October 16, 2023 3:50 a.m.

Work is underway to widen the freeway off-ramp from northbound Interstate 5 to Northwest Garden Valley Boulevard in Roseburg.

Dan Latham from the Oregon Department of Transportation said traffic congestion is a frequent problem on that off-ramp. Latham said the ramp provides a left-turn lane onto Garden Valley Boulevard and a shared lane for motorists traveling straight onto Northwest Mulholland Drive or turning right. During peak travel times, vehicles in the shared lane sometimes back up to the travel lanes of the freeway.

Latham said the project will add a dedicated right-turn lane at the end of the ramp so drivers turning right will not have to wait behind those traveling straight through the intersection.

Prime contractor Knife River Materials will also replace the traffic signal poles and hardware, install new push-button pedestrian beacons, upgrade sidewalks and ADA curb ramps and repave the off-ramp and intersection. To accommodate the new turn lane, a retaining wall will be built between the ramp and Munson Court.

Most work will take place from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. on Sunday nights through Friday mornings.

Construction will require nighttime closures on Garden Valley Boulevard and Mulholland Drive. Motorists should watch for workers and construction vehicles in the work zone. Some nighttime closures of the northbound ramps may be necessary. Detour information will be provided prior to any ramp closure.

The project should be completed in June 2024.

For more information go to the project website: https://www.oregon.gov/odot/projects/pages/project-details.aspx?project=