August 24, 2022 11:00 a.m. 

Starting Thursday, Melrose Road will close for about a week at the South Umpqua River, as the Conn Ford Bridge replacement project begins a new phase.

Dan Latham from the Oregon Department of Transportation said during the closure, traffic from the Melrose area will detour onto Old Melrose Road, Harvard Avenue, Stewart Parkway, and Garden Valley Boulevard. Latham said motorists should slow down and drive with caution along the detour route. He told News Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN that the detour should add an extra five minutes to the average commute, though traffic backups are likely at peak times of the day.

Latham said the closure will allow prime contractor Farline Bridge Inc. to finish building a temporary bypass bridge next to the Conn Ford Bridge,

When Melrose Road opens on September 2nd, portable signals will provide traffic control at each end of the bypass bridge. The work zone speed limit has been reduced to 35 miles per hour.

In early September, workers will begin removing the old Conn Ford Bridge so the new one can be built in its place. The project is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2024.

Latham talked more about the project on the Morning Conversation Wednesday on News Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN. That interview is a KQEN podcast at www.541radio.com