By the Salem Statesman-Journal
A busy section of the highway hundreds of thousands of people travel each year to get to the Oregon Coast could soon look much different.
A design has been selected to improve the Valley Junction Interchange at Highway 18 and 22 near Grand Ronde on the busy section west of Spirit Mountain Casino, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation.
The design would widen Highway 18 to four lanes from two and develop a new interchange with Highway 22 west of Spirit Mountain Casino, eliminating the dangerous left-hand turn from Highway 22 onto Highway 18.
According to ODOT, there were more than 26 crashes reported at the junction of the two highways between 2015 and 2019.
Highway 22 heading towards Hebo and the Oregon Coast also would have softer curves near Kissing Rock.
Both roads also would feature wider shoulders – between 8 and 10 feet – and add frontage roads and bike lanes.
ODOT is hosting a virtual event about the interchange design from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9 to answer questions about the project. To register for the event, go to odotopenhouse.org/or-18-and-22-road-improvement2.
ODOT says it must next finalize the draft plan and then formally adopt the final design.
If the project is funded, the final design phase would take place in 2022 and 2023, the right-of-way process would take place in 2023 and construction would take place between 2024 and 2026.
