Plan ahead for busy July 4 weekend travel in Oregon
 Drive cautiously through work zones during the holiday weekend, even if they don’t appear active. The Historic Columbia River Highway is open, but if you travel between Larch Mountain Road and Vista House, you’ll pass through the work zone where we are restoring the rock wall, which was lost in a December landslide.
Columbia River Gorge remains a popular destination and travel corridor
June 29, 2026
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With the July 4 holiday falling on Friday this year, ODOT expects a busy three-day weekend for travel. With more people on the road, crashes and fatalities often increase during the summer season.
The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is often called the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer because of the increased risk of crashes involving young drivers. This year, safety organizations across the country are encouraging families to help make it the 100 Safest Days of Summer by focusing on safe driving habits, avoiding distractions and speaking with teens about responsible driving.
Safe travel tips
- Plan ahead and allow extra time for your trips. Make sure your vehicle is fully charged or fueled and ready for travel, and bring water, snacks and an emergency kit for long trips.
- Use TripCheck.com to check road conditions, work zones, traffic cameras and weather forecasts before you leave.
- Popular recreation areas can be busy during the holiday weekend. Watch for people walking or biking along roads, crossing streets and entering or exiting trailheads, campgrounds and parking areas.
- Drive sober, put your phone away and stay focused on the road.
- Slow down and move over when you see road crews, emergency responders or disabled vehicles.
- Stay alert and use caution in work zones, even when crews are not present.
Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge, Oregon Coast and many other Oregon destinations are especially popular in the summer. The Gorge is a destination and a major route for freight and long-distance travel on Interstate 84.
Here are a few things to know if you are traveling to or through the Gorge this weekend:
- Traffic remains reduced to one lane in each direction on Interstate 84 at the McCord Creek Bridge replacement project, which is near Exit 37 and Warrendale between Ainsworth State Park and Bonneville Dam. While the project has remained open to traffic throughout construction, all lanes will not reopen before the holiday weekend, so expect congestion in this area.
- The Historic Columbia River Highway is open following major repairs to the Multnomah Falls Viaducts. Watch for the work zone between Larch Mountain Road and Vista House where crews are replacing a section of the historic stone wall damaged in a December landslide.
- The NE Frontage Road on-ramp to eastbound I-84 at the Elowah Falls Trailhead parking lot to remain closed during construction. Travelers accessing eastbound I-84 from NE Frontage Road must detour to the on-ramps at Ainsworth State Park, Exit 35.
- The Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail will be open to bicyclists and hikers between John B. Yeon and Toothrock Trailheads. This segment of the trail was closed near McCord Creek while cranes were temporarily staged on the trail to set steel beams for bridge construction. The trail is traversable but will not be returned to pre-construction condition until final pavement and restoration is complete by fall 2026.
More on summer travel in Oregon
Visit ODOT’s Summer Travel Tips website for seasonal travel advice and tips for traveling safely during wildfire season. For real-time road conditions and travel updates, visit TripCheck.com.
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