Update 3/28/2023: Court Street two-way conversion is delayed due to rain.
Due to continued rain in the forecast, work to complete the two-way conversion of Court St. in downtown Salem will be delayed. The paint used on roadways is a thermoplastic paint that is thicker, wear-resistant and contains reflective properties for visibility on asphalt surfaces. Thermoplastic paints require an extended period of dry, warm weather for application, and weather models continue to predict rain Wednesday and Thursday.
Notifications will be sent out when the weather allows the project to move forward.
Previous release:
Lane restrictions are expected beginning Tuesday, March 28, 2023, as downtown Salem’s Court Street will transition from a one-way to a two-way street. Final lane adjustments are expected to be complete by Thursday, March 30, 2023, and include lane and parking stall striping, sign adjustments, and the activation of new traffic signals between Commercial St. NE and High St. NE.
The Court Street project was first proposed as part of the Central Salem Mobility Study recommendations in 2014. The project is designed to help increase access to local downtown businesses. Court Street, a westbound three-lane road, will be converted into a two-lane east-west street, and will include appropriate left turn lanes at Commercial St. NE and High St. NE and parking in both directions. These updates are similar to the 2021 conversion of State Street, which is located one block south of Court Street.
Over the next several days, construction crews will reduce available lanes of traffic on Court Street as needed and construction efforts will include:
- Tuesday, March 28 – Removing existing striping and installing temporary lane markers
- Wednesday, March 29 – Stripe roadway and parking stalls, activate traffic signals
- Thursday, March 30 – Complete remaining striping work and adjust remaining signs
Follow us on social media for photos and updates on this project. For more information on current City of Salem road construction projects, visit the Active Construction Dashboard and view up-to-date information on the infrastructure improvements going on in your neighborhood.
