Hermiston council to discuss Geer/Harper/1st realignment project
By Terry Murry on Monday, April 13th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
HERMISTON – The Hermiston City Council will consider awarding a construction contract for the Geer/Harper/North First intersection realignment project during its meeting at 7 p.m. today (Monday). The project has been part of the city’s Capital Improvement Plan since 2019 and is intended to improve traffic flow and safety in northwest Hermiston.
The improvements include modifying the Geer and Harper intersection so that Harper forms a T intersection with Geer. Westbound traffic on Harper would be required to stop. In addition, a four-way stop is proposed at the intersection of Geer and North First Place.
“That forces all drivers to stop there,” Assistant City Manager Mark Morgan said of the four-way stop. “We feel like that’ll help drain that entire area there behind Home Depot and Goodwill in that area.”
Construction will have a significant impact on traffic. The railroad crossing at the project is expected to be closed for an extended period and the installation of railroad crossing gate arms will be completed under a separate contract at a later date. The impact on travel patterns in that area as well as traveling to and from Umatilla, Irrigon, and other areas north of Hermiston are expected to be affected for up to a year.
“We recognize that this project will significantly impact traffic flow through the area during construction, but the magnitude of the impact underscores the importance of improving traffic flow through this intersection in the long run,” Morgan said.
The low bid for the project from Silver Creek Contracting of Umatilla is $1,005,000. Funding for the project will come from remaining House Bill 2017-earmarked funds associated with North First Place of approximately $1.94 million. More information about the project can be found on the Geer/Harper page at www.hermistonprojects.com.
The council meeting at 7 p.m. today is in council chambers of Hermiston City Hall.
Map of the project from the city of Hermiston
