MEDFORD, Ore. — After nearly 3 years of construction, the Highway 62 Expressway is finally set to open.
“I know that the public is excited, I get asked countless times of day… when is it going to be open,” said Gary Leaming, Oregon Department of Transportation.
With a speed limit of 55 miles per hour, the 4 and a half mile fast-track from Medford to White City was designed to alleviate traffic and congestion on Highway 62.
And they expect it to do just that.
“It will bring a lot of good savings in time, energy, and safety,” said Leaming.
ODOT says, on average, 30,000 vehicles use Crater Lake Highway every day. And if they were to use the expressway, they’ll save about 5 minutes.
“If you are a through traveler just trying to get to Eagle Point, Klamath Falls, or to Bend,” he said.
Leaming says they’ve been working around the clock to finish parts of the highway with traffic signals expected to be switched on Tuesday night.
“The main reason for this project is to improve safety and reduce congestion on the Crater Lake Highway corridor and I think this will really do it,” he said.
If everything goes according to plan, ODOT says they hope to have the expressway open early Wednesday morning.
The project cost 120 million dollars.
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