Projects

The City of Talent completed construction of the West Valley View Road Improvements in October 2022 to upgrade the pavement, enhance aesthetics, install low impact development stormwater treatment facilities, and improve
non-motorist safety along this roadway.

West Valley View Road is the main arterial into the City from I-5 and is widely considered the City’s gateway and was overdue for repaving. In addition to overlaying the roadway with fresh asphalt, the roadway was designed to enhance aesthetics, promote bicyclist and pedestrian safety, and treat stormwater runoff using low impact development methods.

RH2 Engineering, Inc., developed the design with input from City staff, Rogue Valley Sewer Services, and local property and business owners. The project was funded by the City of Talent, the Oregon Department of Transportation, and a small grant from Rogue Valley Sewer Services. The project was constructed by Knife River Materials.

This project was identified in both the City’s Transportation System Plan Update and the Interchange Area Management Plan Interstate-5 Exit 21 (Talent) (IAMP) to improve bicyclist and pedestrian safety based on the number of recorded and anticipated collisions. New curbed bioswales were constructed between vehicle and bicycle lanes to provide a buffer between vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Striping and roadway markings were placed to better delineate bicycle lanes, particularly at the intersection of Highway 99 and West Valley View Road, and at the many driveways to businesses along West Valley View Road. Crosswalks were reconfigured at the West Valley View Road and Hinkley Road intersection (near the Chevron station, the Talent Truck Stop, and Cummins building), and a mid-block crossing at Wagner Creek was added, including flashing beacons to alert motorists of pedestrians in the crosswalk.

The new bioswales are designed to clean stormwater using the natural ability of plants to trap and remove urban pollutants such as trash, hydrocarbons, and metals. Prior to this project, stormwater runoff from West Valley View Road flowed into the roadside storm drainage system, where it was routed into Wagner Creek and Bear Creek. The new bioswales were strategically located to receive roadway runoff from directly upstream, and each bioswale was sized to appropriately treat the quantity of stormwater received before discharging it back into the storm drainage system, and then to the nearby creeks. The new bioswales were planted with native plants and will help to enhance downstream water quality in Wagner Creek, Bear Creek, and the Rogue River.

In addition to enhancing safety and cleaning stormwater, the West Valley View Road Improvements include repaving to preserve the integrity of the road, relocating driveway entrances for improved access and traffic flow, installing new sidewalks and curb ramps that conform to Americans with Disabilities Act standards, and upgrading the City’s water main to support future development. The bioswales were planted with native, low growing plant species to enhance roadway aesthetics. Additionally, the bioswales were specifically designed to allow fire trucks to straddle these facilities in the event of an emergency and allow emergency vehicles to remain in the roadway without encumbering vehicular travel lanes.

The City, RH2, and other involved agencies worked closely to successfully bring these upgrades to our local community with consideration for many modes of transportation, local businesses, and the environment.