With Portland experiencing a rapidly growing population, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) saw that the decades-old infrastructure in place on I-205 was not meeting the needs of the 168,000 travelers it sees each day. In 2019, ODOT began work on the $30 million improvement project to reduce the traffic congestion, while increasing safety and operations along this busy freeway and preserving the pavement. A new auxiliary lane was added along with an updated traveler information system, and improvements were made to the surface of the road. By being able to detect possible conflicts in the construction schedule and closing to traffic on weekends, ODOT’s operations efforts resulted in completion of the project in under two years. The results speak for themselves. Crashes in this area are now down 30 percent, allowing this thriving city to get people where they need to go safer and faster.
America's Transportation Awards 