Eastern Oregon highway construction update

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Our summer construction season in eastern Oregon is starting to wind down, with some projects completed and many still active. Over two dozen paving, bridge, culvert and transportation enhancement upgrades will help preserve the existing highway system and improve safety for all travelers. Below is a list of these activities, along with anticipated traffic impacts. Please remember to watch for crews, equipment and flaggers and be prepared to slow down or stop when you see those orange cones and construction signs.

 

Being distracted and driving too fast are the two primary causes of crashes, so please put cell phones and other distractions away, and ease up on the gas. We want you and our crews to all get home safely at the end of the day. Traffic fines are double the amount in all work zones.

Highway project information is sorted by county area, with interstates and U.S. highways listed first, followed by state routes. The anticipated traffic impacts are listed in bold type. Location information is listed via milepost (MP) number for the highway section. Construction timeframes are estimates and subject to change. Information in red text indicates a change from the previous report.

 

We will share additional updates throughout the construction season. For more information on key projects visit www.tinyurl.com/odot-region5 or contact Tom Strandberg at 541-963-1330, thomas.m.strandberg@odot.state.or.us .

 

 Umatilla / Morrow / east Wheeler County Area

 

I-82 (McNary Highway) – Repair eastbound Columbia River Bridge at Washington border (project managed by Washington State DOT).  No impacts. This work is completed.  Completion: 6/2019

 

I-82 (McNary Highway) – Replace concrete panels in road surface that connect to bridges at multiple locations, between milepost 1 and 2 and at milepost 10.2. Repair and seal surface of eastbound I-84 to I-82 interchange bridge near milepost 11 (I-84 Exit 179). Lane closures, traffic pattern changes, reduced speeds and minor delays. Expect 24 hour closure of the eastbound I-84 Exit 179 off-ramp starting 10 p.m. Sept. 7. Work ongoing. Activities at milepost 10.2 are completed. Work near milepost 1 & 2 will continue through summer. Completion: 11/2019

 

I-84 (Old Oregon Trail Highway) – Repair westbound bridge over Noland Road near milepost 195. Reduced speeds, single lane closure on westbound and eastbound freeway, possible evening work, and minor delays. Work ongoing. Completion: 10/2019

 

I-84 (Old Oregon Trail Highway) – Install cable barrier in median between eastbound and westbound freeways at several locations between Boardman and Ontario to improve safety and reduce cross-over crashes when vehicles leave the roadway. Sections include: MP 155-172; 206-209; 277-306; 308-316; 320-331; 346-353; 359-363; and 370-378.  Expect lane and shoulder closures near work areas.  Work ongoing. Completion: 10/2019

 

I-84 (Old Oregon Trail Highway) – Install snow fencing to reduce blowing snow in wintertime at Poverty Flats area, milepost 222.6 to 224.24. Shoulder and intermittent lane closures, reduced speeds, minor delays. Work ongoing. Completion: 11/2019 

 

I-84 (Old Oregon Trail Highway) – Install new variable message reader signs, curve warning signs, road and weather sensors, highway cameras, lighting, ramp gate, cable median barrier and electric power/wiring at various locations between La Grande and Pendleton, milepost 220 to 259. Lane closures, reduced speeds, minor delays. Work ongoing. Two-year project. Completion: 10/2020

 

I-84 (Old Oregon Trail Highway) – Pavement resurfacing (grind/inlay) of slow lanes 12 miles west of La Grande, milepost 248.3 to 248.5. Reduced speeds, lanes closures, minor delays, nighttime paving operations. Work expected to start between late August and mid-September and will take a couple days. Completion: 10/2019 

 

I-84 (Old Oregon Trail Highway) – Pavement resurfacing (grind/inlay) of slow lanes 10 miles west of North Powder, milepost 275.46 to 276.71. Reduced speeds, lanes closures, minor delays, possible nighttime paving operations. Work expected to start between late August and mid-September and will take a couple days. Completion: 10/2019

 

U.S. 395 (Hermiston Highway) – Repair concrete pavement through downtown Hermiston area, milepost 3.4 to 6.34. No impacts, work completed. Completion: 7/2019

 

U.S. 730 (Columbia River Highway) – Juniper Creek Bridge drilling/repair, milepost 199.03. No impacts, work completed. Completion: 6/2019

 

OR 74 (Heppner Highway) – Shoulder paving/maintenance between Nye Junctions and Butter Creek Road. No impacts, work completed. Completion: 7/2019

 

OR 207 (Heppner-Spray Highway) – Pavement crack seal between Hardman and Wheeler County line, milepost 10 to 24. No impacts, work completed. Completion: 6/2019

 

OR 334 (Athena-Holdman Highway) – Repave highway between Athena and OR 11, milepost 17.6 to 18.12.  No impacts, work completed. Completion: 7/2019 

 

OR 335 (Havana-Helix Highway) – Repave highway between Helix and OR 334 junction, milepost zero to 5.5. No impacts, work completed. Completion: 7/2019 

 

Union / Wallowa / Baker County Area.

