Several bridge and major road construction projects are underway or will begin in 2025 in and around Salem.
Here is an overview of these projects:
Interstate 5 Donald-Aurora Interchange
The Diamond Divide overpass is under construction at Exit 278 on I-5 at Donald-Aurora on Dec. 18 in Aurora.
Construction is well underway on the Donald-Aurora interchange on Interstate 5 at Ehlen Road. The project is expected to be completed in 2027, but motorists will notice major changes in 2025.
The first phase of the project extended the northbound on-ramp, moved the intersection with Ehlen Road and Bents Road to the west, realigned the intersection of Bents Road and Ehlen Road to the west, and added signals at the intersection. .
Construction in 2025 includes new on- and off-ramps for the southbound lanes and a new northbound on-ramp.
The project also includes building new bridges for the northbound and southbound lanes and realigning Ehlen Road and Delores Way on the west side of Interstate 5 with Ehlen on the east side of the highway. Traffic lights will also be added under the bridge.
cost: $62.5 million
Rendering of the Donald-Aurora interchange.
Salem McGilchrist Street widening
Salem McGilchrist Street widening project between Pringle Road and 25thth Street begins construction in 2024 and is not expected to be completed until 2027.
The first phase, which includes a new intersection on 22nd Street, is nearly complete.
The second phase, scheduled to begin in the spring, will widen the street and add sidewalks from Ford Street to 25th Street. The city of Salem said the eastbound lanes of McGilchrist will be closed and traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction.
Work on the McGilchrist Street overhaul will begin in 2024.
The final phase will begin in 2026.
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Widen streets and add lanes
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Add center turn lane and turn lane at intersection with 25th Street
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Upgrade existing traffic signals
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Improve storm water drainage system
cost: $50.8 million
Newberg-Dundee Bypass
Concept art for the next two phases of the Newberg-Dundee Bypass.
The second phase of the Newburgh-Dundee Bypass – focusing on the intersection of Highways 18 and 219 – is scheduled to start in 2025.
The project includes:
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New route from Highway 18 to Highway 219
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Widening Highway 219 to add a lane, sidewalks, ramps and drainage
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Realign Wynooski Road to meet Wilsonville Road intersection
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Adding exit and entrance ramps to Highway 219
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Adding a bridge to the Highway 219 exit ramp
The current phase of construction of the project is expected to be completed in 2027.
The first phase of construction, completed in 2018, connects Highway 99W to Highway 219 and diverts traffic south of downtown Newberg via a 4-mile road.
The remainder of the project will involve a stretch of road approximately 2 miles east of Highway 219 to connect to Highway 99W east of Newberg.
It includes improvements to Route 99W and the intersection of Veritas Lane and Corral Creek Road, pedestrian connections to Chehalem Glenn Golf Course and Chehalem Park, noise walls and eight bridges across Fernwood Road, creeks and local roads.
cost: $32 million
Highway 99 and Crow Point Roundabout
Construction of the roundabout at the intersection of Highway 99W and Clow Corner Road near Rickreall is scheduled to be completed in 2025.
The northern portion of the Polk County roundabout project — adding a turn lane where Highway 99 intersects with Oars Point — is completed in 2023.
The Clow Corner intersection, which connects traffic between Dallas and Monmouth, is partially completed and construction is expected to resume in February.
“The utility’s failure to move the power lines early in the year prevented us from completing the entire construction season,” ODOT spokesman David House said.
The Highway 99W and Clow Corner roundabouts under construction are expected to be completed in 2025.
Most of the roundabout is constructed east of Highway 99, and there are no speed reductions on the highway.
cost: $11.3 million
Pudding River Bridge Replacement
Work to replace the Pudding River Bridge in Marion County is expected to be completed in the spring.
A skinny wooden pile bridge over the Pudding River on Hazel Green Road is being replaced by a concrete bridge.
Hazelgreen Road between Salem and Silverton is closed during construction, but traffic on the bridge will occasionally become one-way with flags until completion.
