 A fleet of ODOT snow crews on Interstate 5 in southern Oregon.
News media contacts:
Portland area, Mount Hood, Columbia Gorge, Don Hamilton, 503-704-7452
Salem, Eugene and north and central Oregon Coast, David House, 503-551-8641
SW Oregon, Southern Oregon Coast, Mary Dillinger, 541-621-3074
Bend area, Central Oregon, Shelley Snow, 503-881-5362
Eastern Oregon, Don Hamilton, 503-704-7452
Jan. 15, 2024
Crews continue working around the clock to keep highways open and reopen those closed by ice and downed trees and power lines across Oregon. With unusually cold temperatures and another round of freezing rain expected Tuesday, travel will continue to be challenging.
Northbound Interstate 5 south of Eugene remains slow and congested due to overnight crashes.
Consider delaying your travel until later this week if possible. If you must travel, be prepared for conditions as difficult as the weekend. Even areas where snow and ice began to melt in the daytime, overnight lows are expected to refreeze it Monday and Tuesday nights.
If you must travel, carry chains – even if you have traction tires or four-wheel-drive – plenty of fuel, snacks and blankets in case of delays. Some highways have reached the point where chains are required regardless of four-wheel-drive.
On Sunday night, vehicles spinning out, crashing or losing traction on northbound I-5 in south Lane county blocked the interstate for hours, causing a backup of traffic stopped on the highway. ODOT crews and Oregon State Police needed to awaken drivers sleeping in their cars between midnight and 3 a.m. Monday, and there were off-ramp backups of vehicles heading for fuel stations.
Crews are plowing 24/7 and using de-icer by the hundreds of thousands of pounds, as well as sanding packed ice and snow on the roads. However, the amount of ice and extremely low temperatures limit the effectiveness of these tools – especially for vehicles without chains.
Crews are also seeing some commercial vehicles traveling at or near 55 mph in icy conditions, which is a dangerous violation of Oregon’s basic rule to drive according to conditions. Crews also are seeing vehicles chain up in the travel lanes.
Across Oregon:
- In the Portland area, we will continue to clear roads, but ice remains a threat especially in shady areas. Driving conditions will remain hazardous and motorists should stay off the roads if at all possible.
- The Columbia River Gorge is expecting dangerous travel conditions Monday and Tuesday caused by sleet, snow and ice on Interstate 84. Ice accumulations may bring down trees and power lines. We will monitor I-84 carefully and will close the interstate if conditions become unsafe.
- OR 126W remains closed between Mapleton and Veneta due to hundreds of downed trees. There is no estimate of when the highway can reopen. OR 126E is also delayed in Springfield at milepost 7.5 due to downed power lines.
- S. 20 is closed east of Sweet Home between mileposts 32 and 72 due to downed trees. There is no estimate of when the highway can reopen.
- OR 230 has reopened between Diamond Lake Junction Union Creek. Be prepared for delays and chain restrictions.
- In eastern Oregon, all state roads were open and clear. ODOT crews continued to monitor the roads and treat them as needed but no roads were closed Tuesday.
For the latest state highway information and to see current closures, visit Tripcheck.com. For the latest weather, visit the National Weather Service website.
If you must travel, be prepared
Safety is our priority – for travelers and our road crews. If you decide to travel, plan extra time for your journey and carry emergency supplies. Delays and closures are happening statewide. Expect to encounter chain restrictions.
Give snowplows and emergency crews extra space to do their work, and never pass a snowplow on the right. Our crews are working hard to clear roads, but their job becomes more difficult when disabled cars and trucks block traffic.
With power lines down, traffic signals may be off-line. Treat traffic signals that aren't working like a four-way stop. Never drive over downed power lines.
For more winter weather driving tips, see our winter travel news packet.
To see images from this winter event from across Oregon, see our January 2024 Flickr album.
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