New Turns Lanes Will Reduce Congestion at N.E. Fourth and E. Main

Contractors will begin work on Wednesday, March 27 to add a dedicated turn lane to N.E. Fourth Street at the intersection with E. Main Street.

Work is expected to begin at 8 a.m., and traffic on NE Fourth will be disrupted during restriping, which is expected to take one day. E. Main Street will remain open during the project.

The E. Main Street/N.E. Fourth Street intersection is one of the busiest surface street intersections in the City of Hermiston and has become more congested with southbound traffic waiting to make a left turn onto E. Main Street and blocking through traffic. An April 2023 traffic data count indicated the intersection has nearly reached its intended capacity.  More than 350 new housing units in development on Diagonal Road to the east will continue to add residential traffic through this intersection during traditional heavy travel periods in the morning and early evening.

This project, along with recently completed traffic signal upgrades, will alleviate the congestion.

Because the restriping will remove seven street-side parking spots on N.E. Fourth Street, capacity will be added through new angled parking on the north side of E. Gladys Ave. one block to the north. This will match the angled parking that already exists a block to the west in front of the Hermiston Public Library and several residences.