ODOT Undergoes Safety Improvements to Baker City Streets
By Joe Hathaway on Wednesday, August 30th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER CITY — (Information from ODOT) Drivers in Baker City should prepare for traffic disruptions as the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) makes safety upgrades to some city streets.
The traffic signal at Washington & Main will need to be shut down all day Wednesday, August 30 for signal controller cabinet replacement. Traffic on Main will be controlled by flaggers and Washington Street will be closed from Resort to 1st Street.
According to ODOT, this project will make upgrades to traffic signals, lighting, detection and other equipment in an effort to reduce and mitigate crashes at intersections. Upgraded equipment will improve operational reliability and reduce maintenance costs.The public will most likely not notice changes to the traffic signals. The improvements focus on visibility and traffic detection to make intersections safer for vehicles and pedestrians.
For this project, ODOT will:
- Install signals with reflective backgrounds, improving visibility of signals for drivers.
- Upgrade traffic detection devices. These devices change the lights according to the amount of traffic in each direction. The upgrades will better detect traffic to reduce stop times at intersections and ensure traffic and pedestrians move as smoothly and safely as possible.
- Some locations will receive lighting to help make pedestrians more visible.
During construction, ODOT says it anticipates minimal impacts to traffic. Work will potentially involve a bucket truck occupying a lane for about one to two hours at most. This may occur at about two intersections at a time.You may see short-term single lane, turn lane and/or shoulder closures. Freight mobility impacts are not anticipated. Impacts to pedestrians are expected to be minor.
