ODOT to start curb ramp work in Halfway and Richland June 1

Intermittent shoulder and lane closures will begin June 1 in Halfway as Oregon Department of Transportation crews return to finish curb ramp work at the southwest corner of OR 86-S, also known as Main Street, and Church Street. In Richland, the next phase is set to start June 8 at OR 86 and Moody Road, with crews first working on the northwest side of the highway before shifting to the southwest side.

ODOT says the project is meant to bring curb ramps up to current Americans with Disabilities Act standards, improving access for people who use wheelchairs, walkers or strollers as well as anyone moving through the downtown crossings. The agency says access to businesses will remain open during construction and pedestrians will still have access through or around the work zones, but drivers should expect short delays and changing traffic patterns along the highway corridor.

North Powder is nearly finished, with final landscaping, paving and permanent sign installation expected in early June. The three-town effort is part of ODOT project 23685, an Eastern Oregon ADA curb ramp project covering North Powder, Halfway and Richland along OR 237, OR 413, OR 86-S and OR 86. ODOT lists the estimated construction cost at $6.3 million. Eastern Oregon Contracting, LLC, of Milton-Freewater, is the contractor, and Consor is the design consultant.

The project page was last updated May 22, and ODOT’s Transportation Project Tracker lists an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2026. ODOT says the work in North Powder, Richland and Halfway is expected to be complete by October 2026. The agency also met with city councils in November 2024, including North Powder on Nov. 4, Halfway on Nov. 14 and Richland on Nov. 15, as it laid out the schedule before crews returned to the field.

The Baker County work is part of a much larger state obligation. In 2016, ODOT entered a 15-year settlement agreement with the Association of Oregon Centers for Independent Living, and a federal court approved it in early 2017. The agreement requires ODOT to bring nearly 26,000 curb ramps up to ADA standards by Dec. 31, 2032, with interim milestones along the way. Legislative testimony says ODOT had completed 6,176 compliant curb ramps by Dec. 31, 2022, with progress slowed by funding gaps, higher bid prices and a shortage of experienced contractors.