Historic Columbia River Highway viaduct east of Multnomah Falls will close Oct. 1

Oregon Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 09/22/2025 02:05 PM PDT

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Historic Columbia River Highway viaduct east of Multnomah Falls will close Oct. 1

Multnomah Falls East Viaduct on the Historic Columbia River Highway, viewed from Interstate 84.

The East Multnomah Falls Viaduct, built in 1914 on the Historic Columbia River Highway, will close Oct. 1, 2025, through spring 2026 for repairs.

Closure for repairs will continue into spring 2026

Sept. 22, 2025

News media contact: David House, 503-551-8641

COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE – The East Multnomah Falls Viaduct will close to all traffic, including bicycles and vehicles, from Oct. 1 to spring 2026 for repairs to the historic highway structure.

The closure will be from just east of Multnomah Creek near the employee parking on the historic highway to the Oneonta Trailhead parking lot. During the closure, vehicles traveling westbound from Hood River will be turned around at the Oneonta Trailhead before reaching the Multnomah Falls Lodge.

Access to Multnomah Falls via the Interstate 84 parking lot at Exit 31 will remain open, but parking spaces are limited. The west side of the historic highway will provide access to the lodge parking lot, but the highway will be closed to further eastward travel.

Public transit and private buses are available to take you to the Multnomah Falls Lodge without the hassle of parking. Visit RideCatBus.org or ReadySetGorge.com  to find more information about routes, schedules and tickets.

For a complete picture of the condition of the viaducts and a closer look at the project, watch our video. You can also visit the website for more information and sign up for the project newsletter to stay informed about current traffic impacts.​

Background

The viaducts are National Historic Landmarks, and we will preserve their historic integrity to retain the look they had in 1914. Their features will be similar to the old design in color and texture. In May 2025, we completed repairs of the west viaduct ahead of schedule after closing that section of the historic highway in fall 2024.

This repair project will allow each viaduct to continue carrying traffic along the Historic Columbia River Highway for years to come.​

About 4,000 vehicles use the viaducts daily. The structures are original to the highway and listed as National Historic Landmarks. The repair work preserves the historic integrity so the viaducts, with their unique railings and stone support walls, look like they did when they were originally built in 1914.

The viaduct repairs include:

  • Removing the aging asphalt and installing new concrete surface to match the original 1914 design in color and texture.
  • Repairing railings, vertical columns, and horizontal support beams under the viaduct -- which have cracks and exposed rebar -- to improve stability and address erosion.
  • Replacing permanent signs to meet current standards.

 

This section of the Historic Columbia River Highway will close Oct. 1, 2025, through spring 2026 for repairs to the east viaduct.

ODOT funding crisis

While the funding crisis is having a profound effect on ODOT’s maintenance and operations, most construction projects will continue as planned. These projects are typically funded through separate capital programs, often with state or federal funds that are legally restricted to project development and cannot be redirected for maintenance or day-to-day operations. For more information on ODOT’s funding crisis, visit our website​. ​