Ribbon Cutting Today at 11 AM to Open New Lane on I-105 at Delta Highway

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~~N DEP,ggT ~ ~ ~ z News Re%ase 1C- t~ ~ 9~NSPOP'C ~II~?' i November 2 , 2002 CONTACT: Robert Pirrie, ODOT Area Manager, 744-8080 From Eugen Public Works Public Information Section, 682-5523 FOR IMME IATE RELEASE NOTE TO SSIGNMENT EDITORS: TO ENSURE SAFETY FOR YOUR REPORTERS AND PHOTOG HERS, PLEASE CONTACT ERIC JONES AT 954-2938 OR DON McLANE AT 744-8080 T GET DIRECTIONS FOR NEWS EVENT PARKING AND SAFE ACCESS TO THE FREEWA FOR PHOTOS ONCE THE FREEWAY LANE IS OPENED. RIBBON- UTTING TODAY AT 11:30 A.M. TO OPEN NEW LANE ON I-105 AT DELTA HWY Offic als from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the City of Eugene will hold a brief ceremo this morning to mark the completion of a state highway safety project to provide a new lane for traffic me ging onto westbound I-105 from southbound Delta Highway. ODO Area Manager Robert Pirrie will be joined by Eugene Mayor Jim Torrey and Eugene Councilor Sc tt Meisner to cut a ribbon at 11:30 a.m. Immediately following the ceremony, the new lane will be opened for public use. Wildi h Construction was awarded a $920,000 ODOT contract to widen the viaduct just south of the Willamette Ri er on I-105, replace asphalt surfacing with concrete, and make other improvements necessary to create a saf merge lane between the Delta Highway onramp and the existing lane for traffic exiting I-105 onto Sixth Av nue near the foot of the Washington-Jefferson Bridge. The fi al step, placing striping on the new lane, was completed last night. Although the new lane will open today, m nor signing and punch list items need to be completed, and there will be periodic nighttime closures of th new lane for the next several weeks. Thew rk began in May and was completed slightly ahead of schedule. At times, there were lane closures and, r one weekend, the Delta Highway onramp was closed and crews worked around the clock to pour new con ete. But Pirrie said the project went very smoothly and accomplished several key safety objectives. "We h ve heard clearly from our elected officials and citizens - preserve our system and build smaller projec s that improve safety and operations," Pirrie said. "Extending on-ramps and ~ off-ramp like t is eliminates merging movements and reduces accident potential. We are also assessing future ~ improvements or I-105. This is a busy roadway with more that 35,000 vehicles on it each day. We are looking at safe and operations improvements we can make for the least cost."