Marion County has received emergency relief funds through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to complete badly needed repairs on River Road South between Salem and Independence. The resulting project will repair roadway damage resulting from recent landslide movement between Vitae Springs Road and Orville Road. Marion County Public Works will reconstruct the roadway, replace sections of failed pavement, and install a subsurface drain system and slope stabilization measures to reduce the severity of future landslides. The project will restore a smooth driving surface and eliminate pavement ruptures that have reduced driving speeds to a crawl since January.
During this project, River Road South will be closed between Vitae Springs Road and Orville Road for up to three weeks beginning on Monday, July 31. The timing of the closure is subject to change, but message boards will be installed on River Road South to notify drivers of the actual closure dates approximately one week before the closure begins.
Detour options are limited. Therefore, we urge commuters that regularly use River Road South to use alternate routes during construction. A well-signed detour utilizing Orville Road, Riverdale Road and Sawmill Road will be installed during the road closure (see the enclosed map). However, the detour route is narrow and winding, and trailers and recreational vehicles will be prohibited from using the detour. The best alternative for all motorists is to avoid River Road South entirely during construction. Marion County plans to remove the road closure and detour prior to the Total Solar Eclipse on August 21.
This project is still in development due to the fast-paced, emergency nature of the project funding. Check out the Marion County Public Works construction projects webpage at http://www.co.marion.or.us/PW/Engineering/Projects/Pages/default.aspx for periodic updates and project status. For more information, contact Brian Nicholas, Capital Projects Manager, at 503-588-5036 or bnicholas@co.marion.or.us.
