Corvallis & Benton County Travel Watch

We care about the safety of our community and guests in Corvallis and Benton County. This page is provided to offer information about current travel alerts in our area. Your safety and comfort are our top priority while you visit.

* This page was last updated on September 30, 2024.

OR 34: Van Buren Bridge Project

The Van Buren Bridge in downtown Corvallis is being replaced. Visitors and community members should be aware that traffic leaving Corvallis across the Van Buren Bridge will be backed up more than usual during rush hour. Our rush hour is approximately 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. We strongly advise visitors and community members who are able to do so to avoid and/or delay leaving Corvallis via the Van Buren Bridge until later in the afternoon or evening. It would be a great time to pop into a local restaurant for a snack, or to visit one of our many beautiful city parks.

• Traffic on NW Van Buren Avenue cannot turn left to go north on NW 2nd Street. Use caution and follow the signed detour to get around the temporary closure. Expect lane and shoulder closures (southern lane will remain open while crews are working in the other two lanes), an alternate route for pedestrians, and construction noise and delays. Businesses will remain open during construction.
• The Van Buren Bridge is currently closed. Motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians are directed to a temporary bypass bridge next to the Van Buren Bridge. The detour bridge doesn't have a weight restriction so regular traffic, buses and semi-trucks can all use the detour bridge. The new temporary detour bridge includes a separated path shared by pedestrians and bicyclists. The bike and pedestrian path under the bridge on both the east and west sides is now closed and will remain closed for the duration of the project. You can continue to use the river during construction. The river channel is marked with buoy lines and signs directing river users where to go.

For complete and up-to-date information about the project, visit the Van Buren Bridge Project web page.

Philomath Construction: Main Street

ODOT is resurfacing the road and addressing some accessibility issues on U.S. 20 through downtown Philomath. There are lane closures with flaggers helping direct traffic on Main and Applegate Streets. Travelors can expect crews working Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., times where through traffic is restricted, construction noise, dust and debris, lane closures with flaggers helping direct traffic, and/or restricted side street and driveway accesses. Businesses will remain open during construction. Pedestrians will have access through or around the work zone. Alternate routes are marked.

For more information: Project Web Page | TripCheck.

Travelers looking for information on current road work and construction projects that may affect traveling in our area can visit the links below.

• Benton County Public Works Projects
• Corvallis Public Works Projects
• ODOT Projects in Benton County

For more road construction, traffic, and road hazard information in Oregon, visit TripCheck.com.

Oregon's wildfire season usually starts towards the end of May or the beginning of June and ends with the first rains, usually in late September or early October. For complete and up-to-date information, visit Wildfire.Oregon.gov.

• For current information on wildfires in Oregon, visit the Wildfire.Oregon.gov or the NWCC Large Fire Map.
• For current information on air quality in Oregon, visit the Oregon Smoke Blog and the Oregon DEQ Air Quality Monitoring Data Map.

👉 If the AirNow.gov widget is not currently displaying Corvallis' air quality, please check the site directly by clicking here for Corvallis, Oregon's air quality, or clicking here to check the Oregon DEQ's air quality monitoring map.