Construction began this year and is expected to be completed in the spring.
cost: $6.8 million
Jefferson Santiam River Bridge
The Santiam River Bridge across the North Santiam River in western Jefferson is expected to be completed by 2025.
The project includes new pavement and striping of the bridge surface. The arches and supports under the bridge, which was built in 1933, are also being strengthened.
cost: $6.6 million
Little Pudding River Bridge Restoration
A major project on the two-lane bridge over the Little Pudding River between Mount Angel and Salem is scheduled for completion in the summer.
Work on the bridge, built in 1963, included replacing the wooden deck, installing new deck joints to protect the wooden beams, and installing new bridge and guardrails.
The first phase will be completed in August 2024, and the second phase is expected to start in March and end in July.
cost: $5 million.
Interstate 5 camera and message board south of Salem
A project to add traffic jam cameras and message boards to Interstate 5 between the Perkins Street overpass at milepost 262 and Hoefer Drive at milepost 240 south of Salem has begun and is scheduled to be completed by 2025.
cost: $4.1 million
Verda Lane bike lane and pedestrian path in Keizer
Verda Lane in Keizer will receive additional sidewalks and bike lanes to improve pedestrian safety in the area, which includes Claggett Creek Secondary School and Weddle Elementary School.
The project includes realigning intersections and upgrading drainage systems.
The project is expected to be completed in 2025.
cost: $3.9 million
Mill Creek Road Bridge Replacement
The 1930 Mill Creek Road bridge between Turner and Ormsville is being replaced with a new concrete bridge with guardrails.
Traffic detours will be in place during construction, which is expected to begin in the summer of 2025 and be completed in the fall. The bridge is being replaced by a new one with guardrails.
The Oregon Department of Transportation says 70th Avenue may need to be realigned.
cost: $2.8 million
Market Street and Union Street in Salem
Salem’s Market Street and Union Street projects include replacing overhead guidance signs on the Marion Street Bridge and adding bike lane striping on Commercial Street from D Street to Union Street.
It is expected to be launched and completed in 2025.
cost: $2.3 million
Abiqua Creek Bridge Repair
Work on the Abiqua Creek Bridge on Meridian Road near Silverton, which has been underway since 2023, will see new guardrails installed on the approach bridge and the piers under the bridge reinforced.
The detour around Meridian will last about two months after construction is completed in the spring.
cost: $1.9 million
East Salem Connecticut Avenue Bike Path
Bike lanes will be added on both sides of Connecticut Avenue between Penn Avenue and Rickey Street in east Salem. Sidewalks and ADA improvements were also added to the west side of the street, and curb ramps were added to the east side.
A concrete shelter will also be constructed at the north intersection of Macleay Road and Connecticut Avenue.
Construction is expected to begin and be completed in summer 2025.
cost: $1.1 million
Xiaochenkexi Bridge Replacement
The Little Sinker Creek Bridge on Sinker Creek Road near North Fork Road was severely damaged in the 2020 Beachie Creek Fire and is being replaced by a nearby bridge.
During construction planned for 2025, Sinker Creek Road will provide access to a handful of homes beyond the bridge.
Marion County received state funding to replace the bridge.
cost: $505,000
Intersection of Route 51 and Route 22
The cost of the preferred option for the Highway 51 and Highway 22 interchange is estimated at $270 million.
Plans to add a bridge, access road and roundabout to the Highway 51 and Highway 22 interchange are expected to cost $270 million. The Oregon Department of Transportation does not have the funds to do the work, which will take years to complete.
Polk County commissioners have proposed a temporary project to eliminate left-hand turns on Highway 22 by rerouting northbound Highway 51 drivers to S. Oak Grove Road and allowing them to turn left to the west where visibility is better. change.
The proposal would also add tube markers to Highway 22 to prevent drivers from turning left onto Independence Road.
cost: unknown.
Bill Poehler covers Marion and Polk counties for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehelr@StatesmanJournal.com
This article originally appeared in the Salem Statesman-Journal: 15 major road construction projects in the Salem area in 2025
