ODOT To Begin Project Along Memorial Underneath Highway 169 & The Creek Turnpike

ODOT is starting a big project along South Memorial underneath Highway 169 and the Creek Turnpike on Monday. The project will dramatically change how drivers get on and off the highway.

The new intersection will be known as a diverging diamond intersection. Once the construction is complete, traffic will briefly flow in the opposite lanes with signal lights allowing for more free-flowing traffic on and off the highway.

For most of this project, two lanes of traffic both northbound and southbound along Memorial will be maintained between 93rd and 97th streets, and ODOT isn't anticipating having to close any ramps on either Highway 169 or the Creek Turnpike during construction. ODOT spokesperson TJ Gerlach said that the project will improve safety and eliminate left turn signal lights when getting on the highway.

"Safety is always our number one priority, and reducing those conflict points is just going to lessen any crashes that happen there. It's gonna lessen the severity of crashes as well as DDIs are a proven way to help reduce some congestion in the area so it's gonna help with that rush-hour traffic through there," Gerlach said.

The project is expected to take about 15 months to complete, and the contraflow traffic orientation that comes with the project will not begin until the very end of the project.