ODOT details left-turn lanes, realignment and a three-week Bethl Road closure on Oregon 99W in Polk County

Polk County commissioners heard an Oregon Department of Transportation update Feb. 24 on safety improvements planned for the Oregon 99W at Bethl Road intersection that ODOT says has a long crash history.

Anna Hansen, ODOT area manager, introduced the project and David Orana, the transportation project manager, who said he has managed the project since its initial design kickoff nearly three years ago and that crews plan to take the work to construction this summer. "We're going to be taking it to construction this summer," Orana said.

ODOT presented 2014–2023 Safety Priority Index System (SPIS) data showing the site has been in the region’s top 5% of SPIS sites. Orana recounted six fatal-plus-injury crashes, 16 angle crashes, 12 turning crashes, nine rear-end crashes, five fixed-object crashes and one non-collision crash in that 10-year span and said the plan is to reduce conflicts that contribute to collisions.

To address those risks, ODOT said the project will widen the highway to the east to add left-hand turn lanes for both northbound and southbound traffic so turning vehicles will not block through lanes, and it will push the east leg of Bethl Road north into the adjacent field to realign the skewed intersection for improved sight distance.

ODOT warned that Bethl Road east of 99W will be fully closed for approximately three weeks during the realignment. The agency said 99W will remain open in both directions and that a signed detour will route traffic north on Wallace Road/OR‑221 to Amity/OR‑153 and back around the area. Orana said the project is intended to minimize risk to drivers and workers; the agency expects lane and shoulder closures, possible flagging, construction noise and debris during the work.

Commissioners asked multiple technical and process questions. One asked why ODOT displayed 10 years of SPIS crash history for this site when the department often uses a five‑year window for other projects; ODOT said the longer history was provided at the request of Commissioner Mhorse to show a broader trend and that longer histories can be produced, but the benefit‑cost calculations that drive certain funding decisions follow established program rules. A separate question about whether excavation to improve vertical sight distance north of the intersection was in the scope drew a reply that vertical work is not part of the current plan.

Several commissioners pressed ODOT on whether additional turn lanes — including a northbound right‑turn (auxiliary/del) lane — would be added; ODOT said that is not part of the present scope and not currently planned. Commissioners asked that the agency notify the county if future designs include auxiliary lanes.

ODOT said the full project is scheduled to start after the school season ends and be completed before the next school year. The agency handed out printed materials at the meeting and provided a QR code linking to a project webpage and sign-up for email alerts. Hansen said ODOT has mailed notices to nearby residents, hand-delivered some notifications to local businesses and plans additional mailings and social media outreach as the award and schedule are finalized.

Farmers’ equipment access during the three-week closure drew sustained concern from commissioners, who noted long detour distances for very wide agricultural machinery. ODOT said it would check barrier designs and consider appointment-based crossings or limited exceptions where feasible and will follow up with local Farm Bureau contacts.

Commissioners also pressed ODOT about larger corridor projects (referred to in the meeting as project 2251 and related phases) and how SPIS ranking affects grant prospects. ODOT said ongoing design-acceptance work aims to deliver 50–60% plans next year and identified potential timing for larger grant applications, requesting county letters of support for future mega-grant efforts.

Next steps: ODOT staff said design and project-control milestones would move forward in the coming weeks, exact closure dates will be determined after the project is awarded to a contractor, and the county can expect additional public notices before construction begins.