Construction to begin this week on OR 58: Salt Creek Tunnel

Oregon Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 05/15/2012 12:19 PM PDT

 

May 15, 2012                                                        For more information: Rick Little (541) 726-2442

05-118-R2                                                             email at: mailto:richard.little@odot.state.or.us

                                                                          

 

 Construction to begin this week on OR 58: Salt Creek Tunnel and Half Viaduct project

 

OAKRIDGE— Construction will begin Friday, May 18 on a project to rebuild the floor of the OR 58: Salt Creek Tunnel, repair the tunnel liner, and rebuild the half-viaducts on each end of the tunnel.

 

The project, located on OR 58 (Willamette Highway) at milepost 56, between Oakridge and Willamette Pass, will take two full construction seasons to complete.

 

Complete highway closure scheduled for early June

 

Motorists should be aware that during the 2012 construction season, there will be a 4-day complete day/night closure of the highway at milepost 56, and nightly closures except on weekends. During the closures, motorists should take an alternate route.

 

The highway schedule and impacts to motorist are as follows:

 

  • Complete day/night highway closure: 8 p.m. Monday, June 4 through 6 a.m. Friday, June 8, 2012

 

  • Closed completely at night Monday - Thursday, from 8 p.m. - 6 a.m. beginning Monday, June 11

 

  • Open to a single lane of travel Monday - Thursday, from 6 a.m. - 8 p.m.

 

  • Open weekends to a single lane of travel from Friday 6 a.m. until Monday 8 p.m.

 

  • Travel is restricted to a single lane with pilot cars. Expect 20 minute delays.

 

  • No complete daytime closures in July or August.

 

  • Oakridge will always be open for business from the west.

 

  • Crescent Lake and Willamette Pass will always be open for business from the east.

 

 

Project will modernize a historic tunnel

 

Built in 1939, the tunnel needs serious repair and the adjacent west half viaduct and the three east viaducts are failing and need to be replaced. The half viaducts have exposed reinforcement bar, severe cracks in concrete and are currently braced and supported by   temporary timber bracing that ODOT maintenance put in place in 2008. In addition, the tunnel liner is cracked and leaking; the tunnel has limited vertical clearance; and the tunnel floor is in disrepair.

 

The OR 58: Salt Creek Tunnel and Half-Viaduct project will:

·         Replace the half viaduct west of the tunnel

·         Replace the three half viaducts east of the tunnel

·         Repair the tunnel liner

·         Lower the tunnel floor

·         Construct variable message signs east and west of the tunnel.

 

The $9.4 million contract was awarded to Capital Concrete Construction, Inc., of Aumsville, Ore.

 

 

Know before you go

To learn more about this project, visit: www.58tunnel.com

 

To get an update on current road conditions, visit: www.tripcheck.com

 

 

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