YAMHILL COUNTY, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Transportation is proposing turn lanes, intersection realignments and a new roundabout along Oregon 99W near its junction with Oregon 18, citing a history of fatal and serious injury crashes at four intersections in the area.
Agency cites years of fatal crashes; construction targeted for 2027-28, public comment closes July 26
The project covers four intersections along OR 99W near its interchange with OR 18, including NE Stoller Road, NE McDougall Road and the OR 18 junction itself, according to information ODOT presented in a virtual open house on the project.
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The intersection of OR 18 and NE McDougall Road ranked in the top 5% of the state’s Safety Priority Index System, or SPIS, based on 2023 data, ODOT said. Two additional locations within the project area ranked in the top 10% of the index: the OR 99W and NE Stoller Road intersection, and a segment between the McDougall Road and OR 18 intersections, according to ODOT.
ODOT uses the SPIS to identify high-crash locations on state highways and local roads statewide, scoring 0.1-mile segments based on traffic volume and the number and severity of crashes. The agency reviews the top 10% of sites each year, though available funding typically covers only about the top 5%.
Seven fatal crashes occurred within the project area between 2019 and 2023, with two more since December 2023.
The centerpiece of the project is a roundabout at the intersection of OR 99W, NE McDougall Road and OR 18, which ODOT said would replace the existing configuration to improve sight lines and traffic flow.
The agency said it evaluated traffic signals for the location but found that new signals in rural areas are associated with a 77% reduction in angle crashes but a 58% increase in rear-end crashes, which can be severe at highway speeds. Roundabouts, by contrast, reduce vehicle speeds, which signals do not address.
Federal Highway Administration data shows roundabouts nationally are associated with a 90% reduction in fatalities, an 80% reduction in severe crashes, a 76% reduction in injuries and a 35% reduction in crashes overall at converted intersections, along with 75% fewer vehicle conflict points than conventional intersections. This roundabout in particular is being designed to accommodate farm equipment used by growers in the area.
Access to OR 99W from the existing NE McDougall Road will be permanently closed as part of the project, with a new intersection built to the west, ODOT said. Drivers will instead use the improved OR 99W and NE Stoller Road intersection to reach OR 99W or McDougall Road, depending on direction of travel. A left-turn lane from OR 99W onto Stoller Road/SE Kreder Road and a right-turn lane on Stoller Road are also planned.
ODOT estimates construction will begin in 2027 and finish in 2028, done in stages to limit impacts to residents and travelers, though the agency said exact timing and staging will not be finalized until a contractor is selected.
During construction, drivers can expect nightly single-lane closures on OR 99W and OR 18, generally between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. Sunday through Friday. Stoller Road is expected to close for up to 14 days at its OR 99W intersection, with McDougall Road serving as a detour. Later in construction, McDougall Road’s connection to OR 99W will close for up to 14 days before its permanent closure.
The agency said OR 18 will fully close twice for up to four days each during roundabout construction, with through traffic detoured onto OR 99W through McMinnville and Lafayette. Local traffic may use alternate routes such as Lafayette Highway or Kreder Road.
ODOT is accepting public comment on the project through an online form until July 26. Learn more at ODOT’s project open house.
