Old bridges and chipped pavement are top priorities for public works departments in Marion and Polk counties as legislators eye a major transportation funding package during the 2025 session.
In a September study by the Association of Oregon Counties, Marion and Polk counties were each said to have less than half of what they need to address current road needs.
Marion County needs over $143 million annually for transportation maintenance. Polk County’s need was estimated to be $101 million, largely to address much needed bridge repairs.
The association presented its study in late September to the state Legislature’s transportation committee. A new transportation funding package in the 2025 session is intended to provide sustainable funding for maintenance and start new projects.
The study estimated that Oregon’s counties will need over $800 million annually to maintain existing roads and bridges. The study focuses on road needs in Oregon counties and is done every 10 years to inform the Legislature.
The study rated 13% of Marion County’s roads at poor condition or worse and said preserving roads is the county’s biggest need.
“Pavement preservation is also extremely cost-effective, as, without regular preservation treatments, roads would eventually need to be reconstructed at a six to 14 times higher cost,” Erin Good, a spokesperson for the Association of Oregon Counties, said in an email.
Beyond the next couple of years, Marion County public works department hopes to secure more funding to establish a preventative level of road maintenance, rather than repaving or reconstructing roads, according to department spokesperson Erin Burt.
“This would enable us to get to smaller repairs faster and save time and money over the life of our roads, but it does require a larger funding commitment than we have currently,” Burt said in an email.
The department recently completed work on Northeast Lancaster Drive from Center Street to Monroe Street. The project, which cost around $3 million, rebuilt sidewalks, driveways and curb ramps and repaired roadway pavement. Burt said the department is looking for grant funding for a similar project on Lancaster Drive between Monroe Street and State Street.
In around three years, construction will start on State Street from just east of Lancaster Drive to 46th Avenue which will build sidewalks, bike lanes and a center turn lane.
Marion County also wants to prioritize fixing and replacing bridges, considering that most of the state’s bridges were built in the 1950s or 60s and cannot hold heavy trucks.
The Association of Oregon Counties’ study identified that 11 of Marion County’s bridges are structurally deficient, but did not identify which ones.
Burt said the county has funding for design or construction phases to replace six load-restricted bridges and repair one in the next year. The department is also seeking funding to replace seven more load-restricted bridges in the future.
Several of the bridges selected for repairs are in northern or eastern Marion County, but commuters around Salem may encounter a few bridges under construction, including one on Delaney Road over Battle Creek, which is south of Salem and just west of Turner.
A bridge on Rambler Drive, in between Salem and Mount Angel, will be going into its second phase of construction in March 2025 and finish in July 2025. The construction will replace the bridge’s rotting wood and install new bridge rails for safety.
Polk County is prioritizing similar projects and plans to do road and pavement maintenance and bridge restoration in the next year.
In its study, the Association of Oregon Counties estimated a cost of $99.3 million for Polk County to replace deficient bridges.
One of the bigger projects for Polk County is upgrading Helmick Bridge, which is located south of Monmouth next to route 99W. The project is expected to prepare the bridge for earthquakes and is estimated to cost $3 million to build. Construction is planned to start in 2026.
The county’s public works department has planned a list of specific projects for 2025, including sealing chips in local roads, replacing culverts and improving road striping.
Todd Whitaker, director of Polk County’s public works department, said in an email that the county uses cost-effective ways to keep roads safe, which requires more frequent low-cost maintenance.
“County gravel roads are often the first mile(s) traveled for products on their way to market, and are vital lifelines for the residents of Polk County,” Whitaker said in an email.
Polk County’s 221 miles of gravel road are necessary for residents, he said, and the department is successful in finding ways to maintain gravel and paved roads.
The department also plans to install an activated warning system at the intersection of Clow Corner Road and Riddell Road, which is just south of Rickreall. The system alerts drivers on major roads of upcoming cars potentially entering the road.
Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected].
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Madeleine Moore is working as a reporter at Salem Reporter through the University of Oregon’s Charles Snowden internship program. She came to Salem after graduating from the University of Oregon in June 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
