Construction season is well underway, and you’ve likely seen road work around Washington County. Remember that work zone crashes can be deadly. 

In 2021, there were 956 fatalities in work zones nationwide according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 164 were pedestrians and 34 were people at work. Commercial vehicles and rear-end collisions are often involved in fatal work zone crashes. Speeding and distracted driving are significant factors that can lead to collisions in work zones.

When you see orange signs on the road, slow down and pay attention. Here are some other tips to keep travelers and workers safe in work zones:

• Look for traffic pattern changes like closed lanes and lane shifts
• Never move signage to get around road or lane closures
• Be patient and follow directions when flaggers are present
• Check your blind spots and move early when signs or flaggers tell you to change lanes
• Never cut off trucks or buses and leave extra space

Plan for congestion on OR 217 north

Expect delays on and around OR 217 north and the the I-5/OR 217 interchange from July 21-31. Two area ramps will also be closed.

Closures are related to the Oregon Department of Transportation OR 217 Auxiliary Lanes project. Traffic impacts:

• Beginning the night of Friday, July 21, crews will reduce a 3/4-mile section of northbound OR 217 to one lane, starting at the I-5 interchange and ending near the OR 99W interchange.
• The 72nd Avenue on-ramp to northbound OR 217 will be closed.
• The OR 99W off-ramp from northbound OR 217 will close for four days starting Friday night, July 21, and reopening Monday, July 24.

See detour map