ODOT Sets US97 Emergency Pothole Repair Project

Jan. 22, 2016                                                                        For more information: Peter Murphy

ODOT Public Information Officer

541-388-6224

 

 

ODOT Sets US97 Emergency Pothole Repair Project

Chemult area to be treated

 

 

BEND – Given the severe damage that winter weather has caused to US97 in the Chemult area, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is planning an emergency repair project.

Winter’s freeze-thaw cycle has been especially severe near Chemult, which at 4,764 feet, is the scene of some of the coldest weather in Oregon. As water freezes and warms the effect is to break up the highway surface, compounded by truck and other vehicle traffic.

ODOT has been putting all available local resources onto this problem day and night to patch the potholes by hand with traditional winter methods, but could not keep up with the damage to the highway.

“Our plan is to take advantage of an improvement in the weather and put all our regional resources into fixing the potholes including using a different mix of asphalt“, said Pat Creedican, District Manager for the Chemult area. “We’ve inspected the pothole problem there, and decided that the best course of action is to make these temporary improvements now and then perform a major repaving project in the Spring “.

The work is set to begin Monday, January 25 and will affect motorists driving through the area. ODOT crews will be in place beginning then and will continue to work in the area until the emergency repairs are complete. Motorists will be directed around the work site by flaggers.

 

 

##ODOT#

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