The intersection at McGilchrist and 22nd Street will reopen on July 1, marking a major milestone in the multimillion-dollar infrastructure project.
City officials said the renovated intersection will provide better connections along 22nd Street from Mission Street SE to Madrona Street SE, but cautioned that the project is not yet complete.
A new closure on McGilchrist Street SE between 19th Street SE and 22nd Street SE will take effect July 1 through the fall. Area businesses remain open and can be accessed via 19th Street and 22nd Street.
The mile-long stretch of street just west of the Salem airport has long been a problem area.
The street is not wide enough to accommodate the influx of daily traffic.
With no sidewalks and hardly any shoulders, pedestrians and cyclists navigate dangerously through the busy street. Inadequate drainage and creek crossings also often cause roadway flooding.
In 2022, the city received $13 million in federal funding to improve McGilchrist.
The project is also funded in part by the voter-approved 2022 Safety and Livability Bond to improve traffic flow, improve stormwater infrastructure and increase pedestrian safety in the important corridor.
The July closure is necessary to replace the culvert for the east fork of Pringle Creek. The culvert is being replaced to reduce flooding problems in the area during heavy rains.
For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow @wmwoodworth
This article originally appeared in the Salem Statesman Journal: Intersection at McGilchrist, 22nd streets in Salem reopens
