La Grande, OR. — The Oregon Department of Transportation has completed two winter-focused technology projects intended to improve road safety and travel reliability across Eastern Oregon.
The first project includes the installation of 18 new roadside traffic and weather stations equipped with cameras and sensors. According to ODOT, the devices provide real-time information on pavement and weather conditions that is fed directly to TripCheck.com and highway message boards. The agency said the added coverage will help both drivers and road crews by offering earlier detection of changing conditions and reducing the need for in-person field checks in remote areas. Three additional stations are expected to come online after final system connections are completed.
A second project upgrades the variable speed limit system along a 30-mile segment of Interstate 84 in Baker Valley, one of the state’s most weather-sensitive corridors. The improvements include two new variable speed limit signs, additional weather and pavement sensors, and new message signs for alerts and chain-up requirements.
The automated system adjusts posted speed limits based on real-time data from sensors that detect whether the roadway is dry, wet, icy, or slick. ODOT reports that the system, originally installed in 2016, has reduced crash rates in the corridor. The new upgrades are designed to make the system more responsive to rapidly changing winter weather.
The agency is also reminding travelers to plan for winter conditions by checking TripCheck.com or calling 511, carrying tire chains, and preparing emergency supplies in vehicles.
Both projects are part of what ODOT describes as ongoing efforts to expand monitoring capability and improve winter operations across Oregon’s highways.
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