Safety Improvements Planned for Morgan Lake Road
By Garrett Christensen on Wednesday, July 26th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – The Oregon Department of Transportation, in cooperation with Union County Public Works, is planning a series of safety improvements for Morgan Lake Road. The difficult and at times dangerous route provides the only practical means of access to the lake for the La Grande Community, as well as access to La Grande for residents that live along the road itself. In either case, blind corners, a washboard surface, and a worrying lack of guard rails plague both residents and tourists alike. Beginning next spring, however, the road will be getting a much-needed overhaul.
During an open house on July 25, ODOT Region 5 staff explained the primary purpose and goals of the project, which will be conducted in two phases. The project area consists of an approximate one mile stretch of road from Skyline Lane to just after Marvin Lane. Phase one of the project, overseen by ODOT, will focus on safety improvements and reconstruction.
The first major improvement is the installation of highway grade guard rail along the entirety of the project area, with some gaps for driveway and roadway access. Posts installed along and behind the new guard rail will feature reflectors. The road will be narrowed by approximately two feet due to the guard rail installation though it will be widened in certain locations (see earthworks areas in map image).
In addition to compensating for the guard rail, some road widening has also been planned for the sake of safety. The corner before Glass Hill Road in particular was sighted as dangerous due to its lack of visibility from either direction. Crews will cut part of the embankment to both widen the road to 22ft in diameter and increase visibility around the bend. Lastly for phase 1 work, four separate culverts along the road will be replaced or repaired to help with water runoff and ice buildup.
Phase 2 of the project will be carried out by Union County Public Works and see a full refurbishment of the road base, including grading and resurfacing. All excavated material from both phases of the project will be used to fill in and widen areas along Glass Hill Road. No new road signs will be installed during either phase. During the open house, some concerns were raised about ground erosion and soil instability as a result of construction. In response, ODOT staff noted that minimal trees will be removed as part of the earthworks portions, and no blasting work is planned.
As of now, the project has an estimated cost of 1.3 million dollars, though this could vary to an extent depending on the final contract bid. Initial construction costs will be covered through gas taxes while subsequent upkeep will be sourced separately.
Currently, a contractor has not been selected for the project as the competitive bid will go live in September. A specific timeline has not been confirmed, though ODOT staff said that preliminary construction may begin during spring 2024 depending on snow melt. Full construction is likely to begin in late spring or early summer, again depending on weather, with a completion date between October 15 and 31.
During construction, traffic will be controlled by flaggers. It’s speculated that the entire planned work zone will not be occupied at once. Instead, crews will move from area to area as progress and manpower allow. In either case, drivers should expect delays of up to twenty minutes and clearance reduced to a single lane of travel (10-12 feet) in work zones. Bike and foot traffic are unlikely to be impacted, but this may come down to the discretion of the work crews. Notably, the road and the lake itself will remain open during construction.
For more information and ODOT contact links, visit https://www.oregon.gov/odot/projects/pages/project-details.aspx?project=21874
