadway were all considered. The engineering report was completed some 18 months later in 2016.
Five alternatives were considered.
Alternative 1 involved roadway rehabilitation with curve corrections of the existing alignment to meet a 55-mph design speed.
Alternative 2 involved roadway reconstruction with an offset alignment to the east at a 55-mph design speed.
Alternative 3 involved roadway reconstruction with an offset alignment to the east at a 65-mph design speed.
Alternative 4 involved roadway reconstruction with an offset alignment further east at a 65-mph design speed.
Alternative 5 involved roadway reconstruction with an offset alignment to the west at a 65-mph design speed.
