ODOT Begins ADA Curb Ramp Upgrades in North Powder, Halfway and Richland

North Powder's wheelchair users, seniors, and parents pushing strollers along 2nd Street are the first in the region to gain compliant curb ramps as Oregon Department of Transportation crews began saw-cutting corners along OR-237 the week of March 23, launching a $6.3 million project that will reach Halfway by June and Richland by late July.

Eastern Oregon Contracting LLC of Milton-Freewater is handling construction, with crews starting at A Street and working toward North Powder's city center. That phase is expected to run into early June, affecting the main highway corridor through town with intermittent lane and shoulder closures, flaggers, and rolling traffic controls while ramps are rebuilt to current Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

Businesses along 2nd Street will not lose access. ODOT confirmed all entrances will stay open throughout construction and pedestrians will have access through or around active work zones. Drivers on OR-237 should allow extra time, watch for orange construction signs and cones, and follow flaggers' directions.

The project, tracked as ODOT project number 23685, covers the state highway corridor through each of the three communities: OR-237/2nd Street in North Powder, OR-413/Main Street in Halfway, and the state highway corridor through Richland. The scope spans Union and Baker counties and goes beyond curb ramps alone, including grading, drainage, paving, signing, lighting, and roadside development.

"We are upgrading curb ramps in North Powder, Richland, and Halfway to meet current ADA standards," ODOT stated in its March 25 traffic alert. "These improvements will make travel safer and more accessible for everyone."

Halfway comes next: crews are expected to arrive in June and complete OR-413/Main Street upgrades in July. Richland's work is planned to begin in July and run through September. ODOT has set an October 2026 target for finishing all three phases, though the agency noted schedules could shift due to weather or other unforeseen issues.

ODOT has been upgrading curb ramps across Eastern Oregon for several years, with similar work completed recently in Baker City. The North Powder, Halfway, and Richland project extends that effort to smaller communities where aging ramps fall short of current federal accessibility requirements.

Questions can be directed to ODOT Community Affairs Specialist Vicki Moles at 541-620-4527 or vicki.l.moles@odot.oregon.gov. Current road conditions and work zone alerts are available at TripCheck.com or by calling 5-1-1.