 

I-84 (Old Oregon Trail Highway) – Replace worn rubber-like seals on bridge surface joints at multiple locations between Echo and Baker City at mileposts: 195 eastbound; 248.55 eastbound and westbound; 248.94 eastbound and westbound; 258.89 eastbound and westbound; 259.13 eastbound; and 304.13 westbound. Expect lane closures, reduced speeds, and minor delays. Work ongoing with activities lasting one to three days at each site. Completion: 9/2019

 

I-84 (Old Oregon Trail Highway) – Pavement crack seal along eastbound and westbound freeways between Spring Creek grade and La Grande, milepost 246 to 260. No impacts, work completed. Completion:  6/2019

 

I-84 (Old Oregon Trail Highway) – Paving, shoulder widening between La Grande and Ladd canyon, milepost 260 to 270. Bridge replacement, culvert work, paving and construction of third eastbound lane in Ladd Canyon area, milepost 270 to 273. Lane closures, reduced speeds, traffic pattern changes, minor delays. Westbound freeway on ramp from Ladd Canyon Road at Exit 270 closed for bridge replacement work 7 a.m. – noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Freeway closed to bicyclists and pedestrians between milepost 270 and 273 due to no safe shoulder space during construction. Pedestrians/bicyclists will need to use local transit bus service (www.neotransit.org) between La Grande and North Powder. Bicyclists can also use signed detour route via OR 203 between La Grande and Union, and OR 237 between Union and North Powder.  Paving between La Grande and Ladd Canyon, milepost 260 to 270 is complete, other work is ongoing. Two-year project. Completion: 10/2020

 

I-84 (Old Oregon Trail Highway) – Eastbound pavement repairs near Durkee, milepost 325.5. No impacts, project completed. Completion: 6/2019

 

I-84 (Old Oregon Trail Highway) – Pavement repair between Plano Road and Huntington Interchange, milepost 331 to 344. No impacts at this time. Work is on hold. Completion: TBD

 

OR 82 (Wallowa Lake Highway) – Realign hairpin corner at Minam Curve, construct bank stabilization west of Minam, milepost 30.7 and 32.58. Lane closures, flaggers, delays of up to 20 minutes. Possible occasional longer delays during blasting operations. Expect construction activities early morning to evening. Work ongoing. Completion: 11/2019 

 

OR 82 (Wallowa Lake Highway) – Pavement crack seal through town of Wallowa, milepost 46.28 to 47.58. No impacts, work completed. Completion: 6/2019

 

OR 82 (Wallowa Lake Highway) – Grind out old, deteriorating asphalt and repave highway between Joseph and Enterprise, milepost 65 to 71. Lane closures, flaggers, pilot cars, reduced speeds, loose rock on roadway, day and nighttime brooming operations, delays up to 20 minutes. Paving work completed. Chip seal will be applied late August/early Sept. Completion: 10/2019 

 

OR 244 (Ukiah-Hilgard Highway) – Repair Marley Creek culvert under highway near Camp Elkanah, milepost 31. No impacts, culvert work complete. Planting/reseeding operations off the highway in October. 11/2019. 

OR 350 (Little Sheep Creek Highway) – Realign intersection to Forest Road 39 (Wallowa Forest Loop Road) and replace bridge near the junction. Lane closures, minor delays for intersection work. Lane closures and delays up to 20 minutes for bridge work. Work ongoing. Completion: 12/2019

 

Malheur / Harney / Grant / east Wheeler County Area

I-84 (Old Oregon Trail Highway) – Repair Snake River bridges at Oregon/Idaho border, milepost 378. Lane closures, reduced speeds, traffic pattern changes and commercial truck detour via U.S. 95 and U.S. 30. Work ongoing. Completion: 10/2020

 

I-84 (Old Oregon Trail Highway) – Farewell Bend Point of Entry resurfacing at Exit 353. No impacts, work is completed. Completion: 7/2019

 

I-84 (Old Oregon Trail Highway) – Apply durable pavement markings such as fog lines, center line stripes, etc. between North Huntington Interchange and North Fork Jacobson Gulch, milepost 345 to 368.  No impacts, work completed. Completion: 6/2019

 

U.S. 20 (Central Oregon Highway) – Apply chip seal to highway between Hampton and Burns, milepost 62 to 128, and through downtown Vale milepost 245 to 247. Chip seal work is completed. Possible loose rock on roadway plus minor delays for striping. Completion: 9/2019 

 

OR 201 (Yturri Blvd) - Apply chip seal to highway between Washington Avenue and Airport Corner, milepost 25 to 28. Chip seal work is completed. Possible loose rock on roadway plus minor delays for striping. Completion: 10/2019 

 

OR 453/OR 454 (Adrian-Arena Valley and Adrian-Caldwell Highways) – Pavement resurfacing and shoulder maintenance at Big Bend area, 1.5 miles south of Adrian, milepost zero to 5.1.No impacts, work is completed. Completion: 8/2019.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For up to date traffic condition information, please visit TripCheck.com. Road condition information is also available by phone by dialing 5-1-1, or (800) 977-6368. Outside of Oregon, travelers can call (503) 588-2941.

 

For updated eastern Oregon highway projects information visit www.tinyurl.com/ODOT-region5 or contact ODOT Public Information Officer Tom Strandberg at 541-963-1330, email Thomas.m.strandberg@odot.state.or.us.