HERMISTON, Ore.-The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) hosted an open house on the planned Highway 395 and Punkin Center Safety Improvement Project at Hermiston City Hall on August 4.
“The purpose of this open house is to provide an overview of the project and an opportunity for the community to review it and ask questions,” said Laura Slater, a Project Manager with ODOT, in opening the meeting.
Several community members attended the open house, where ODOT provided an overview of the project, including its purpose, need and timeline.
The project involves removing the existing traffic signals at the intersection of Punkin Center and Highway 395, installing a two-lane roundabout, upgrading Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) curb ramps, adding lighting, and facilities for bikes and pedestrians.
“It’s nice to be able to bring this safety project to Hermiston, and it’s very satisfying to address the safety needs of US 395 on the North end of Hermiston,” said Ken Patterson, ODOT Region 5 Manager. “That part of the highway has been on our radar as a known accident hotspot for a while.”
The goal of the safety improvement project is to reduce speed and crashes in the area, improve traffic flow, and create safer conditions for all users, drivers, walkers, and bikers.
The US 395/Punkin Center intersection has had traffic signals since 1998, yet the area still sees multiple crashes each year and is in the top 10% of all state highway crash locations in Eastern Oregon, according to Marlow Stanton, ODOT Traffic Engineer.
“It’s fast through there, even though we’ve lowered the speed limit,” said Stanton. “Now with a roundabout, we have the ability to significantly reduce crashes.”
Stanton went over some common myths about roundabouts, including that they cause more crashes, slow down traffic, and that large trucks can’t get through them, before showing a simulated video of trucks navigating the roundabout.
The roundabout has been studied and designed to support semi-trucks and tankers, as well as trucks carrying mobile homes and objects as big as wind turbines, according to ODOT.
Following the ODOT overview of the project, residents had the opportunity to visit various stations to discuss aspects of the project, including roundabout safety and speed limits, truck turning, right-of-ways, traffic controls, and incident response.
ODOT officials, engineers, subject matter experts, and Oregon State Police were available to answer questions and listen to any thoughts or concerns regarding the project.
Some of the most common questions and concerns raised by residents included whether such a busy intersection was the right location for a roundabout, and if it would improve or impede traffic flow.
The impact that the months-long construction of the roundabout would have on homes and businesses in the area was also brought up several times.
Whether semis and other big trucks could really navigate the roundabout safely, especially in inclement weather, was also asked.
The US 395-Punkin Center Safety Improvement Project is currently in the design phase. The estimated timeline includes bids on the project opening in the Fall of 2027, with construction set to begin in the Spring of 2028 and last until the Fall of 2028.
Construction would be done in stages and access to businesses in the area would be maintained, according to ODOT.
