Rendering of SW Washington Way looking west towards SW 35th

Rendering viewing SW Washington Way looking west towards SW 30th St.

Project Description

This project aims to improve safety and connectivity by reconstructing the Washington Way corridor while encouraging active modes of transportation on the OSU Corvallis campus.

Washington Way, an important corridor running east-to-west through campus, will be improved over the next few years using a phased approach. The schedule has been updated, with work beginning in the summer 2022 with the replacement of a city of Corvallis water line.

Questions and concerns about the Washington Way Improvement Project can be directed to WashingtonWay@oregonstate.edu.

Improvements include:

  • Relocation of the roadway farther away from the railroad tracks (10 feet north of current roadway).
  • Construction of cycle track and wide pedestrian sidewalks. 
  • Improved curbs and streetscapes to the north of the roadway.
  • Major lighting improvements along pedestrian sidewalk and cycle track; along multimodal path south of the road; and at intersections.  

Timeline:

2022

  • Spring 2022: Tree removal along the north side of Washington Way.
  • Spring 2022: Pacific Power relocates two large power vaults associated with the substation at SW 26th St.
  • Fall 2022: Installation of replacement water line down Washington Way, a joint project with the city of Corvallis. 

2023

  • Feb 2023 - July 2023: Intersection work and railroad crossing improvements..
  • Dec 2022 - March 2023: Reconstruction from 35th to 30th street. 
  • March 2023 - June 2023: Reconstruction from 30th street to 26th street. 
  • June 2023-October 2023: Reconstruction from 26th street to 17th Street. 
Frequently Asked Questions about the Washington Way Improvements

Why is OSU in charge of this project?

Washington Way on campus is an OSU owned street, and OSU is responsible for the street infrastructure.

Why are the Washington Way Improvements being done?

The safety of our students, staff and visitors is of utmost importance to OSU. Improving Washington Way will make the roadway safer for all travelers and will improve connectivity among campus and will provide more opportunities for travelers to use alternative modes of transportation.

How will parking be affected by the Washington Way Improvements?

Approximately 123 parking spaces directly adjacent to Washington Way (90 spaces south of Student Legacy Park (lot 3293), 14 spaces at Navy ROTC Armory (lot 3265), 15 spaces in the parking lot east of Goss Stadium (lot 3261), and 4 spaces along Benton Place (3268)) will be eliminated for the relocation of the roadway. 

Will the parking spots be replaced on campus?

No. The proposed Washington Way project includes construction of a cycle track (two-way bike facility), an investment that will facilitate bicycle trips and help lower campus parking demand. Additionally, OSU’s Parking Utilization Rate of 64 percent indicates there is sufficient parking capacity to absorb the loss of these parking spaces.

Shouldn’t parking spaces that were removed due to construction be relocated?

The Division of Finance and Administration Policy on Parking Replacement (Facilities and Grounds, Section 005-01) requires that parking removed within a construction project be replaced. However, this policy only refers to building construction and not infrastructure improvements. 

Will the trees south of the Tennis Pavilion (adjacent to Washington Way) be removed?

Yes, to facilitate the relocation of the roadway. 45 large canopy trees will be planted as part of the project.

Will the trees north of Merritt Truax Indoor Center (adjacent to Washington Way) be removed? 

No.

Last Updated: 
Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Project Details

Project Status: 
Active
Project Category: 
Infrastructure improvements
Projected Completion Date: 
December 2023
Project Budget: 
$24 million
Funding Source(s): 
OSU Revenue Bonds
Type of Project: 
Other

Project People

Project Manager: 
Aaron Amoth