AASHTO Journal - Oregon DOT Wraps I-5 Project Early, Saves Money

The Oregon Department of Transportation recently wrapped up a major I-5 improvement project in South Salem, OR, significantly ahead of its original schedule and about $1 million under its construction budget.

[Above photo by Oregon DOT]

The agency said construction on the I-5 Widening Project: Kuebler Boulevard to Delaney Road began in 2024 and is now wrapping up, even though the original completion date was expected in 2027.

The project widened southbound I-5 to three lanes between Kuebler Boulevard and Delaney Road, helping address a bottleneck and improve traffic flow through south Salem. It also replaced two bridges, rebuild an off-ramp, built a new roundabout, built two new sound walls, and repaved portions of I-5 as well.

No single change was responsible for shortening the construction schedule or reducing costs, Oregon DOT stressed. Instead, the project team looked for opportunities throughout construction to work more efficiently, identify potential issues early, and adjust how work was scheduled.

[Editor’s note: Oregon DOT used some of the same cost-saving tactics during the recent replacement of timber supports on two Beaver Creek bridges on OR 47 near the Town of Vernonia.]

For example, the contractor scheduled some of the riskiest dirt work during the driest part of the summer. Drier conditions meant crews needed to do less work to stabilize the ground beneath the new pavement, saving more than $500,000. The project saved another $160,000 by using temporary concrete barrier through staging and traffic control areas, with the construction team also using short-duration full closures of I-5 to complete work in a few nights rather than spreading it over weeks of nighttime closures.

Together, those efforts helped the project come in about $1 million under its construction budget and significantly ahead of its original schedule, said Chris Warner, Oregon DOT’s interim director.

“Every project is different, but when one goes this well, we owe it to ourselves to understand why. The lessons will help us deliver future ODOT projects more effectively,” he said in a statement.

“In the world of major infrastructure projects, it’s rare to deliver a project both ahead of schedule and under budget, and that’s something we should all be proud of,” added Anna Henson, Oregon DOT Area 3 manager. “An outcome like this happens because of teamwork and dedication.”