HERMISTON – A grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation will allow Oregon State Police to increase patrols along the Highway 730 safety corridor.

This year, ODOT grant funds will help OSP provide 955 hours of overtime traffic safety enforcement in safety corridors near Grants Pass, Central Point, Hermiston, Pendleton, Salem, and McMinnville. Last year, ODOT awarded grant funds to provide nearly 305 hours of overtime enforcement in each of four safety corridors.

The grant will allow OSP to pay for 191 hour of overtime enforcement in the six mile stretch of the Highway 730 safety corridor between the east city limits of Irrigon (Milepost 176.5) and the west city limits of Umatilla (Milepost 182.5).

The grant also will allow OSP to put overtime patrols on a four-mile stretch of Highway 11 near Pendleton. Other safety corridors that will to receive overtime enforcement grant funds are Highway 199 (seven-mile stretch south of Grants Pass); Highway 99E (11-mile stretch between Salem and Woodburn); Highway 140 Lake of the Woods (18-mile stretch west of Klamath Falls); and Highway 18 (17.5 mile stretch west of McMinnville).

– Phil Wright