S. Canal Blvd. project causes Redmond traffic headaches

Deschutes County officials are asking motorists to have patience as Highway 97 in Redmond will see a dramatic increase in traffic because of the South Canal Boulevard detour.

Officials said Thursday that motorists should be prepared for delays because of the Deschutes County Fair, which kicked off Wednesday. Motorists should also expect traffic to increase during peak fair hours.

The South Canal construction project has been going on since March.

The makeover includes adding left turn lanes at busy intersections, creating a new bicycle-pedestrian path and replacing water pipes.

Cody Lawhorn, who commutes to work on his bike, tells NewsChannel 21 that his commute has gotten longer with this construction project.

“People come in here all the time and complain about traffic, especially the locals, because they’re so tired of fighting it every day because of the Canal construction, which seems like it’s taking a long time,” Lawhorn said Thursday.

Lawhorn, who works at a local gas station, said some customers will get stuck in the parking lot trying to merge onto the highway.

According to city officials, the $6.9 million project will meet the current standards as they’ll be replacing deteriorating pavement.

The work is expected to be completed by next spring.

For more information: http://www.southcanalblvd.org/