Roadway, walkway, and utility upgrades on North 1st Place in Hermiston are tentatively scheduled to begin the week of May 7.
This work will require a short-term closure of the intersection of Hermiston Avenue and N. 1st Place and an extended closure of N. 1st Place.
The full project includes demolishing and rebuilding N. 1st Place between Hermiston Avenue and Elm Avenue, replacing aged water and sewer lines, adding a 10-foot-wide multi-use pathway on the east side of the road, and filling in nearly 3,000 feet of sidewalk. It will also add curbs and gutters while clearly designating business driveways along the length of the project.
Nelson Construction of Walla Walla is contracted to do the work and is providing advance notice of road closures and other impacts to traffic. Exact dates and timelines are subject to change.
- The intersection of N. 1st Place and Hermiston Avenue is expected to be closed to all traffic for five days beginning the week of May 7. This portion of the project includes utility work and a full roadway rebuild.
- Work on N. 1st Place is also expected to begin the week of May 7. The roadway closure is anticipated to last through late October.
- Extension of the multi-use pathway on the west side of N. 1st Place from Elm Avenue to Harper Road is expected to begin in September will likely cause additional traffic impacts through late October.
As an earlier stage of the project, N.W. 3rd Street was paved to act as a detour during construction and an alternate route to access businesses along N. 1st Place.
“This project has been a long time coming and will be a much-needed upgrade for Hermiston’s north/south vehicle and pedestrian traffic,” said Assistant City Manager Mark Morgan. “We’re working closely with Nelson Construction to develop timelines and communicate the impact on businesses and motorists. It’s a very large project, but the result will be a more drivable and walkable city with updated roads and utilities. We appreciate the patience of the community during the final phase of this project.”
This work will be paid for through $4.5 million in transportation funds from the state of Oregon awarded to the city of Hermiston in 2017 and designated for use in 2023, with no local funding required. The city will work closely with the Oregon Department of Transportation to use any remaining funds to enhance the targeted area of the project.
The N. 1st Place Roadway Improvement Project is part of the Capital Improvement Plan, a five-year infrastructure development plan that coordinates public works projects to reduce costs and impact on the public. All projects can be found at www.hermistonprojects.com.
Thank You. And to those that think that the West side of the State does not care about the East. This is money from the West side of the State.
Raymond,
The article states that the money is from “the state of Oregon”. It doesn’t say western Oregon. That means we all paid for it, not just wet siders.