January 3, 2024 3:50 a.m.  

Two agencies are in the early stages of a potential project that could bring a partial roundabout to the intersection of Garden Valley Road and Melrose Road, just west of Roseburg.

Information from Douglas County and the Oregon Department of Transportation said the road safety improvement project has been in the works for several years.

Garden Valley Road meets Melrose Road at a high-speed rural intersection that has experienced several serious crashes in recent years. ODOT said its an opportunity to reduce the number and severity of crashes with modified traffic control
Douglas County applied for a Federal Transportation Grant in 2015, which was awarded in 2017. This project is in the 2024-2027 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, adopted by the Oregon Transportation Commission in 2023.

The total project cost is estimated at just over $9 million, which is subject to change. Total federal funds for the project are set at just over $8 million. The county’s match is slightly over ten percent. Douglas County Emergency Communications and Community Engagement Specialist Tamara Howell said the federal funding is already earmarked and the 10 percent county match has already been placed in a saving account for the project.

Howell said the planning phase is nearly complete. Next to come is the design and engineering phase.

Dan Latham of ODOT said he is collecting information before he begins working with a consultant on a public outreach plan. Latham said a project page should be online by February or March, followed by an open house next summer.

Howell said the construction phase is tentatively set to start in late 2026 or early 2027 presuming that no changes are made following the other parts of the process.