Medford, OR – According to the state officials, the roundabout is a critical safety improvement for people walking, driving and rolling, marking a key milestone for the I-205 Abernethy Bridge Project, ODOT’s largest construction project in 45 years.
Upon completion, the Abernethy Bridge will be the first earthquake ready highway bridge over the Willamette River in the Portland area.
Users will benefit from a wider bridge, as well as safer and more efficient on- and off-ramps near the bridge. Improvements are also planned for bike and pedestrian routes.
The full project is expected to be completed in 2025. After construction, we plan to collect tolls at the Abernethy Bridge to cover roughly half the project’s cost. Transportation funds collected statewide will pay the remainder.
Roundabouts are safer than intersections that rely on stop signs and traffic signals because they have fewer vehicle and pedestrian conflict points. A traditional intersection has 32 possible points of collision, many of which are dangerous and high-speed.
That’s compared to roundabouts that have only eight possible points of collision. Roundabouts also reduce crash severity and injuries in all crashes due to lower vehicle speeds.