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TRANSPORTATION Work expected to begin by summer on Highway 62 bypass By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Feb. 12, 2016 @ 7:00 pm By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Feb. 12, 2016 @ 7:00 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Knife River’s low bid of $30.5 million could kick-start construction this summer of a portion of the 4-mile-long bypass for Highway 62, which will be the largest road project in the Rogue Valley since Interstate 5 was built. The Oregon Department of Transportation received six bids that came in within engineering estimates. If the bid from Knife River — a North Dakota-based company with a plant in Central Point — is ultimately awarded, motorists should start to see construction crews staging equipment in April. “We had excellent bid results,” said Art Anderson, ODOT’s area manager. “They weren’t separated by a lot.” The next lowest bid was from Hamilton Construction Co. of Coburg at just over $31 million. The highest bid was from Sarsella Bros. Inc. of Kent, Wash., at more than $35 million. Before awarding the contract, ODOT will review Knife River’s bid over the next few weeks to ensure it meets all qualifications. ODOT had been concerned that an overheated construction market might lead to higher-than-expected bids, particularly because the project had been delayed by more than a year. The new four-lane freeway will roughly follow the old Medco Haul Road and will relieve congestion on Highway 62, where traffic rivals that of Interstate 5. With only $120 million of the $440 million needed for the entire proposed bypass in its coffers, ODOT will build just the first four miles, starting at Poplar Drive, crossing over Vilas Road and ending at Corey Road, just south of White City. It will run on the west side of the commercial development that currently includes Costco and Lowe's. The project will include an interchange at Highway 62 just north of Poplar as well as bridges over Coker Butte Road and Vilas Road. Property owners near Coker Butte donated land to the state for the project, because the freeway overpass will allow for the future extension of Coker Butte to the west. The state Jobs and Transportation Act of 2009 provided $100 million toward the project, with the remainder made up of other state and federal dollars. More than $7 million was required for the environmental analysis alone. Knife River will build the portion of the bypass from Poplar Drive on Highway 62 to just shy of Vilas Road. A separate bid will go out in December for the remainder of the bypass from Vilas to Corey Road. Anderson said he expects the bid for the second phase of the bypass project to be similar in cost to the first phase. By June, work should be underway to install a new culvert under Highway 62 near Poplar Drive, and Anderson said the contractor will need to keep two lanes open in each direction. However, motorists will be faced with changing road conditions and will have to be alert for construction crews. “We just need people to be patient and understanding,” he said. The culvert work has to be done during the summer because it involves working in Lone Pine Creek. The larger culvert will be constructed at night to avoid disrupting traffic. The night work will take place from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., Monday through Thursday, and from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., Friday through Sunday. Motorists will likely see shifting lanes along Highway 62 around Poplar Drive for a two-year period. A complicated number of connecting roadways will be built so motorists can enter or exit Highway 62 onto the new bypass. Anderson said the bridge over Vilas will be a complicated piece of the project. Earlier, the project was delayed by right-of-way issues, particularly with the Federal Aviation Administration, but Anderson said ODOT and the Medford airport have been able to clear up those issues. A portion of the road will run just south of the airport's main runway. Anderson said local legislators and transportation officials helped to pull off this project. "A lot of people pulled together to make it a reality," he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at @reporterdm . By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Feb. 12, 2016 @ 7:00 pm » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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