The McClaine Street Improvement project is the story of a dedicated team working in synergy to overcome obstacles and enhance the lives of a small Oregon community. With McClaine Street deteriorating, the City of Silverton set out to not only improve the roadway, but also elevate the historic area to a vibrant, multi-modal, urban corridor.

Keller Associates led the preliminary and final design team including surveying, geotechnical engineering, roadway, utilities, stormwater management, sanitary sewer design, construction administration support, and as-built drawings for this long-awaited project.

During construction, several challenges arose that left the project as much as two months behind schedule. With the project kicking off about the same time as the onset of COVID-19, the City and Keller Associates quickly and successfully transitioned the advertisement and bidding process to online tools to accommodate COVID protocols. In addition, supply chain issues were an early and frequent headache. The extent and hardness of the bedrock proved to be more significant than anticipated and required alternative construction methods to break through. In the summer months, the Beachie Creek fire led to a week-long evacuation notice. Finally, a winter ice storm created unsafe working conditions and further delayed the project. In the end, with a little collaboration, creativity, and flexibility, construction contractor K&E Excavating wrapped up their work ahead of the original completion date.

This important effort addressed critical transportation and infrastructure needs by providing additional options for walking, biking, and motoring; improving business access, utilities, and drainage; and adding amenities such as streetlights and planters.

The McClaine Street project drew a lot of public interest as the community needed assurance their vision would be fully represented. Keller Associates’ team approached the work in a way that helped enhance public awareness and enthusiasm for engineering. K&E Excavating even recycled all the copper pipe that was excavated and used the funds to host a community barbecue for the residents and businesses of McClaine Street once the project was completed. The project was so successful, it garnered awards including: the 2021 Oregon Chapter American Public Works Association Project of the Year Award in the transportation less than $5 million category; and a 2022 Engineering Excellence Honor Award and People’s Choice Award from the Oregon American Council of Civil Engineering Companies.