The ramp from I-5 northbound onto Highway 217The state of Oregon didn’t fix the on-ramp to Highway 217 despite a slew of wrecks caused by a defective metal joint, according to 15 motorists who are being represented by Kafoury & McDougal.
The plaintiffs in the case all suffered injuries from accidents caused by the unsafe joint between April and June of 2014. The claims add up to over $2 million in damages sought from the Oregon Department of Transportation and Kiewit Corporation, the company that designed and installed the ramp.
Mark McDougal said the state ignored evidence that the joint was creating problems.
“The Highway 217 on-ramp was putting people at risk every day,” McDougal said. “ODOT spends millions of dollars on safety advertising, and yet does nothing when a dangerous condition they control stares them in the face. Accident after accident occurred in exactly the same place, and ODOT did nothing.”
READ MORE:
KGW — (04/04/2016)
The Oregonian — Elliot Njus (04/04/2016)
KATU — (04/04/2016)
KOIN — Brent Weisberg (04/04/2016)
Statesman Journal — (04/05/2016)
Register Guard — (04/05/2016)
Portland Tribune —Geoff Pursinger (04/07/2016)
Valley Times — Geoff Pursinger (04/07/2016)